| Summary: | Estrogens play a crucial role in cutaneous wound healing by down-regulating macrophage migration inhibitory factor
(MIF). We had previously reported the effect of young coconut juice (YCJ) known to contain the phytoestrogen, -sitosterol,
on cutaneous wound healing in ovariectomized (ovx) rats. This research investigated the possible mechanisms of YCJ on
cutaneous wound healing and it was found that it down regulated macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF). This
resulted in ultrastructural changes that were observed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Four groups of female
rats (6 in each group) were included in this study: sham-operated, ovariectomized (ovx), ovx that received estradiol benzoate
(EB) injections intraperitoneally, and ovx that received YCJ orally. Two weeks after ovariectomy, two equidistant 1-cm
full-thickness skin incisional wounds were made. At the end of the third week (7 day treatment) and the fourth week (14 day
treatment) of study the rats were sacrificed, and their serum estradiol (E2) levels were measured by a chemiluminescent
immunoassay. The skin from the wound was excised and examined by TEM and MIF immunohistochemical staining. The TEM
study after 14 days of treatment showed that the size of the keratinocyte cells from the ovx+YCJ group was larger and these
cells contained many more cytoplasmic processes than those of the ovx group. The MIF immunoreactivity was also lowest
in the ovx+YCJ group. This study showed that there was an increased intercellular exchange via the cytoplasmic processes
of the keratinocytes that could account for the promotion of cutaneous wound healing in the ovx rats receiving YCJ, and
that the possible mechanism for this was via the down-regulation of MIF.
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