Effect of Kelulut Honey on the Cellular Dynamics of TGFβ-Induced Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition in Primary Human Keratinocytes

• Main Authors: Abid Nordin, Shiplu Roy Chowdhury, Aminuddin Bin Saim, Ruszymah Bt Hj Idrus
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2020-05-01
• Series: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
• Subjects: honey; cell morphology; scratch assay; keloid scar; migration; wound healing
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/9/3229

Over-induction of epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) by tumor growth factor beta (TGFβ) in keratinocytes is a key feature in keloid scar. The present work seeks to investigate the effect of Kelulut honey (KH) on TGFβ-induced EMT in human primary keratinocytes. Image analysis of the real time observation of TGFβ-induced keratinocytes revealed a faster wound closure and individual migration velocity compared to the untreated control. TGFβ-induced keratinocytes also have reduced circularity and display a classic EMT protein expression. Treatment of 0.0015% (<i>v</i>/<i>v</i>) KH reverses these effects. In untreated keratinocytes, KH resulted in slower initial wound closure and individual migration velocity, which sped up later on, resulting in greater wound closure at the final time point. KH treatment also led to greater directional migration compared to the control. KH treatment caused reduced circularity in keratinocytes but displayed a partial EMT protein expression. Taken together, the findings suggest the therapeutic potential of KH in preventing keloid scar by attenuating TGFβ-induced EMT.