Objective: To investigate the effect of Aloe polysaccharide on proliferation and hyaluronic acid and hydroxyproline secretion of human fibroblasts in vitro.
Methods: The fibroblasts were treated with different doses of polysaccharide (0, 25, 50, 100, 200, 400 mg/L). Subsequently, cell proliferation was determined by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide, cell cycle by flow cytometry, evaluation of the Aloe polysaccharide toxic effect by acridine orange-ethidium bromide staining, evaluation of the cell injury by lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assay, and the collagen synthesis by (3)H-proline incorporation. In addition, hyaluronic acid and hydroxyproline levels in the supernatants of cultured fibroblasts were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
Results: The proliferation of fibroblasts was induced with polysaccharide in a dose-dependent manner, reaching its highest level on 5th day. Meanwhile, the percentage of cells at phase G(0)/G(1) was decreased, while that at phases G(2)/M and S was increased significantly in Aloe polysaccharide-treated groups as compared with those in the control group (P<0.05). Additionally, the apoptosis of the fibroblasts showed no differences among all groups. The collagen synthesis was increased and cell injury decreased in polysaccharide-treated groups as compared with those in control group (P<0.05), while the levels of hyaluronic acid and hydroxyproline in the supernatants of fibroblasts treated with polysaccharide were significantly higher than those in the control group (P<0.05).
Conclusion: The Aloe polysaccharide promotes both the proliferation of fibroblasts and the production of hyaluronic acid and hydroxyproline in fibroblasts. This indicates that the Aloe polysaccharide may play an important role in the extracellular matrix remodeling during wound healing.