Astragaloside IV Downregulates β-Catenin in Rat Keratinocytes to Counter LiCl-Induced Inhibition of Proliferation and Migration
Figure 7
AS-IV attenuates LiCl-induced inhibition of keratinocyte migration. (a) Mouse primary keratinocytes with LiCl-induced activation of β-catenin were used in the scratch assay. LiCl inhibited keratinocyte migration compared to untreated cells. Inhibition was prominent at 48 h and was sustained through 72 h (**). EGF (positive control) stimulated migration was significant after 72 h, as evidenced by the nearly closed wound. AS-IV attenuated the LiCl-induced keratinocyte migration inhibition effect, as evidenced by the difference in wound closure after 72 h (*, compared with LiCl-treated group). Straight lines demarcate the initial wound area, and dotted lines indicate the migrating front of cells. (b) β-catenin was upregulated at the scratch wound edge. Insets show enlarged images of the dotted rectangle. The white circle indicates the keratinocytes starting to migrate from the nonnuclear β-catenin-positive cell. Scale bar = 100 μm. (c) Histograms showing the average coverage of scratch wounds widths as percentages of the baseline wound width at time of scratch (0) and 24 h, 48 h, and 72 h after LiCl, LiCl + AS-IV, and LiCl + EGF treatments. *, **. Scale bar = 100 μm.
