Shikonin Inhibits Vascular Extravasation and Inflammation in Burn Wounds by Regulating Wnt/β-Catenin Pathway

Abstract

Objective: To explore whether shikonin can alleviate vascular leakage in burn wounds, inhibit skin inflammation, and exert protective effects on skin. Methods: A mouse skin burn wound model was routinely established, and fluorescent microspheres were injected through the tail vein 2 h before sampling to characterize the degree of vascular leakage. Dorsal skin was obtained by surgical dissection and embedded in OCT, and frozen sections were prepared. CD31 immunofluorescence was used to determine the distribution of blood vessels in burnt skin, and Ly6G immunofluorescence staining was used to determine the level of neutrophil recruitment in the skin. Results: Skin microvessels were mainly distributed in the dermis. We found that severe vascular leakage occurred in the blood vessels of the burned dermis, and shikonin significantly alleviated vascular leakage in the burned area. Furthermore, shikonin significantly inhibited neutrophil recruitment to burn sites. Most importantly, we also found that shikonin can alleviate vascular leakage and inhibit skin inflammation at burn sites through the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Conclusion: Shikonin can alleviate vascular leakage, and inhibit skin inflammation in burn wounds through the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. This experimental study provides a proof-of-concept and a new avenue for the repair and treatment of burn skin vascular injuries.