Cell & Stem Cell Research

Introduction: The main aim of medicine is Wound healing in a shorter time and with fewer side effects. Cell therapy, especially treatment with stem cells has become as a possible solution for wound healing. In this study we evaluate the effect of hair follicle stem cells transplantation and SDF-1/CXCR4 axis in cutaneous wound healing in Rats. Materials and Methods: Animals (male Wistar rats) were divided into five groups: 1) Control (non-treated), 2) Vehicle (PBS), 3) AMD (treated with AMD), 4) HFSCs treated with AMD) , and 5) HFSCs (treated with HFSCs). (AMD is inhibitor of SDF-1/CXCR4 axis). The Bulge region of rat whiskers was isolated and cultured in DMEM/F12. Then transplanted to wound site. At the end of the treatment period, histological assessments (H&E, Masson's trichrome staining), and molecular assays (ELISA, q- PCR) were performed. Results: The diameter of epidermis, Amount of collagen, wound healing percent as well as expression of SDF-1, CXCR4 and VEGFR2 in HFSCs groups were significant compared with control group (P<0.05). In AMD group, these parameters were significantly low compared with control group (P<0.05). Conclusion: Transplantation of hair follicle stem cells had potential capability for cutaneous wound healing in Rats. However with increasing the SDF-1 expression level in in the injured area, HFSCs can recruit other stem cells and contribute to wound repair with

SDF-1/CXCR4 axis.