To evaluate the wound-healing effect of Antheraea pernyi epidermal growth factor (ApEGF), we performed the sequence analysis, cloning, and prokaryotic expression of cDNA from the ApEGF gene, examined the transcriptional changes, and investigated the wound-healing effect of this protein in cells and rat epidermis. Primers were designed based on available sequence information related to the ApEGF gene in a public database, and part of the ApEGF sequence was obtained. The full-length cDNA sequence of ApEGF was obtained using inverse PCR. The gene sequence fragment of ApEGF was 666 bp in length, encoding 221 amino acids, with a predicted protein mass of 24.19 kD, an isoelectric point of 5.15, and no signal peptide sequence. Sequence homology analysis revealed 86.1% sequence homology with Bombyx mori, 92.7% with Manducal sexta, 92.6% with Trichoplusia ni, and 91.8% with Helicoverpa armigera. ApEGF was truncated and then subjected to prokaryotic expression, isolation, and purification. Truncated ApEGF was used for wound-healing experiments in vitro and in vivo. The results showed that after 48 h, transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 had 187.32% cell growth effects, and the ApEGF group had 211.15% cell growth compared to the control group in vitro. In rat epidermis, truncated ApEGF showed a significantly better healing effect than the control. This result indicated that ApEGF, which exerted a direct wound-healing effect, could be used in wound-healing therapy.

This study investigated the cytotoxicity, 15-hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase (15-PGDH) inhibitory activity, prostaglandin (PG)E2 release, mRNA expression, collagen biosynthesis, and wound healing activity for evaluating the role of flavonoids obtained from Quercus mongolica bark (QMB-flavonoid) in enhancing wound healing. QMB-flavonoid inhibited 15-PGDH activity in a concentration-dependent manner, with a notable reduction at 7.0 μg/mL, and increased PGE2 release from 1,600 to 2,500 pg/mL between 5.0 and 7.0 μg/mL. Gene expression analysis showed a decrease in 15-PGDH, COX-1, and PGT, whereas MRP4 expression increased. Genes related to cell proliferation, such as KDR, were upregulated, with KDR showing a 5.1-fold increase. At 3.0 µg/mL, QMB-flavonoid promoted collagen synthesis by 142.7% with no cytotoxicity observed in fibroblasts up to that concentration. QMB flavonoids also demonstrated significant wound healing effect, showing a 199.3% growth rate and near-complete wound closure by day 15. The treated group exhibited better tissue regeneration and thinner epidermis than the control group. These results suggest that QMB-flavonoid have potential therapeutic applications in skin regeneration.