Abstract:
Objective To investigate the mechanism of immune response mediated by Janus activated kinase (JAK)/signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) signaling pathway in the regeneration of skin flap transplantation.
Methods A rat skin flap transplantation model was established in SD rats. The rats were divided into a control group and an inhibitor group (JAK inhibitor AG490 was locally injected at the base of skin flap). The survival rate of skin flaps was measured on postoperative day 1, 3, 5, and day 7; hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining was used to evaluate the pathological changes of skin flaps, and Masson staining was applied to detect interstitial fibrosis; real-time polymerase chain reaction was used to detect the expression levels of JAK, STAT, transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), epidermal growth factor (EGF), platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in skin flap tissue on postoperative day 1, 3, 5, and day 7.
Results On postoperative day 5 and day 7, the JAK and STAT mRNA levels in the inhibitor group were significantly lower than those in the control group (P < 0.01), and the survival rate in the inhibitor group was higher than that in the control group (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01). HE staining semi-quantitative analysis showed that, on postoperative day 5, the inflammation score, vascular score, and total score in the inhibitor group were lower than those in the control group (P < 0.05 to P < 0.01); on postoperative day 7, the total score in the inhibitor group was significantly lower than that in the control group (P < 0.01). Masson staining semi-quantitative analysis showed that, on postoperative day 5, the collagen arrangement score in the inhibitor group was lower than that in the control group (P < 0.05); on postoperative day 7, the collagen structure score in the inhibitor group was lower than that in the control group (P < 0.05). On postoperative day 3, 5, and day 7, the mRNA expression levels of TGF-β1, PDGF, EGF, and VEGF in the inhibitor group were higher than those in the control group (P < 0.05 to P < 0.01).
Conclusions JAK inhibitor AG490 can improve the survival rate of skin flaps, which may be associated with promoting angiogenesis in skin flap transplantation, reducing inflammatory response, and promoting expression of growth factors.