OBJECTIVETo explore the effects of different concentrations of putrescine on the proliferation, migration and apoptosis of human skin fibroblasts (HSF).

METHODSHSF cultured in the presence of 0.5, 1.0, 5.0, 10, 50, 100, 500, and 1000 µg/ putrescine for 24 h were examined for the changes in the cell proliferation, migration, and apoptosis using MTS assay, Transwell migration assay, and flow cytometry, respectively.

RESULTSCompared with the control cells, HSF cultured with 0.5, 1.0, 5.0, and 10 µg/ putrescine showed significantly increased cell proliferation (P<0.01), and the effect was the most obvious with 1 µg/ putrescine, whereas 500 and 1000 µg/ putrescine significantly reduced the cell proliferation (P<0.01); 50 and 100 µg/ did not obviously affect the cell proliferation (P>0.05). Putrescine at 1 µg/ most significantly enhanced the cell migration (P<0.01), while at higher doses (50, 100, 500, and 1000 µg/) putrescine significantly suppressed the cell migration (P<0.05); 0.5, 5.0, and 10 µg/ putrescine produced no obvious effects on the cell migration (P>0.05). HSF treated with 0.5, 1.0, 5.0, and 10 µg/ putrescine obvious lowered the cell apoptosis rate compared with the control group (P<0.01), and the cell apoptosis rate was the lowest in cells treated with 1 µg/ putrescine; but at the concentrations of 100, 500, and 1000 µg/, putrescine significantly increased the cell apoptosis rate (P<0.01), while 50 µg/ml putrescine produced no obvious effect on cell apoptosis (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONLow concentrations of putrescine can obviously enhance the proliferation ability and maintain normal migration ability of HSF in vitro, but at high concentrations, putrescine can obviously inhibit the cell migration and proliferation and induce cells apoptosis, suggesting the different roles of different concentrations of putrescine in wound healing.