Effect of a β-glucan from Aureobasidium on TGF-β1-modulated in vitro dermal wound repair

The objective of the present study was to determine if Aureobasidium-originated beta-glucan (beta-glucan) modulated transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1-mediated wound healing. Proliferation of and collagen production by human dermal fibroblast cells were measured during in vitro dermal wound repopulation after treatment with 100, 10, 1, 0.1 and 0.01 mg/mL β-glucan and 1 ng/mL TGF-β1. Control group was treated without β-glucan or 1 ng/mL TGF-β1. TGF-β1 significantly decreased the optical density at A570 (a measure of fibroblast cell number) and increased procollagen production compared with the control. Also, fibroblast migration into wound defects decreased. The reductions in fibroblast proliferation and migration were significantly and dose-dependently inhibited by β-glucan (at 0.1 mg/mL or higher). However, glucan did not affect procollagen production. Thus, β-glucan may aid wound healing mediated by TGF-β1, an important cytokine in this context.