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The integument acts as a barrier to protect the body from harmful pathogenic infectious agents, parasites, UV rays, trauma, and germs. The integument of invertebrates and vertebrates are structurally different: while invertebrates usually have a simple monolayer epidermis frequently covered by mucus, cuticles, or mineralized structures, vertebrates possess a multilayered epidermis with several specialized cells. This study aims to describe by morphological, histological, and immunohistochemical analyses, the morpho-structural adaptations throughout evolution of the integument of gastropod Aplysia depilans (Gmelin, 1791), ascidian Styela plicata (Lesuer, 1823), myxine hagfish Eptatretus cirrhatus (Forster, 1801) and teleost Heteropneustes fossilis (Bloch, 1794) for the first time, with special reference to sensory epidermal cells. Different types of cells could be identified that varied according to the species; including mucous cells, serous glandular cells, clavate cells, club cells, thread cells, and support cells. In all integuments of the specimens analyzed, sensory solitary cells were identified in the epidermis, immunoreactive to serotonin and calbindin. Our study provided an essential comparison of integuments, adding new information about sensory epidermal cells phylogenetic conservation and on the structural changes that invertebrates and vertebrates have undergone during evolution., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.)

Ang-1 (angiopoietin-1) improves the ineffective angiogenesis and impaired wound healing in diabetes; however, the mechanism underlying this positive effect is still far from being completely understood. In the present study, we investigated whether rAAV (recombinant adeno-associated virus)-Ang-1 gene transfer could improve wound repair in genetically diabetic mice (db+/db+) and the mechanism(s) by which it causes new vessel formation. An incisional skin-wound model in diabetic and normoglycaemic mice was used. After the incision, animals received rAAV-LacZ or rAAV-Ang-1 in the wound edge. After 7 and 14 days, wounds were used to (i) confirm Ang-1 gene transfer, (ii) assess histologically the healing process, (iii) evaluate wound-breaking strength, and (iv) study new vessel formation by PECAM-1 (platelet/endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1) immunostaining. Finally, we investigated VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) mRNA and protein levels, eNOS (endothelial NO synthase) expression and VEGFR-1 and VEGFR-2 (VEGF receptor-1 and -2 respectively) immunostaining. The efficiency of Ang-1 gene transfer was confirmed by increased mRNA and protein expression of the protein. rAAV-Ang-1 significantly improved the healing process, stimulating re-epithelization and collagen maturation, increasing breaking strength and significantly augmenting the number of new vessels, as indicated by PECAM-1 immunostaining. However, Ang-1 gene transfer did not modify the decrease in VEGF mRNA and protein expression in diabetic mice; in contrast, Ang-1 increased eNOS expression and augmented nitrate wound content and VEGFR-2 immunostaining and protein expression. Ang-1 gene transfer did not change vascular permeability. Similar results were obtained in normoglycaemic animals. In conclusion, our results provide strong evidence that Ang-1 gene transfer improves the delayed wound repair in diabetes by inducing angiogenesis in a VEGF-independent manner.

Statins have different effects beyond cholesterol reduction and stimulate angiogenesis. We investigated the effect of simvastatin in diabetes-related healing defects. An incisional skin wound model produced on the back of female diabetic mice (db(+)/db(+)) and their normoglycemic littermates (db(+)/(+)m) was used. Animals were treated daily either with simvastatin (5 mg/(kgi.p.)) or vehicle. Mice were killed on different days (3, 6 and 12 after skin injury) for measurement of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) mRNA and protein expression, to assess histologically the healing process and to evaluate wound breaking strength and angiogenesis by CD31 immunostaining. Simvastatin administration in diabetic mice increased VEGF mRNA (simvastatin=4.8+/-0.6n-fold/beta-actin; vehicle=2.3+/-0.4n-fold/beta-actin) and protein expression (simvastatin=5+/-0.7 integrated intensity; vehicle=2.2+/-0.3 integrated intensity) and enhanced nitric oxide wound content at day 6. Additionally, the statin augmented breaking strength and PECAM-1 immunostaining at day 12. Finally, simvastatin administration restored the impaired wound healing process in diabetic mice. Similar results were obtained in normoglycaemic mice. Passive immunization with anti-VEGF antibody (10 microg/mouse) completely abrogated the beneficial effects of simvastatin on healing in diabetic mice. Simvastatin has potential application in diabetes-related wound healing disorders.

Objective: Erythropoietin interacts with vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and stimulates endothelial cell mitosis and motility; thus it may be of importance in the complex phenomenon of wound healing. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO) on experimental burn wounds., Design: Randomized experiment., Setting: Research laboratory., Subjects: C57BL/6 male mice weighing 25-30 g., Interventions: Mice were immersed in 80 degrees C water for 10 secs to achieve a deep-dermal second degree burn. Animals were randomized to receive either rHuEPO (400 units/kg/day for 14 days in 100 microL subcutaneously) or its vehicle alone (100 microl/day distilled water for 14 days subcutaneously). On day 14 the animals were killed. Burn areas were used for histologic examination, evaluation of neoangiogenesis by immunohistochemistry, and expression (Western blot) of the specific endothelial marker CD31 as well as quantification of microvessel density, measurement of VEGF wound content (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay), expression (Western blot) of endothelial and inducible nitric oxide synthases, and determination of wound nitric oxide (NO) products., Measurements and Main Results: rHuEPO increased burn wound reepithelialization and reduced the time to final wound closure. These effects were completely abated by a passive immunization with specific antibodies against erythropoietin. rHuEPO improved healing of burn wound through increased epithelial proliferation, maturation of the extracellular matrix, and angiogenesis. The hematopoietic factor augmented neoangiogenesis as suggested by the marked increase in microvessel density and by the robust expression of the specific endothelial marker CD31. Furthermore, rHuEPO enhanced the wound content of VEGF caused a marked expression of endothelial and inducible nitric oxide synthases and increased wound content of nitric oxide products., Conclusions: Our study suggests that rHuEPO may be an effective therapeutic approach to improve clinical outcomes after thermal injury.

The present immunohistochemical study provides the first evidence of the presence of calcium-binding proteins (CaBPs) in the epidermis of the earthworm Lumbricus terrestris (Annelida, Oligochaeta) a lower invertebrate. The entire epidermis was labelled for calmodulin which is in agreement with its ubiquitous occurrence. Immunopositivity for calbindin D28K was limited to mucous cells, while that for S-100 protein was present only in neuroendocrine-like small granular cells. Finally, labelling for parvalbumin was specifically present in the subcutaneous nerve plexus. S-100 protein is considered to be a marker of neuroendocrine cells, at least in lower invertebrates such as Annelida. Although calbindin D28K is considered to be a marker of these cells in vertebrates, the same function cannot be attributed in Lumbricus terrestris. However, we can conclude that S-100 protein, as a regulatory protein, is phylogenetically older than calbindin D28K. We assume that the latter has an autoregulatory function in secretory processes. In agreement with previous data, we suggest that small granular cells exert a paracrine action in osmoregulatory and secretory processes.