Ligustroside attenuates fibrosis-associated wound remodeling and suppresses fibrosis-related signaling in a rat excisional wound model
- 1Department of Plastic and Hand Surgery, Linping First People’s Hospital, Hang Zhou, Zhejiang, China
- 2Department of Basic Clinic Research, Zhejiang Province People’s Hospital, Hang Zhou, Zhejiang, China
Abstract
Fibrosis-associated wound remodeling is a feature of cutaneous wound healing characterized by fibroblast activation, extracellular matrix deposition, and profibrotic signaling. Ligustroside, a major iridoid glycoside derived from Ligustrum lucidum, has demonstrated antifibrotic activity in several organ systems, but its effects on cutaneous wound remodeling remain unclear. In this study, a full-thickness excisional wound model was established in female Sprague–Dawley rats to investigate the effects of ligustroside on fibrosis-associated wound remodeling. Animals received ligustroside (5 or 10 mg/kg) or vehicle control. Wound formation was evaluated using the Vancouver Scar Scale, histopathological staining, and analysis of fibrosis-related markers. Ligustroside treatment significantly reduced wound severity during the remodeling phase and improved dermal architecture, as evidenced by decreased dermal thickening, reduced inflammatory infiltration, and more organized collagen fibers. Molecular analyses showed that ligustroside markedly downregulated α-smooth muscle actin and transforming growth factor-β1 expression, accompanied by showing a dose-responsive trend within the tested dose range. These findings indicate that ligustroside attenuates fibrosis-associated wound remodeling and suppresses fibrosis-related molecular responses, including TGF-β1 expression, myofibroblast activation, and extracellular matrix accumulation. Collectively, these results suggest that ligustroside may represent a promising plant-derived candidate for antifibrotic wound modulation.
Related
- AICAR attenuates senescence-associated phenotypic remodeling of liver sinusoidal endothelial cells via the AMPK–SIRT1/p53 axis in CCl₄-induced liver fibrosis
- Intratracheal Administration of Benzbromarone Attenuates Pulmonary Vascular Remodeling and Improves Survival in Rats with Monocrotaline-Induced Pulmonary Hypertension
- Erianin suppresses prostate cancer progression and attenuates STAT3 signaling
- Targeting fibroblast activation suppresses chemotherapy-induced pro-invasive remodeling of the extracellular matrix
- Pharmacological AhR activation attenuates airway hyperresponsiveness and remodeling in a mixed allergen asthma model
BibTeX
@article{wu2026ligustroside,
title = {{Ligustroside attenuates fibrosis-associated wound remodeling and suppresses fibrosis-related signaling in a rat excisional wound model}},
author = {Kaymin Wu and Rong Chen and Xin Liu and Youwu He},
journal = {PLOS One},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.1371/journal.pone.0358737},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0358737},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Ligustroside attenuates fibrosis-associated wound remodeling and suppresses fibrosis-related signaling in a rat excisional wound model
AU - Kaymin Wu
AU - Rong Chen
AU - Xin Liu
AU - Youwu He
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/25
JO - PLOS One
DO - 10.1371/journal.pone.0358737
UR - https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0358737
AB - Fibrosis-associated wound remodeling is a feature of cutaneous wound healing characterized by fibroblast activation, extracellular matrix deposition, and profibrotic signaling. Ligustroside, a major iridoid glycoside derived from Ligustrum lucidum, has demonstrated antifibrotic activity in several organ systems, but its effects on cutaneous wound remodeling remain unclear. In this study, a full-thickness excisional wound model was established in female Sprague–Dawley rats to investigate the effects of ligustroside on fibrosis-associated wound remodeling. Animals received ligustroside (5 or 10 mg/kg) or vehicle control. Wound formation was evaluated using the Vancouver Scar Scale, histopathological staining, and analysis of fibrosis-related markers. Ligustroside treatment significantly reduced wound severity during the remodeling phase and improved dermal architecture, as evidenced by decreased dermal thickening, reduced inflammatory infiltration, and more organized collagen fibers. Molecular analyses showed that ligustroside markedly downregulated α-smooth muscle actin and transforming growth factor-β1 expression, accompanied by showing a dose-responsive trend within the tested dose range. These findings indicate that ligustroside attenuates fibrosis-associated wound remodeling and suppresses fibrosis-related molecular responses, including TGF-β1 expression, myofibroblast activation, and extracellular matrix accumulation. Collectively, these results suggest that ligustroside may represent a promising plant-derived candidate for antifibrotic wound modulation.
SN - 1932-6203
ER -