Effect of honey and its major royal jelly protein 1 on cytokine and MMP-9 mRNA transcripts in human keratinocytes

• Published in: Experimental dermatology Vol. 19; no. 8; pp. e73 - e79
• Main Authors: Majtan, Juraj, Kumar, Pawan, Majtan, Tomas, Walls, Andrew F., Klaudiny, Jaroslav
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01-08-2010
• Subjects: Cell Proliferation - drug effects; Cells, Cultured; Collagen Type IV - metabolism; Cytokines - genetics; Cytokines - metabolism; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Fatty Acids - pharmacology; Honey; Humans; Interleukin-1beta - metabolism; keratinocytes; Keratinocytes - cytology; Keratinocytes - drug effects; Keratinocytes - metabolism; L-Lactate Dehydrogenase - metabolism; major royal jelly protein 1; Male; Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 - genetics; Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 - metabolism; RNA, Messenger - genetics; RNA, Messenger - metabolism; skin; Transforming Growth Factor beta - metabolism; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha - metabolism; wound healing; Wound Healing - drug effects
• ISSN: 0906-6705; 1600-0625
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0625.2009.00994.x

Please cite this paper as: Effect of honey and its major royal jelly protein 1 on cytokine and MMP‐9 mRNA transcripts in human keratinocytes. Experimental Dermatology 2010; 19: e73–e79.
:  Honey has been used since ancient times as a remedy in wound healing. However, even though the results from randomized clinical trials document that honey accelerates wound healing, no study dealing with its influence on human skin cells (epidermal keratinocytes and dermal fibroblast) has been performed. We demonstrate that keratinocytes, which are known to be involved in wound healing, are responsible for elevated production of mediators including cytokines (TNF‐α, IL‐1β and TGF‐β) and matrix metalloproteinase‐9 (MMP‐9) after incubation with honey. Real‐time PCR was performed for the quantification of mRNA level of selected cytokines and MMP‐9. Furthermore, we show that the increased level of MMP‐9 in the epidermis following incubation with honey leads to degradation of type IV collagen in the basement membrane. These data indisputably demonstrate that honey activates keratinocytes and support the findings that honey may accelerate wound healing process.