Emu oil enhances cutaneous wound healing by modulating inflammation through promoting macrophage M2 polarization via MAPK signaling pathway

Abstract

Persistent inflammation impedes wound healing due to the excessive infiltration of inflammatory cells and the accumulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Emu oil (EO) exhibits strong anti-inflammatory properties, but the molecular mechanisms underlying the anti-inflammatory effects on wound healing remain largely unknown. Emu oil promotes wound healing by accelerating the wound closure rate, re-epithelialization, and collagen formation. In vivo, emu oil enhanced the secretion of IL-10 while suppressing IL-1β secretion, promoting the M2 macrophage polarization, and significantly reducing the phosphorylation of JNK and p38. In vitro, emu oil decreased the expression of IL-1β and TNF-α in the RAW264.7 inflammation model while inhibiting the activation of p-JNK and p-p38. The immunomodulatory effect of emu oil was found to be mediated via the suppression of JNK signaling, leading to enhanced anti-inflammatory responses and pro-polarization of M2 macrophages. These findings provide valuable and innovative insights into the therapeutic potential of emu oil in wound healing.

Keywords

• Emu oil
• Cutaneous wound healing
• MAPK
• M2 macrophage polarization
• Inflammatory