Purification of recombinant fusion polypeptide hEGF-AWRK6 and effect on wound healing and infection of burn model mice

Abstract:

To test the therapeutic effect of recombinant fusion polypeptide hEGF-AWRK6 (EK) on burn infection of model mice. EK6 was expressed and purified with Escherichia coli expression system, and the Ⅱ degree burns and Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection model mouse were established. Experiment group was treated with EK (30 mg/L), and the control group was treated with PBS, gentamicin (30 mg/L), burn ointment (10 mg/L). The wound healing rate and colony count were calculated. Wound and surrounding skin were taken for HE staining and collagen western-blot analysis, and the wound pathological changes were observed after 10 days of drug delivery. The results showed that fusion peptide EK was successfully expressed and purified with significant antibacterial activities against Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Compared to the control group, the colony count (CFU) of the wound surface in EK mouse had a remarkable decrease (P<0.01) and healing rate had a significant increase in group EK6 (P<0.01). Pathological analysis result showed that compared to the control group, wound dermal cells in group EK arranged regularly, had more hair growth and a faster epithelization. These results indicated that the fusion peptide EK would be a good candidate for the drug development for the treatment of burning wounds.