Evaluation of Biological Effect of Triticum vulgare Extract Compared With Hyaluronic Acid in In Vitro Tissue Models.

Abstract

Plant extracts and microbial-derived molecules, particularly oligo- and polysaccharides, are known to promote tissue repair. Triticum vulgare extract (TVE), derived from germinated whole plants and utilized in medical devices, is rich in bioactive molecules comprised of oligo- and polysaccharides with diverse biological properties beneficial for wound repair. This study investigates the biochemical mechanisms underlying TVE's proregenerative activity in vitro effects, comparing it with hyaluronic acid (HA), a gold standard in wound healing. Preliminary results showed that TVE has scavenging properties/antioxidant activity also at lower concentrations with respect to HA that has long been recognized for these properties (Galvez-Martin et al.). In vitro assays evaluated cell proliferation, migration, extracellular matrix biomarkers, and responses to stress in 2D and 3D models. TVE significantly enhanced keratinocyte migration, reaching approximately 50% wound closure in less than 20 h, whereas the untreated control required about 30 h to achieve the same level of closure. Moreover, TVE performed better than HA at low concentrations, while both treatments improved HDF proliferation and ECM biomarker expression. More specifically, COL1 expression was upregulated by 2.3-fold relative to the control, showing an effect comparable to that induced by HA (2.8-fold). Conversely, ELS expression exhibited a 2.0-fold increase in response to TVE and a 2.6-fold increase following HA treatment compared with the control. In addition, the extract significantly increased HBD-2 expression by 2-fold relative to the control, a novel finding that may be relevant, given the role of this antimicrobial peptide in innate immunity, inflammation regulation, and wound repair. Under stressful conditions, including dehydration and exposure to reactive oxygen species, TVE showed protective effects comparable to HA in both HDF and HaCaT cells. 3D skin models, including those treated with LPS, confirmed the results of 2D assays, further validating TVE's biological properties. Overall, these studies demonstrate that this extract exerts biological effects comparable to pharmaceutical HA in several in vitro skin models. These findings further support the potential application of TVE in wound management and skin regenerative approaches.