Decursin and decursinol angelate improve wound healing by upregulating transcription of genes encoding extracellular matrix remodeling proteins, inflammatory cytokines, and growth factors in human keratinocytes

The coumarins decursin and decursinol angelate, which are found in Angelica gigas Nakai, have a variety of biological functions. Here, we show that treatment with these compounds improves wound healing by HaCaT human keratinocytes. Wound healing was increased by treatment with up to a threshold concentration of decursin, decursinol angelate, a mixture of both, and a nano-emulsion of these compounds, but inhibited by treatment with higher concentrations. Immunoblotting and fluorescence imaging of cells expressing an epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) biosensor demonstrated that these compounds did not stimulate wound healing by inducing EGFR phosphorylation. Rather, transcriptional analysis revealed that decursin and decursinol angelate improved wound healing by upregulating the expression of genes encoding extracellular matrix remodeling proteins, inflammatory cytokines, and growth factors. •Decursin and decursinol angelate can improve wound healing below proper concentration.•The treatment of these compounds upregulates the genes of extracellular matrix remodeling proteins for wound healing.•Also, these compounds upregulate the genes of inflammatory cytokines, and growth factors.•The genes upregulated by decursin are different by decursinol angelate even though their structure is very similar.