Sensory innervation is a combination of endings associated with corpuscular structures located in dermis and free nerve endings innervating dermis and epidermis, reaching the uppermost viable layer of skin. Cutaneous innervation is closely associated with major skin functions. For example, skin chronological aging and photoaging are associated with changes in innervation such as the decrease of intra-epidermal nerve fibre density on face. For centuries, bee products and specifically honey have been utilized for wound healing. Honey contains more than 180 ingredients making each honey individual with a unique activity profile. Royal jelly contains carbohydrates and among others amino acids, proteins, lipids, vitamins and is different from honey. To study the impact of sensory neurons on wound healing and evaluate the activities of bee products combination in this process, time-course scratch wound-healing assays with keratinocytes co-cultured or not with sensory neurons have been performed. Seeded on Ibidi multiwell plates, keratinocytes co-cultured or not with human sensory neurons, obtained from human induced pluripotent stem cells, were treated with a fluorescent probe followed by a combination of honeys from Ouessant, Corsica, Aland , Ikaria islands and a royal jelly. The insert was removed and lesion recovery was observed by fluorescence microscopy for 30h. We observed from T3h that the presence of sensory neurons accelerated the recovery of the wound by keratinocytes and from T16h that treatment by the combination of honeys and royal jelly allowed to speed up the recovery on sensory neurons-keratinocytes co-cultures. The study of neurite growth in the recovery area confirmed the positive effect exerted by the combination of bee products on neurons. This original and innovative assay showed that sensory neurons are key cells for recovery and that a combination of honeys and royal jelly can boost the wound-healing process.

ESDR372 - Impact of cutaneous sensory neuron system in wound-healing and its stimulation by a combination of honeys and royal jelly

50th Annual Meeting of the European Society for Dermatological Research. VIRTUAL MEETING