Promotion of skin epithelial cell migration and wound healing by a 2-benzazepine derivative.

Re-epithelialization is an important event in the healing of skin wounds. We have now shown that a 2-benzazepine derivative, N-(2,2,2-trifluoroethyl)-8-methoxy-4-methyl-2-benzazepin-3-one (compound A), facilitated the migration of human keratinocyte HaCat cells in an in vitro model of wound healing and inhibited the attachment of these cells to a collagen matrix. Topical application of compound A also promoted the healing of skin wounds in mice. Our results suggest that compound A promotes the repair of skin wounds by facilitating epithelial cell migration and that this 2-benzazepine derivative is a potential new drug for the treatment of such wounds.