## 3 Results and Discussion
### Effects of the Sericin and MSM Blends on Wound Healing in Fibroblasts
#### 3.3.3 Wound Healing Rate in L929 Cells  
The wound healing rate at different concentrations of the sericin and MSM blends was analyzed using fibroblasts. The wound healing rate was significantly higher on days 1 and 3 for the sericin and MSM blends groups than for the control group. However, on day 3, the 0.15 + 1.0M group showed a significantly lower wound healing rate than the 0.1S + 0.1M group (Figure 7, \(p<0.05\)).  
Healthy skin fibroblasts are responsible for connective tissue regeneration and tissue remodeling [4; 30; 31]. Sericin promotes fibroblast proliferation, collagen (type 1) generation, wound healing, and skin regeneration [2; 32], and MSM is known to be effective in treating pain and inflammation [18; 19; 20; 21]. These substances are also involved in the NF\(\kappa\)B pathway [19; 33]. In the wound healing process, NF\(\kappa\)B is a transcription factor that regulates the expression of several genes involved in cell migration, differentiation, adhesion,  
Figure 6: NF\(\kappa\)B pathway expression based on the ratio of the sericin and MSM blends using L929 fibroblast. Cells were treated with 1.0 (0.1S + 0.1M), 5.0 (0.1S + 0.5M), and 10.0 (0.1S + 1.0M) mg/mL MSM at 1.0 mg/mL sericin. (**A**) NF\(\kappa\)B, (**B**) \(\kappa\)R\(\alpha\), (**C**) IKK\(\alpha\) and (**D**) IKK\(\beta\). L929 lysates were Western blotted with an anti NF\(\kappa\)B or \(\kappa\)R\(\alpha\) or IKK\(\kappa\) or \(\beta\)-actin antibody. All values are presented as the mean \(\pm\) standard deviation (n = 3). * \(p<0.05\).  
and survival, and it has been reported to be involved in fibroblast migration and wound healing [4; 34; 35].  
[PERSON] et al. [4] reported that silk fibroin increased NF\(\kappa\)B, IKK\(\alpha\), and IKK\(\beta\) expression, and [PERSON] et al. [33] treated human retinal pigment epithelial (hRPE) cells with 1% sericin for 12 days and reported that the expression of NF\(\kappa\)B was increased. Other studies demonstrated that silk sericin-based cream and hydrogel have a positive effect on wound healing in a rat model [2; 9; 32].  
In this study, the anti-inflammatory effects of the sericin and MSM blends were evaluated based on NF\(\kappa\)B pathway protein expression and wound healing rates using a wound scratch model. The results indicated that, when L929 cells were mixed with sericin at 1.0 mg/mL and MSM at 1.0, 5.0, and 10.0 mg/mL, the protein expression of NF\(\kappa\)B, IKK\(\alpha\), IKK\(\beta\), and 1 kB\(\alpha\) was increased compared to that of the control (Figure 6). In  
Figure 7: Wound healing rate of the sericin and MSM blends according to an in vitro scratch assay using L929 fibroblast (Upper: Image. Lower: Quantitative Analysis). Cells were treated with 1.0 (0.15 + 0.1M), 5.0 (0.1S + 0.5M), and 10.0 (0.1S + 1.0M) mg/mL MSM at 1.0 mg/mL sericin. All values are presented as the mean \(\pm\) standard deviation (n = 3). # \(p\) < 0.05 vs. CON. * \(p\) < 0.05.  
addition, although differences in wound healing were observed based on the concentration of MSM in the sericin and MSM blends, wound healing was increased overall (Figure 7). Therefore, the sericin and MSM blends represent good biomaterial that exerts effective anti-inflammatory action and promotes wound healing.