title: The effects of ultraviolet irradiation on wound contraction in the hairless guinea pig.
abstract: Ultraviolet radiation has been shown to alter wound tensile strength and evoke a number of intracellular changes in fibroblasts. We examined the effects of relatively high doses of ultraviolet radiation on subsequent wound contraction of circular wounds in the hairless guinea pig model. Female hairless guinea pigs were divided into two experimental groups receiving 80 J/cm2 or 480 J/cm2 every other day for 16 weeks. Age-matched unirradiated animals were used as controls. After exposure, all animals had either a 4 mm punch biopsy (80 J/cm2) or a 2.4 cm diameter ((480 J/cm2) Groups 3 and 4) circular area excised from the dorsum. The extent of wound enlargement immediately following wounding of the irradiated animals was decreased as compared to the controls. The rate of wound contraction was significantly lower during early stages of wound contraction in each group of irradiated animals, and wound contraction was significantly slower overall in both groups of irradiated animals compared to controls.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson.
authors.forename: S F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Davidson
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Brantley
authors.forename: S G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: H S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Das
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000528:radiation effects; D062109:Dermatologic Surgical Procedures; D005260:Female; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D012867:Skin / Q000528:radiation effects; D013718:Tensile Strength / Q000528:radiation effects; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000528:radiation effects*; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000503:physiopathology*