Stereologic study of the effects of prostaglandin E2 on the induction of angiogenesis in full-thickness skin autografts.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether prostaglandin E2 improves angiogenesis in full-thickness skin grafts.


METHODS
Randomized study


METHODS
20 male rabbits, divided into 2 experimental and 2 control groups.


METHODS
Prostaglandin E2 (experimental groups) or prostaglandin E2 vehicle (control groups) was injected locally into experimental skin autografts once a day for up to 5 days. Five and 10 days after the surgery, the grafts were harvested and after processing, fractional and absolute volumes of the vessels were estimated in the grafted skin using stereologic methods.


RESULTS
Gross appearance of the control and experimental grafts were the same. Qualitative histologic examination of successful grafts in experimental and control groups showed areas of viable epidermis with a negligible inflammatory infiltrate and moderate fibrosis. Blood cells were frequently seen in the vessels under investigation. Histologic slides showed significantly higher mean fractional volume (percent) and absolute volume of the vessels (mm3) per unit volume (mm3) of the grafted skin in the experimental groups than in the control groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Fractional and absolute volume of the vessels were greater in prostaglandin E2-treated grafts than in the control grafts. Prostaglandin E2 appears to increase the volume of vessels in full-thickness skin grafts and can be explored as an agent to improve angiogenesis of the grafts.
Khozani
Tahereh Talaei
TT
Anatomy Department, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
Noorafshan
Ali
A
Nikeghbalian
Sasan
S
Panjeh-Shahin
Mohammad Reza
MR
Dehghani
Farzaneh
F
Azizi
Monireh
M
Tanideh
Nader
N
D043925:Angiogenesis Inducing Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D015232:Dinoprostone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006085:Graft Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic / Q000187:drug effects*; D011817:Rabbits; D011897:Random Allocation; D016038:Skin Transplantation; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous
D043925:Angiogenesis Inducing Agents; D015232:Dinoprostone