An experimental model for the study of drug effects on cutaneous healing.
OBJECTIVE
Immunosuppressive agents are known to interfere with the healing of surgical wounds. The increasing use of these drugs warrants a better understanding of their effects on wound healing. The aim of this study was to develop an experimental model that would allow for a reliable and rapid assessment of drug effects on cutaneous wound healing.


METHODS
Thirty syngeneic Lewis rats underwent surgical incision on their dorsal region, in the presence or absence of a three-week regimen of immunosuppressant drug therapy (i.e., cyclosporin, azathioprine, and prednisone). Surgical site tissue was collected at intervals over 21 days after surgery and analyzed for cell number and collagen fiber content. Both of these quantitative assessments were performed using digital image capture with the Image Pro Plus 4.5 software.


RESULTS
Computerized histomorphometric analyses revealed an apparent inhibition of cellular responses and collagen fiber production in drug-treated animals compared to control animals.


CONCLUSIONS
The experimental model was reproducible, easy to perform, and allowed for quantitative histological evaluations. It may be useful for the study of surgical healing in the presence of other drug classes.
Chiquetti Júnior
Antonio
A
Division of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery, UEL, Paraná, Brazil. chiqueti@sercomtel.com.br
Rodrigues
Marco Aurélio de Freitas
MA
Delfino
Vinicius Daher Alvares
VD
D000818:Animals; D003094:Collagen / Q000096:biosynthesis; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D005260:Female; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D012867:Skin / Q000293:injuries*; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000187:drug effects*
D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D003094:Collagen