title: Whey protein enhances normal inflammatory responses during cutaneous wound healing in diabetic rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Prolonged wound healing is a complication of diabetes that contributes to mortality. Impaired wound healing occurs as a consequence of excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Whey protein (WP) is able to reduce the oxygen radicals and increase the levels of the antioxidant glutathione. Thus, the aim of this study was to determine whether dietary supplementation with WP could enhance normal inflammatory responses during wound healing in diabetic rats. Animals were assigned into a wounded control group (WN), a wounded diabetic group (WD) and a wounded diabetic group orally supplemented with whey protein (WDWP) at a dose of 100 mg/kg body weight.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Whey protein was found to significantly decrease the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO) and ROS. A significant restoration of the glutathione level was observed in WDWP rats. During the early wound healing stage, IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-6, IL-4 and neutrophil infiltration were significantly decreased in WD mice. WP supplementation was found to restore the levels of these inflammatory markers to the levels observed in control animals. In addition, the time required for wound healing was significantly prolonged in diabetic rats. WP was found to significantly decrease the time required for wound healing in WDWP rats.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In conclusion, dietary supplementation with WP enhances the normal inflammatory responses during wound healing in diabetic mice by restoring the levels of oxidative stress and inflammatory cytokines.
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, College of Science, King Saud University, P,O, Box 2455, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia. hossamebaid@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Hossam
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ebaid
authors.forename: Amir
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Salem
authors.forename: Abdalla
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sayed
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Metwalli
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental; D015870:Gene Expression; D005978:Glutathione / Q000378:metabolism; D007249:Inflammation; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008894:Milk Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D020556:Neutrophil Infiltration / Q000187:drug effects; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D051381:Rats; D012867:Skin / Q000187:drug effects / Q000293:injuries* / Q000473:pathology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000067816:Whey Proteins; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D008894:Milk Proteins; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D000067816:Whey Proteins; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D005978:Glutathione