[Angiogenesis of full-thickness burn wounds repaired with collagen-sulfonated carboxymethyl chitosan porous scaffold encoding vascular endothelial growth factor DNA plasmids].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effects of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) DNA plasmids, encoded in collagen-sulfonated carboxymethyl chitosan porous scaffold, on the angiogenesis in full-thickness burn wounds.


METHODS
Wounds and pathological changes were observed at Week 1, 2, 3 and 4 after pure collagen-sulfonated carboxymethyl chitosan porous scaffold (group A) and collagen-sulfonated carboxymethyl chitosan porous scaffold encoding VEGF DNA plasmids (group B) were transplanted onto eachar-removed wounds of full-thickness burn in 6 Bama miniature pigs respectively. Wound healing was observed by pathologic slides after epidermal grafting for 2 weeks (at Week 4) onto the surface of different dermal scaffolds transplanted on wounds for 2 weeks. At the same time, new-forming vessels expressing CD31 and mature vessels expressing α-SMA (α-smooth muscle actin) and the expression of VEGF in wounds at Week 1, 2, 3 and 4 were detected in situ by immunohistochemical staining. The burn wounds without any transplanted scaffold (group C) were studied as the controls.


RESULTS
Wounds with various scaffolds were different from those without any scaffold. Angiogenesis of the group B was better than that of the group A. Neo-forming micro-vessels expressing CD31 in the wounds of group A or B at Week 1, 2, 3 and 4 were as follows: 18.7 ± 3.1, 25.7 ± 2.3, 36.8 ± 2.5 & 26.2 ± 2.9; 24.5 ± 3.8, 32.3 ± 2.8, 39.2 ± 2.2 & 27.3 ± 3.0. Mature vessels expressing α-SMA: 11.7 ± 1.9, 20.5 ± 1.9, 35.0 ± 4.5 & 24.0 ± 2.8; 20.2 ± 3.1, 33.5 ± 3.7, 38.2 ± 4.5 & 26.5 ± 2.3. The expressions of VEGF: 48.7 ± 7.9, 141.7 ± 9.1, 201.5 ± 8.6 & 107.0 ± 8.2; 97.3 ± 7.9, 172.3 ± 8.1, 208.7 ± 8.3 & 114.0 ± 5.8. Expressing intensity of CD31, α-SMA and VEGF in the wounds of group C at Week 1, 2, 3 & 4: 6.0 ± 2.0, 9.8 ± 3.4, 19.3 ± 2.5 & 18.7 ± 2.2; 3.7 ± 2.0, 8.7 ± 1.8, 13.0 ± 2.5 & 14.0 ± 2.8; 3.5 ± 2.3, 10.3 ± 3.5, 23.0 ± 5.6 & 21.5 ± 5.1. There were significant statistical differences among three groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Artificial dermal scaffold encoding exogenous pDNA-VEGF can promote a quicker angiogenesis through a high expression of VEGF. Thus a full-thickness burn wound may be better repaired.
Clinical Medical College, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 310036, China.
Jian-Ying
JY
Teng
Rui
R
Guo
Jing
J
Xie
Dong-Jie
DJ
Sun
Jia-Jia
JJ
Wu
Xin-Nian
XN
Pang
Ming-Qiang
MQ
Shen
Shao-Jun
SJ
Xu
D000818:Animals; D002056:Burns; D048271:Chitosan; D003094:Collagen / Q000378:metabolism; D004247:DNA; D010957:Plasmids; D016038:Skin Transplantation; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism; D014945:Wound Healing
D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D003094:Collagen; D004247:DNA; D048271:Chitosan