title: Transforming growth factor beta1 gene expression during vaginal wound healing in a rabbit menopause model.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Surgical outcome following reconstructive pelvic surgery is largely dependent on the vaginal wound healing process. As peri- and post-menopausal women are the most likely candidates to undergo these surgeries, it is important to understand the effect of estrogen deficiency on this process. Transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ) is an important mediator of wound healing. We sought to assess TGFβ1 gene expression during the vaginal incisional wound healing process in a rabbit menopause model.
  
  
  METHODS
  Animal study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Animal laboratory.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-three rabbits were used for this study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-one underwent bilateral oophorectomy, 21 underwent a sham surgery, and 21 served as controls. Eight weeks later, standardised full-thickness 6-mm diameter circular segments were excised from the vagina of all rabbits. Animals were killed sequentially, before wounding, and at 0, 4, 7, 14, 21 and 35 days after wounding, and the wounds were harvested.
  
  
  METHODS
  Wound closure and TGFβ1 gene transcription, as measured by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Wound closure was significantly protracted (P < 0.02), whereas TGFβ1 gene expression was significantly increased (P < 0.0001) during the wound healing process in oophorectomised rabbits, as compared with both control and sham groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Oophorectomised rabbits show protracted incisional vaginal wound healing associated with increased TGFβ1 gene transcription.
authors: Division of Urogynaecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery, Carmel Medical Center, Technion University, Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Haifa, IsraelDepartment of Obstetrics and GynaecologyDivision of Urogynaecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery, Evanston Continence Center, Northshore University Health System and University of Chicago, Pritzker School of Medicine, Evanston, Illinois, USA.
authors: Y
authors: Y
authors: Abramov
authors: Division of Urogynaecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery, Carmel Medical Center, Technion University, Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Haifa, IsraelDepartment of Obstetrics and GynaecologyDivision of Urogynaecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery, Evanston Continence Center, Northshore University Health System and University of Chicago, Pritzker School of Medicine, Evanston, Illinois, USA.
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Hirsch
authors: Division of Urogynaecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery, Carmel Medical Center, Technion University, Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Haifa, IsraelDepartment of Obstetrics and GynaecologyDivision of Urogynaecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery, Evanston Continence Center, Northshore University Health System and University of Chicago, Pritzker School of Medicine, Evanston, Illinois, USA.
authors: V
authors: V
authors: Ilievski
authors: Division of Urogynaecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery, Carmel Medical Center, Technion University, Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Haifa, IsraelDepartment of Obstetrics and GynaecologyDivision of Urogynaecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery, Evanston Continence Center, Northshore University Health System and University of Chicago, Pritzker School of Medicine, Evanston, Illinois, USA.
authors: R P
authors: RP
authors: Goldberg
authors: Division of Urogynaecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery, Carmel Medical Center, Technion University, Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Haifa, IsraelDepartment of Obstetrics and GynaecologyDivision of Urogynaecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery, Evanston Continence Center, Northshore University Health System and University of Chicago, Pritzker School of Medicine, Evanston, Illinois, USA.
authors: P K
authors: PK
authors: Sand
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D020884:Colpotomy; D004967:Estrogens / Q000172:deficiency; D005260:Female; D008593:Menopause / Q000378:metabolism*; D010052:Ovariectomy; D011817:Rabbits; D011897:Random Allocation; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015854:Up-Regulation; D014621:Vagina / Q000502:physiology / Q000601:surgery*; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D004967:Estrogens; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1