title: The effects of vasonatrin peptide on random pattern skin flap survival.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A lot of methods have been intensively investigated to improve random skin flap survival. Decreasing inflammation and alleviating tissue injury have been reported to be effective in improving survival ratio. Vasonatrin peptide (VNP) is a chimera of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP). The current study demonstrates that VNP possesses the venodilating actions of CNP, the natriuretic actions of ANP, and the unique arterial vasodilating actions not associated with either ANP or CNP. However, its effects on skin flap survival have not been previously reported.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sprague-Dawley rats, weighing 220 to 260 g, were randomly divided into 2 groups, namely, the VNP-treated group and the control group. Rectangular random dorsal skin flaps measuring 3 × 9 cm including the panniculus carnosus were elevated, then the flaps were sutured into their original places. In the VNP group, 0.1 mg/kg of VNP was administered intravenously (IV) after surgery and then daily for 3 days. In the control group, 1 mL/kg of saline was administered IV after surgery and then daily for 3 days. To observe the effects of VNP, blood perfusion, histopathological examination, the inflammatory mediators (tumor necrosis factor α, interleukin 1β, and interferon γ), and biochemical analysis (malondialdehyde, glutathione, and myeloperoxidase) were detected and the flap viability was evaluated 7 days after surgery by measuring necrotic flap area and total flap area.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The viability measurements showed the percentage of flap survival was increased in the VNP-treated group (76.53% ± 6.36%) as compared with the control group (61.12% ± 4.92%) (P < 0.05), and the histological and biochemical assays corroborated the data. The blood perfusion of flaps in the VNP-treated group was higher than the control group (P < 0.05). The inflammatory mediators (tumor necrosis factor α, interleukin 1β, and interferon γ) were significantly lower in the VNP-treated group than the control group (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study found that VNP, which could elevate the tissue blood perfusion and mitigate the tissue damage and inflammatory reaction, is associated with a higher percentage of survival random pattern skin flap area.
authors: From the Institute of Plastic Surgery, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China.
authors: Shi-Ping
authors: SP
authors: Wang
authors: Zhi-Yong
authors: ZY
authors: Lan
authors: Wei
authors: W
authors: Xia
authors: Xi
authors: X
authors: Zhao
authors: Ge-Jia
authors: GJ
authors: Ma
authors: Bei
authors: B
authors: Liu
authors: Bao-Hua
authors: BH
authors: Pan
authors: Shu-Zhong
authors: SZ
authors: Guo
mesh_terms: D061605:Administration, Intravenous; D000818:Animals; D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D006085:Graft Survival / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017078:Laser-Doppler Flowmetry; D045283:Natriuretic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009336:Necrosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012867:Skin / Q000098:blood supply / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D013524:Surgical Flaps / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D045283:Natriuretic Agents; D014665:Vasodilator Agents; C068986:ventricular natriuretic peptide, eel; D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor