title: Effects of calcitriol on random skin flap survival in rats.
abstract: Calcitriol, a metabolite of vitamin D, is often used in osteoporosis clinics. However, the material has other bioactivities; for example, it accelerates angiogenesis, has anti-inflammatory properties, and inhibits oxidative stress. We investigated the effects of calcitriol in a random skin flap rat model. "McFarlane flap" models were established in 84 male Sprague Dawley rats, divided into two groups. One group received intraperitoneal injections of calcitriol (2 μg/kg/day) whereas control rats received intraperitoneal injections of saline. The percentage flap survival area and tissue water content were measured 7 days later, which showed that calcitriol improved flap survival area and reduced tissue edema. It also increased the mean vessel density and upregulated levels of VEGF mRNA/protein, both of which promote flap angiogenesis. Moreover, it decreased leukocyte and macrophage infiltration, reduced the inflammatory proteins IL1β and IL6, increased SOD activity, decreased MDA content, and upregulated the level of autophagy. Overall, our results suggest that calcitriol promotes skin flap survival by accelerating angiogenesis, having anti-inflammatory effects, reducing oxidative stress, and promoting autophagy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University &The Second Clinical Medical College of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China.
authors.forename: Kai-liang
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University &The Second Clinical Medical College of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China.
authors.forename: Yi-hui
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University &The Second Clinical Medical College of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China.
authors.forename: Ding-sheng
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University &The Second Clinical Medical College of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China.
authors.forename: Xian-yao
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Tao
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University &The Second Clinical Medical College of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China.
authors.forename: Hua-zi
authors.initials: HZ
authors.lastname: Xu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001343:Autophagy / Q000187:drug effects; D002117:Calcitriol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004487:Edema / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D006085:Graft Survival / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic / Q000187:drug effects; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D016038:Skin Transplantation; D013524:Surgical Flaps / Q000473:pathology / Q000637:transplantation; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D002117:Calcitriol