title: Curcumol Promotes Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF)-Mediated Diabetic Wound Healing in Streptozotocin-Induced Hyperglycemic Rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND Wound healing in chronic diabetic mellitus is mainly associated with the management of angiogenesis. The angiogenic mechanism of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) has been widely studied in the context of diabetic ulcers. The aim of this study was to investigate the wound-healing potential of curcumol in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. MATERIAL AND METHODS Sixty male SD (Sprague Dawley) rats were purchased and randomly assigned into four groups: a control group and a model group treated with blank ointment, a high-dose curcumol group, and a low-dose curcumol group. The number of animals in each group was 15. Diabetes was induced by an intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin. Two cutaneous wounds were incised at the dorsal region of all the experimental animals. Wound healing was assessed for all animal groups by observing the rate of wound closure. The expression of VEGF at the wound sites was studied by immunohistochemical staining to evaluate the vascular endothelial cell reaction. VEGF protein and related mRNA levels were analyzed by Western blotting and RT-PCR (reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction). RESULTS Curcumol treatment significantly increased the rates of wound closure in treated animals, and hence wound healing was drastically enhanced for treatment groups compared to control groups. Histological observations and related mRNA and protein levels showed a higher VEGF expression in the treatment groups. CONCLUSIONS Our analyses clearly suggested that the observed enhancement in wound healing as a result of curcumol administration was attributable to VEGF-mediated angiogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Development and Research Center of Official Silkworm Resources, Zhejiang Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China (mainland).
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China (mainland).
authors.forename: Maowei
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ni
authors.affiliation: Development and Research Center of Official Silkworm Resources, Zhejiang Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China (mainland).
authors.forename: Xia
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Development and Research Center of Official Silkworm Resources, Zhejiang Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China (mainland).
authors.forename: Zeming
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.affiliation: Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China (mainland).
authors.forename: Zhiguo
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zheng
mesh_terms: D043925:Angiogenesis Inducing Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D048909:Diabetes Complications / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012717:Sesquiterpenes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism*; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D043925:Angiogenesis Inducing Agents; D012717:Sesquiterpenes; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; C022801:curcumol