Redox treatment ameliorates diabetes mellitus-induced skin flap necrosis via inhibiting apoptosis and promoting neoangiogenesis

<jats:p> Intractable wound healing is the habitual problem of diabetes mellitus. High blood glucose limits wound healing by interrupting inflammatory responses and inhibiting neoangiogenesis. Oxidative stress is commonly thought to be a major pathogenic cause of diabetic complications. Edaravone (3-methyl-1-phenyl-2-pyrazolin-5-one, EDV) is a free radical scavenger which suppress oxidative stress. This study investigates whether EDV can reduce oxidative stress in wound healing HaCaT/human dermal fibroblasts cells (HDFs) in vitro and in vivo animal model. Cell viability and wound healing assays, FACS flow cytometry, and Hoechst 33342 staining were performed to confirm apoptosis and cytotoxicity in H<jats:sub>2</jats:sub>O<jats:sub>2</jats:sub> and EDV-treated HaCaT and HDFs. A streptozotocin-induced hyperglycemic animal model was made in adult C57BL6 mice. Full-thickness skin flap was made on dorsomedial back and re-sutured to evaluate the wound healing process. EDV was delivered slowly in the skin flap with degradable fibrin glue. The flap was monitored and analyzed on postoperative days 1, 3, and 5. CD31/DAPI staining was done to detect newly formed blood vessels. The expression levels of NF-κB, bcl-2, NOX3, and STAT3 proteins in C57BL6 mouse tissues were also examined. The wound healing process in hyper- and normoglycemic mice showed a difference in protein expression, especially in oxidative stress management and angiogenesis. Exogenous H<jats:sub>2</jats:sub>O<jats:sub>2</jats:sub> reduced cell viability in a proportion to the concentration via apoptosis. EDV protected HaCaT cells and HDFs from H<jats:sub>2</jats:sub>O<jats:sub>2</jats:sub> induced reactive oxygen species cell damage and apoptosis. In the mouse model, EDV with fibrin resulted in less necrotic areas and increased angiogenesis on postoperative day 5, compared to sham-treated mice. Our results indicate that EDV could protect H<jats:sub>2</jats:sub>O<jats:sub>2</jats:sub>-induced cellular injury via inhibiting early apoptosis and inflammation and also increasing angiogenesis. EDV might be valuable in the treatment of diabetic wounds that oxidative stress has been implicated. </jats:p>