Effect of denervation on burn wound healing -

Abstract

Background and Aims: The skin forms a barrier between the interior milieu of the organism and its environment. This barrier has multiple physiological functions and is subject to an array of pathologies including wounds and burns. The present study aims to determine the effect of the nervous system on wound healing. Specifically, this study tested the effect of denervation by chemical ablation on the burn wound healing process using guanethidine for the sympathetic postganglionic neurons and resiniferatoxin for the Capsaicin-sensitive fibers. Methods: Animals were divided into different groups of controls, sensory denervated and burned, sensory denervated non-burned, sympathetic denervated and burned, sympathetic denervated non-burned, vehicle sensory burned, vehicle sympathetic burned and non-denervated burned. We measured different morphologic and biochemical parameters such as wound surface area, histological alterations and mast cells. In addition, NGF, IL-1β, IL-6 and IL-8 were measured using the ELISA technique. Results and Conclusion: The gross observations, the histological data including mast cells modulation as well as the molecular data speak in favor of a significant delay of burn wound healing caused by the sensory denervation and worse scar. On the other hand, results support the positive role of sympathetic denervation in reducing scar formation and speeding up the healing process. The dual effect of the nervous system on burn wound healing is being documented in an animal model for the first time.