Experimental wound model

Following a protocol approved by the Nanfang Hospital Animal Ethics Committee Laboratory, general anesthesia of the mice was induced by 5% isoflurane in 100% O₂ and was subsequently maintained using 3% isoflurane. Prior to surgery, the backs of the mice were shaved, cleaned thoroughly, and disinfected using antibacterial soap and 75% EtOH. Two circular full-thickness excisional wounds (6 mm diameter) were generated on each side of the lower back skin of each animal. For the wound model without contraction, a biological membrane (NPWT-1, negative pressure wound therapy kit; China) was glued to the surface of the wound with adhesive dressings before contraction (Yao et al., 2014; Wang et al., 2017). Due to the large amount of tissue required for the pathology examination, two wounds were performed per animal in this study, and the average of the two wounds was assessed per animal (Figure 1A). Following surgery, according to the guidelines, meloxicam (5 mg/kg) was used subcutaneously in the loose skin at the base of the neck in mice, and mice were placed on a warming pad (37°C) until they fully recovered from surgery and then recaged. Subsequently, the mice were housed in the institutional animal facility and were sacrificed 0, 1, 3, 7, or 14 days post-wounding (n = 6 per time point per group).

The experimental mice model and body weights and blood glucose levels of mice during wound healing (A) The wound healing model. Measurement of the mice body weights (B) and blood glucose levels (C) at days 0, 1, 3, 7, and 14 post-wounding. Data are presented as mean ± SD, **p < .01, n = 6/group, two-way ANOVA, Bonferroni’s post hoc test.