Temporal Regulation of Early-Stage Cytokine Expression in Diabetic Wound Healing Under Negative Pressure Wound Therapy

Abstract

Negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) is widely recognized for its efficacy in treating diabetic wounds, but the mechanisms involved in the wound healing process remain unclear. By examining changes in blood cytokine levels as molecular signaling precursors, we aim to provide a comprehensive cytokine profile to support adjunctive therapy research and clinical applications. A diabetic mouse wound model was established to compare cytokine profiles between NPWT-treated and standard dressing groups, identifying key signaling candidates that may facilitate wound healing. By integrating normal mouse data with large-scale cytokine analysis, we developed a time-stratified NPWT approach to track acute-phase cytokine fluctuations in diabetic conditions. NPWT did not significantly enhance coagulation-related cytokine expression but effectively reduced inflammation, albeit with a delayed regulatory effect compared to wild-type mice. A one-sided binomial test revealed that NPWT advanced the cytokine expression peak from 16 to 2 h, partially restoring the early healing pattern seen in normal mice and suggesting its potential role in modulating early-stage wound repair. These findings provide novel insights into early cytokine regulation during wound healing and highlight the potential of NPWT to inform therapeutic strategies. This refined monitoring approach may contribute to improved clinical decision-making and support enhanced wound management in diabetic patients.