Negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) has been observed to accelerate the wound healing process in humans through promoting angiogenesis. However, the potential biological effect and relevant molecular mechanisms, including microvessel destabilization, regression and endothelial cell proliferation in the early stage (1-3 days), and the neovascular stabilization and maturation in the later stage (7-15 days), have yet to be fully elucidated. The current study aimed to research the potential effect of NPWT on angiogenesis and vessel maturation, and investigate relevant association between mature microvessels and wound prognosis, as well as the regulatory mechanisms in human wound healing. Patients in the present study (n=48) were treated with NPWT or a petrolatum gauze, and relevant growth factors and vessel changes were detected using various experimental methods. NPWT increased the expression levels of angiogenin-2 (Ang-2), and decreased the expression levels of Ang-1 and ratios of Ang-1/Ang-2 in the initial stages of wound healing. However, in the latter stages of wound healing, NPWT increased the expression levels of Ang-1 and ratios of Ang-1/Ang-2, as well as the phosphorylation level of tyrosine kinase receptor-2. Consequently, microvessel pericyte coverage was gradually elevated, and the basement membrane was gradually supplied with new blood at the later stage of wound healing. In conclusion, NPWT may preferentially stimulate microvessel destabilization and regression in the early stage of wound healing, and as a consequence, increase angiogenesis. Subsequently, in the later stage of wound healing, NPWT may preferentially promote microvessel stabilization, thereby promoting microvessel maturation in human wounds through the angiogenin/tyrosine kinase receptor-2 signaling pathway. The results of the present study results demonstrated that NPWT was able to accelerate wound healing speed, and thus influence wound prognosis, as a result of an abundance of mature microvessels in human wounds.
Keywords: negative pressure wound therapy; pericyte; vessel maturation; wound prognosis.