Negatively-charged aerosol improves burn wound healing by promoting eNOS-dependent angiogenesis

Aerosols exist in the form of liquid or solid particles that stably suspending in air. Our previous studies have found that aerosol can accelerate chronic wound healing. However, the biological effects of aerosol in burn wound healing and the underlying molecular mechanism remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the effects of aerosol on the healing of deep partial-thickness burn wounds and its regulatory mechanisms. By employing a self-controlled model of rats, we demonstrated that aerosol treatment not only increased the healing rate, but also improved the healing quality of deep partial-thickness burn wounds. Besides, the excessive inflammatory responses in the burn wounds were inhibited, and the angiogenesis was increased after aerosol treatment. It did so by upregulating the expression of eNOS/NO, as well as the VGEF expression during the wound healing process. Our results demonstrate that the function of aerosol in promoting burn wound healing is achieved by activating eNOS/NO pathway.