Experimental model of oral ulcer in mice: Comparing wound healing in three immunologically distinct animal lines

The oral wound healing is dependent of immune participation and the absence or augment of one specific immune profile can delayed wound healing.

So, the objective of this study was t evaluate the wound healing of oral traumatic ulcer (OTU) in cheek mucosa of swiss, balb/c and c57bl6J mice.

A total of 144 mice (25-30g) were distributed in three groups: swiss (n = 48), balb/c (n = 48) and c57bl/6j (n = 48). An OTU was performed using a dermatological punch in left cheek mucosa. The animals were euthanized daily (n = 6/group/day by 8 days) for evaluation of the ulcer area, weight loss and histological analysis.

There are no differences between ulcer area in three groups; however only swiss group showed total wound healing. Swiss group showed weight loss in 2^nd and 3^rd days recovering the body mass in 4^th day (P < 0.01). Balb/c group showed the greater weight loss (P < 0.05) and c57bl/6j did not show body mass variation (P = 0.258). Histologically swiss group was the only group that showed total reepithelization (P < 0.001). Balb/c (P = 0.022) and c57bl/6j (P < 0.001) showed decrease in histological scores, chronic inflammation on the 8^th day. Actinomyces was significantly more observed in surface of OTU of balb/c.

Balb/c mice showed high infection of OTU surface delaying wound healing, and greater weight loss. C57bl/6J mice showed low infection of OTU, but not healing along the eight days. Only the Swiss mice showed wound healing of OTU.