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Updated: Nov 24, 2025
Author Spotlight: Investigating Wound Healing in Mice Models of Oronasal Fistulas
Published on: September 8, 2023
Electrical stimulation enhances early palatal wound healing in mice
Camila Lopes Ferreira1, Maria Aparecida Neves Jardini2, Camilla Magnoni Moretto Nunes1
1Postgraduate Student, Oral Biopathology Program, Periodontics Area, São Paulo State University (UNESP), College of Dentistry, São José dos Campos, Brazil.
Background/Objective:
Electrical stimulation (ES) has been used to treat chronic wound and other clinical applications, showing favorable results in wound closure. It was hypothesized that ES can present a positive effect on oral mucosa healing. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of ES during the palatal mucosa early healing process in Swiss mice.
Methods:
Ninety animals were divided into two groups: Control (C; n = 45), which received Sham ES applications, and Test (ES; n = 45), which received ES (100 μA; 9 kHz; 660 mVpp) once a day for 3 days. A full thickness wound was performed with a 1.5 mm diameter biopsy punch in the hard palate. Histologically, the following parameters were evaluated: palatal wound closure and epithelial and connective wound edge distance (EED and CED). Furthermore, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10 TNF-α, and VEGF cytokine levels were evaluated by multiplex assay. The percentage of collagen fibers was assessed using the polarization method and the Smad proteins using the immunofluorescence method.
Results:
Palatal wound closure presented a significant reduction on day 5 in the ES group (p = 0.01). Additionally, both EED and CED were shorter for all time points in the ES group (p < 0.05), and the inflammatory markers IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α, and VEGF were reduced (p < 0.05). There were no differences in collagen fibers and phospho-Smad2 between the groups.
Conclusion:
ES had a positive effect on early palatal wound closure outcomes, as well as on inflammatory markers.
