The Acceleration of Diabetic Wound Healing by Low-Intensity Extracorporeal Shockwave Involves in the GSK-3β Pathway

Area of Science:

• Regenerative Medicine
• Molecular Biology
• Dermatology

Background:

• Diabetic wound healing is impaired, with glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β) inhibition linked to epithelial differentiation.
• The Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway plays a crucial role in wound healing processes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate if extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) enhances diabetic wound healing via the GSK-3β-mediated Wnt/β-catenin pathway.
• To elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying ESWT's therapeutic effects in diabetic wound models.

Main Methods:

• Established a diabetic rodent dorsal skin wounding model.
• Administered ESWT and a GSK-3β inhibitor (BIO) to diabetic rats.
• Analyzed gene and protein expression using quantitative RT-PCR and immunohistochemical staining.

Main Results:

• Both ESWT and BIO treatments significantly promoted diabetic wound healing compared to controls.
• ESWT increased the expression of Wnt signaling components (Wnt-1, -3a, -4, -5a, -10) and β-catenin.
• Increased Wnt-3a, Wnt-5a, and β-catenin protein levels were observed in ESWT and BIO groups.

Conclusions:

• ESWT enhances diabetic wound healing through the modulation of the GSK-3β-mediated Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.
• Targeting this pathway represents a potential therapeutic strategy for improving diabetic wound repair.