The expression of COX-2 and VEGF in mixed grafting of sheepskin and autoskin in rats

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the expression of cycloxygenase-2 (COX-2), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) by using immunohistochemistry method and observe the changes of histological structure between the all skin group and the xenoskin (sheepskin) group, and explore the effect of the xenoskin (sheepskin) which is a kind of covering of autogenous microskin grafting.

Methods: A total of 180 Wistar healthy male rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: the autoskin group (the control group), the alloskin group and the xenoskin group (the sheepskin group), with 60 rats in each group. By using immunohistochemistry method, the expression of COX-2 and VEGF were revealed on 3, 5, 7, 14, 21 and 28 d, with 10 executed rats in each group on each time points, and the structure of histology was observed by light microscope.

Results: There were obvious difference of expression of COX-2 and VEGF on wound in the autoskin group compared with other two groups (p < .01); but there were no differences between the alloskin group and xenoskin group (p > .05). Observed on light microscope, the paralleled collagen and elastic fiber appeared in the autoskin group on 14 post-transplantation days, but they appeared in the alloskin group and the xenoskin group only on 21 post-transplantation days.

Conclusions: There were no differences of the expression of COX-2 and VEGF in the alloskin group and the xenoskin group, which provided clinical theoretical basis on sheepskin as a substitute for the alloskin to cover autogenous microskin.