Effect of Combining Low Temperature Plasma, Negative Pressure Wound Therapy, and Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells on an Acute Skin Wound Healing Mouse Model

Abstract

Low-temperature plasma (LTP; 3 min/day), negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT; 4 h/day), and bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs; 1 × 106 cells/day) were used as mono- and combination therapy in an acute excisional skin wound-healing ICR mouse model. These therapies have been beneficial in treating wounds. We investigated the effectiveness of monotherapy with LTP, NPWT, and MSC and combination therapy with LTP + MSC, LTP + NPWT, NPWT + MSC, and LTP + NPWT + MSC on skin wounds in mice for seven consecutive days. Gene expression, protein expression, and epithelial thickness were analyzed using real time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), western blotting, and hematoxylin and eosin staining (H&E), respectively. Wound closure was also evaluated. Wound closure was significantly accelerated in monotherapy groups, whereas more accelerated in combination therapy groups. Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) expression was increased in the LTP monotherapy group but decreased in the NPWT, MSC, and combination therapy groups. Expressions of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), and type I collagen were increased in the combination therapy groups. Re-epithelialization was also considerably accelerated in combination therapy groups. Our findings suggest that combination therapy with LPT, NPWT, and MSC exert a synergistic effect on wound healing, representing a promising strategy for the treatment of acute wounds.