Negative pressure wound therapy: Regulating blood flow perfusion and microvessel maturation through microvascular pericytes

Negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) has been demonstrated to accelerate wound healing by promoting angiogenesis. However, whether blood flow perfusion is regulated by microvessel maturation and pericytes following NPWT remains unclear, as well as the exact association between pericytes and collagen type IV. The aim of this study was to investigate the relevant association between blood flow perfusion and microvessel maturation and pericytes following NPWT, and to further explore the underlying molecular mechanisms. We also aimed to investigate the association between pericytes and collagen type IV. For this purpose, we created a rat model of diabetic wounds and microvascular blood flow perfusion was detected using a laser Doppler blood perfusion imager. The expression levels of angiogenin-1, tyrosine phosphorylation of tyrosine kinase receptor-2 (Tie-2), α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and collagen type IV were detected and analyzed through immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, RT-qPCR and western blot analysis. The results revealed that NPWT promoted the overexpression of angiogenin-1, Tie-2, α-SMA and collagen type IV, and significantly increased blood flow perfusion coupled with microvessel maturation in the NPWT group at the later stages (7–10 days) of wound healing. Our results suggested that NPWT can preferentially enhance vessel maturation and increase the number of pericytes, thus regulating blood flow perfusion. On the other hand, pericytes and collagen type IV had a mutual interaction, promoting microvessel maturation.