Topical insulin improves postoperative wound healing in controlled diabetic patients through regulating the expression of E-Cadherin and Ki67: an open-label randomized controlled-trial

Abstract Background Diabetic patients are at a significantly higher risk of delayed and impaired wound healing, with increased susceptibility to wound infections and dehiscence. The pathophysiology of abnormal wound healing in diabetes is multifactorial, involving impaired vascularization, reduced c...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Mahmoud Ahmed Khattab, Omnia Azmy Nabeh, Sara Adel, Mahmoud Abdelazeem, Mohamed M. Naser, Lamiaa Mohammed Matter
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SpringerOpen 2025-06-01
Series:Future Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s43094-025-00830-6
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849420547047292928
author Mahmoud Ahmed Khattab
Omnia Azmy Nabeh
Sara Adel
Mahmoud Abdelazeem
Mohamed M. Naser
Lamiaa Mohammed Matter
author_facet Mahmoud Ahmed Khattab
Omnia Azmy Nabeh
Sara Adel
Mahmoud Abdelazeem
Mohamed M. Naser
Lamiaa Mohammed Matter
author_sort Mahmoud Ahmed Khattab
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Diabetic patients are at a significantly higher risk of delayed and impaired wound healing, with increased susceptibility to wound infections and dehiscence. The pathophysiology of abnormal wound healing in diabetes is multifactorial, involving impaired vascularization, reduced cellular proliferation, and prolonged inflammation, all associated with hyperglycemia. This randomized controlled trial (ClinicalTrials.gov registration: NCT06400082) included 74 type 2 diabetic patients undergoing elective abdominal surgeries with wound lengths ≥ 10 cm. Patients were randomized into two equal groups to receive either topical saline dressings or topical regular insulin. Wound dressing and assessments were performed daily until complete closure. Outcomes included percentage reduction in wound surface area, healing days, and unit healing time (UHT). Skin sections were collected on days 0 and 7 to evaluate e-cadherin, Ki67, IL-6, 8-hydroxy-2’-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), and histological architecture. Results Topical insulin significantly enhanced wound healing outcomes, demonstrating a greater percentage reduction in wound surface area (p < 0.001) and a lower UHT at day 7 in the insulin group (4450.00 [3000.00–5460.00]) compared to the saline group (2594.00 [2090.00–7560.00]), p = 0.001). Insulin-treated wounds exhibited increased tissue expression of collagen, e-cadherin, and Ki67, along with significantly reduced levels of IL-6 and 8-OHdG (p < 0.05). Conclusion Topical insulin is a promising therapeutic strategy for improving postoperative wound healing in diabetic patients. It enhances tissue repair by modulating inflammation, oxidative stress, and cellular proliferation.
format Article
id doaj-art-d958497d70444bb2b1bddc23536f8f7f
institution Kabale University
issn 2314-7253
language English
publishDate 2025-06-01
publisher SpringerOpen
record_format Article
series Future Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences
spelling doaj-art-d958497d70444bb2b1bddc23536f8f7f2025-08-20T03:31:44ZengSpringerOpenFuture Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences2314-72532025-06-0111111210.1186/s43094-025-00830-6Topical insulin improves postoperative wound healing in controlled diabetic patients through regulating the expression of E-Cadherin and Ki67: an open-label randomized controlled-trialMahmoud Ahmed Khattab0Omnia Azmy Nabeh1Sara Adel2Mahmoud Abdelazeem3Mohamed M. Naser4Lamiaa Mohammed Matter5Department of Medical Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine Kasr Alainy, Cairo UniversityDepartment of Medical Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine Kasr Alainy, Cairo UniversityHistology Department, Faculty of Medicine Kasr Alainy, Cairo UniversitySurgery Department, Faculty of Medicine Kasr Alainy, Cairo UniversityFaculty of Medicine Kasr Alainy, Cairo UniversityDepartment of Medical Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine Kasr Alainy, Cairo UniversityAbstract Background Diabetic patients are at a significantly higher risk of delayed and impaired wound healing, with increased susceptibility to wound infections and dehiscence. The pathophysiology of abnormal wound healing in diabetes is multifactorial, involving impaired vascularization, reduced cellular proliferation, and prolonged inflammation, all associated with hyperglycemia. This randomized controlled trial (ClinicalTrials.gov registration: NCT06400082) included 74 type 2 diabetic patients undergoing elective abdominal surgeries with wound lengths ≥ 10 cm. Patients were randomized into two equal groups to receive either topical saline dressings or topical regular insulin. Wound dressing and assessments were performed daily until complete closure. Outcomes included percentage reduction in wound surface area, healing days, and unit healing time (UHT). Skin sections were collected on days 0 and 7 to evaluate e-cadherin, Ki67, IL-6, 8-hydroxy-2’-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), and histological architecture. Results Topical insulin significantly enhanced wound healing outcomes, demonstrating a greater percentage reduction in wound surface area (p < 0.001) and a lower UHT at day 7 in the insulin group (4450.00 [3000.00–5460.00]) compared to the saline group (2594.00 [2090.00–7560.00]), p = 0.001). Insulin-treated wounds exhibited increased tissue expression of collagen, e-cadherin, and Ki67, along with significantly reduced levels of IL-6 and 8-OHdG (p < 0.05). Conclusion Topical insulin is a promising therapeutic strategy for improving postoperative wound healing in diabetic patients. It enhances tissue repair by modulating inflammation, oxidative stress, and cellular proliferation.https://doi.org/10.1186/s43094-025-00830-6DiabetesE-cadherinHealingInsulin, Ki67Postoperative wound
spellingShingle Mahmoud Ahmed Khattab
Omnia Azmy Nabeh
Sara Adel
Mahmoud Abdelazeem
Mohamed M. Naser
Lamiaa Mohammed Matter
Topical insulin improves postoperative wound healing in controlled diabetic patients through regulating the expression of E-Cadherin and Ki67: an open-label randomized controlled-trial
Future Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Diabetes
E-cadherin
Healing
Insulin, Ki67
Postoperative wound
title Topical insulin improves postoperative wound healing in controlled diabetic patients through regulating the expression of E-Cadherin and Ki67: an open-label randomized controlled-trial
title_full Topical insulin improves postoperative wound healing in controlled diabetic patients through regulating the expression of E-Cadherin and Ki67: an open-label randomized controlled-trial
title_fullStr Topical insulin improves postoperative wound healing in controlled diabetic patients through regulating the expression of E-Cadherin and Ki67: an open-label randomized controlled-trial
title_full_unstemmed Topical insulin improves postoperative wound healing in controlled diabetic patients through regulating the expression of E-Cadherin and Ki67: an open-label randomized controlled-trial
title_short Topical insulin improves postoperative wound healing in controlled diabetic patients through regulating the expression of E-Cadherin and Ki67: an open-label randomized controlled-trial
title_sort topical insulin improves postoperative wound healing in controlled diabetic patients through regulating the expression of e cadherin and ki67 an open label randomized controlled trial
topic Diabetes
E-cadherin
Healing
Insulin, Ki67
Postoperative wound
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s43094-025-00830-6
work_keys_str_mv AT mahmoudahmedkhattab topicalinsulinimprovespostoperativewoundhealingincontrolleddiabeticpatientsthroughregulatingtheexpressionofecadherinandki67anopenlabelrandomizedcontrolledtrial
AT omniaazmynabeh topicalinsulinimprovespostoperativewoundhealingincontrolleddiabeticpatientsthroughregulatingtheexpressionofecadherinandki67anopenlabelrandomizedcontrolledtrial
AT saraadel topicalinsulinimprovespostoperativewoundhealingincontrolleddiabeticpatientsthroughregulatingtheexpressionofecadherinandki67anopenlabelrandomizedcontrolledtrial
AT mahmoudabdelazeem topicalinsulinimprovespostoperativewoundhealingincontrolleddiabeticpatientsthroughregulatingtheexpressionofecadherinandki67anopenlabelrandomizedcontrolledtrial
AT mohamedmnaser topicalinsulinimprovespostoperativewoundhealingincontrolleddiabeticpatientsthroughregulatingtheexpressionofecadherinandki67anopenlabelrandomizedcontrolledtrial
AT lamiaamohammedmatter topicalinsulinimprovespostoperativewoundhealingincontrolleddiabeticpatientsthroughregulatingtheexpressionofecadherinandki67anopenlabelrandomizedcontrolledtrial