Effects of Hydrogen Peroxide on Wound Healing in Mice in Relation to Oxidative Damage

It has been established that low concentrations of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) are produced in wounds and is required for optimal healing. Yet at the same time, there is evidence that excessive oxidative damage is correlated with poor-healing wounds. In this paper, we seek to determine whether topical application of H2O2 can modulate wound healing and if its effects are related to oxidative damage. Using a C57BL/6 mice excision wound model, H2O2 was found to enhance angiogenesis and wound closure at 10 mM but retarded wound closure at 166 mM. The delay in closure was also associated with decreased connective tissue formation, increased MMP-8 and persistent neutrophil infiltration. Wounding was found to increase oxidative lipid damage, as measured by F2-isoprostanes, and nitrative protein damage, as measured by 3-nitrotyrosine. However H2O2 treatment did not significantly increase oxidative and nitrative damage even at concentrations that delay wound healing. Hence the detrimental effects of H2O2 may not involve oxidative damage to the target molecules studied.