Estrogen modulates cutaneous wound healing by downregulating macrophage migration inhibitory factor
J. Clin. Invest. Gillian S. Ashcroft, et al. 111:1309 doi:10.1172/JCI16288 [Go to this article.]

Figure 3
Reduced estrogen has no effect on wound healing in mice null for MIF. Day 3 wounds were wider in OVX wild-type mice (c) with an increased inflammatory response as compared with intact littermates (a). In marked contrast, no differences were observed between wounds from MIF null intact mice (b) and MIF null OVX mice (d). Arrows demarcate wound edges. In (c), the panniculus carnosus muscle is at the extreme edges of the image. Scale bars for a–d represent 100 μm. In the OVX MIF null wounds at day 7 (f), increased collagen I deposition was observed as compared with wounds from OVX wild-type mice (e). An absence of staining on parallel sections using an isotype control antibody is shown (g). Scale bars for e–g represent 10 μm. Wound areas were significantly greater in OVX wild-type mice than in OVX MIF null mice at day 3 after wounding (h). Results represent means ± SEM (n = 3–5 for each group, *P < 0.05). Wound strength evaluated by disruption of day-3, -5, and -7 wounds in vivo using a BTC1000 device is shown (i). A significant increase in wound strength was observed at days 5 and 7 as compared with day 3. Results represent means ± SEM (n = 4–5 for each group, *P < 0.05 compared to day-3 data). At day 7 after wounding (j), the ultimate breaking strength (mmHg) was significantly reduced in the OVX wild-type mice as compared with OVX MIF null mice and wild-type intact mice. Results represent means ± SEM (n = 4, *P < 0.05).