Molecular mechanisms of enhanced wound healing by copper oxide-impregnated dressings

ABSTRACT Copper plays a key role in angiogenesis and in the synthesis and stabilization of extracellular matrix skin proteins, which are critical processes of skin formation. We hypothesized that introducing copper into wound dressings would enhance wound repair. Application of wound dressings containing copper oxide to wounds inflicted in genetically engineered diabetic mice (C57BL/KsOlaHsd‐Leprdb) resulted in increased gene and in situ up‐regulation of proangiogenic factors (e.g., placental growth factor, hypoxia‐inducible factor‐1 alpha, and vascular endothelial growth factor), increased blood vessel formation (p