The initiation of oxidative stress and therapeutic strategies in wound healing

When the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) is overloaded surpassing the capacity of the reductive rheostat, mammalian cells undergo a series of oxidative damage termed oxidative stress (OS). This phenomenon is ubiquitously detected in many human pathological conditions. Wound healing program implicates continuous neovascularization, cell proliferation, and wound remodeling. Increasing evidence indicates that reactive oxygen species (ROS) have profound impacts on the wound healing process through regulating a series of the physio-logical and pathological program including inflammatory response, cell proliferation, angiogenesis, granulation as well as extracellular matrix formation. In most pathological wound healing processes, excessive ROS exerts a negative role on the wound healing process. Interestingly, the moderate increase of ROS levels is beneficial in killing bacteria at the wound site, which creates a sterile niche for revascularization. In this review, we discussed the physiological rhythms of wound healing and the role of ROS in this progress, aim to explore the potential manipulation of OS as a promising therapeutic avenue.

Automated summary

When the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) exceeds the capacity of the reductive rheostat, it leads to oxidative stress (OS) in mammalian cells, which is commonly observed in various human pathological conditions. ROS plays a significant role in the wound healing process by regulating several physiological and pathological programs, including inflammation, cell proliferation, angiogenesis, granulation, and extracellular matrix formation. Excessive ROS has a negative impact on wound healing, while moderate levels of ROS are beneficial in killing bacteria and promoting revascularization at the wound site. This review aims to discuss the physiological rhythms of wound healing and the role of ROS, with the goal of exploring OS manipulation as a promising therapeutic approach.