Role of Xanthine Oxidoreductase in Diabetic Wound Healing

Presenter: Kathy Gonzalez (advisor: Dr. Edith Tzeng) 

Impaired diabetic wound healing is attributed to increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) and decreased nitric oxide (NO) production. Xanthine oxidoreductase (XOR) has the unique capacity to produce both ROS and NO. Dr. Gonzalez' group previously demonstrated that XOR is expressed in wounds and necessary for normal wound healing. In diabetic wounds, however, XOR may contribute to the excess oxidative stress and impaired healing. While they previously demonstrated that topical nitrite supplementation accelerates diabetic wound healing, potentially via XOR-mediated conversion to NO, they now hypothesize that XOR inhibition would improve diabetic wound repair and concurrent topical nitrite would not be effective. Dr. Gonzelez will present the experiments that her group has conducted to test this hypothesis about XOR function in diabetic wound repair.

Additionally, the role of the microbiome in impaired diabetic wound healing has not been fully elucidated. Current evidence suggests that the diabetic microbiome forms biofilms that confers antibiotic resistance to wounds and that a stable microbiome is associated with wound chronicity and impaired healing. She will present the current evidence relating to the microbiome’s role in diabetic wounds, as well as some of her group's relevant results.