School of Podiatric Medicine - Student Research

Document Type

Poster

Publication Date

2026

Abstract

Introduction: Diabetes is associated with impaired wound healing and a high incidence of chronic, non-healing ulcers, largely driven by persistent low-grade inflammation. Leukotriene B4 (LTB4), a product of the 5-lipoxygenase (5-LO) pathway, has emerged as a key mediator of this chronic inflammatory state. Hence, this study investigated the role of the 5-LO pathway in cutaneous wound healing under normoglycemic and diabetic conditions using a murine model.

Methods: Twelve 8-week-old male C57BL/6J mice were fed with high-fat diet (HFD; 60% kcal fat) or low-fat diet (LFD; 10% kcal fat) for 12 weeks (IACUC 22-33). Body weight (BW) and fasting blood glucose levels (FBGL) were monitored to confirm obesity and type II diabetes. Following confirmation, a 6-mm full-thickness dorsal excisional wound was created, and tissues were harvested at 7 days post-wounding. Sections (5 μm) were stained with H&E to assess inflammation and by immunofluorescence to evaluate 5-LO expression.

Results: HFD mice exhibited significantly greater BW (46.63 ± 3.70 vs. 31.98 ± 3.44 g) and FBGL (284.1 ± 47.68 vs. 211.1 ± 45.04 mg/dL) than LFD mice, confirming obesity and type II diabetes. Wound closure was significantly delayed in HFD mice (26.04 ± 5.24% vs. 38.54 ± 8.84%). Immunofluorescence demonstrated qualitatively greater 5-LO expression in HFD wounds, while H&E staining showed inflammatory infiltrates in both groups.

Conclusions: These findings suggest that 5-LO pathway contributes to the chronic inflammatory state that impairs diabetic wound healing. Targeting 5-LO may represent a promising therapeutic strategy to resolve chronic inflammation and improve healing in diabetic wounds.

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