RESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: To explore the influence of vacuum-assisted closure technique (VAC) on expression of Bcl-2 and NGF during wound healing. METHODS: Eighty Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 4 groups with 20 rats of each. Group T was the experimental group; group C1, C2 and C3 were the control groups. In group T and group C1, capsaicin was injected subcutaneously to the back of the rats to destroy the sensory nerve. VAC was employed to the wound of the rats in group T and C2 three times a day at 80 mmHg negative pressure. In all the groups, tissue samples were taken from the wound edge and granulation at 1, 3, 6, 9 and 12 days after the injury. Immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization were used to detect the expression of Bcl-2 and NGF/NGFmRNA in the samples. RESULTS: In group C2 and C3, the expression of Bcl-2 and NGF/NGFmRNA was obvious, which increased gradually and reached the peak at the 9th day. In the process of wound healing, the expression Bcl-2 and NGF/NGFmRNA was higher in the group C2 than in group C3 (P < 0.05). The expression Bcl-2 and NGF/NGFmRNA in group T and C1 was lower than group C2 and C3 (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The application of the vacuum-assisted closure technique during wound healing increases the expression of the apoptosic modulation related protein Bcl-2 and affects the expression of NGF/NGFmRNA, which may promote the wound healing process.