Topical Ozone Accelerates Diabetic Wound Healing by Promoting Re-Epithelialization through the Activation of IGF1R–EGFR Signaling

Abstract

Ozonated oil increases the healing of chronic diabetic wounds, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. We investigated the effect of topical ozonated oil on wound healing in mice with diabetes with diet-induced obesity and further elucidated the role of EGFR and IGF1R signaling in diabetic wound healing. We found that topical ozonated oil accelerated wound healing; increased phosphorylation of IGF1R, EGFR, and VEGFR; and improved vascularization at the wound leading edge in mice with diabetes with diet-induced obesity. Exposure of normal epidermal keratinocytes to ozonated medium (20 μM for 2 hours daily) increased cell proliferation and migration distance by increasing phosphorylation of IGF1R and EGFR and downstream phosphoinositide 3-kinase, protein kinase B, and extracellular signal-regulated kinase. These findings shed light on the mechanism for topical ozone action in chronic wounds and support its potential therapeutic application.