Effect of macrophage dysfunction on diabetic wound healing: a review of research progress / 中华显微外科杂志

ABSTRACT

Macrophages play a crucial role in inflammatory, proliferative and reconstructive phases in wound healing. A dysfunction of macrophage could lead to a delay of healing. As the most common type of chronic wounds, the diabetic wound may ultimately result in a delayed or failed wound healing due to a high glucose microenvironment and abnormal metabolic environment. Such abnormal metabolic environment may lead to the aberrant macrophage polarization, abnormal secretion of cytokines and aberrant phagocytic function hence cause prolonged inflammation with excessive oxidative stress reaction. As the consequence, the inflammatory phase in diabetic wound is lengthy while the proliferative and reconstructive phases are usually delayed. The diabetic wound may result in enormous financial burden to patients, the healthcare and the society. This study briefly reviewed the recent research progresses at home and abroad, and analysed and summarized the roles of the dysfunction of macrophage polarization, secretion and phagocytosis in the process of diabetic wound healing.