The Role of Carbon Monoxide and Their Donor (CORM-2) in Skin Wound Healing in Mice

Carbon monoxide, which is a toxic gas, has a beneficial effect on cells in low doses. It is known that low concentrations of this gas are produced in the body during the decay of heme-containing proteins and have pro-apoptotic, anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic, vasodilator effects, stimulating angiogenesis. The danger of using this gas is the difficulty of its dosage. CO donors are used to controlling the amount and gradual release of carbon monoxide. This study studied the effect of treatment with CO and donor CORM-2 on wound healing processes in laboratory mice. Treatment with CO and CORM-2 reduced the healing rate of skin wounds in laboratory mice. The greatest delay in healing was observed in animals whose wounds were treated with CO. In this group, aquaporin-3 mRNA expression was decreased to the smallest degree among all other animals. This most likely caused the appearance of crusts. CORM-2 treatment also led to a decrease in AQP3 mRNA expression, but no crusts were formed. This can be explained by the fact that CO is released slowly. Having a dry crust on the wound increases the healing time. But, the formation of a dry crust is useful in the healing of burns, because with a dry scab, pus cannot appear; with some degrees of burns, it prevents suppuration and creates a protective barrier. The study confirmed the hypothesis that CO and CORM-2 reduce AQP3 expression after treatment of damaged skin.