Chronic diabetic wound remain difficult to heal because persistent inflammation, oxidative stress, and impaired regeneration delay repair, while effective noninvasive options are limited. In this study, graphene-based far-infrared radiation (FIR) therapy was evaluated in a streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rat full-thickness wound model, and mechanisms were examined in vivo and in vitro. Wound closure was quantified by serial imaging, whereas tissue remodeling and angiogenesis were assessed by H&E and Masson’s trichrome staining and CD34-based analyses. Transcriptomic responses were profiled by RNA sequencing with qRT-PCR validation, immune phenotypes were characterized by immunofluorescence, and high-glucose cell assays were performed. Re-epithelialization, collagen deposition, and neovascularization were quantified histologically. These datasets enabled integrated evaluation of inflammation, oxidative stress, and repair programs over time. Graphene FIR accelerated closure, reaching 83.9% healing by day 14 vs. 66.8% in untreated controls. Treatment was associated with downregulation of Cxcl2/Cxcl3, suppression of M1 polarization with enhanced M2 polarization, and reduced ROS accumulation. Consistently, NF-κB signaling was inhibited, supporting restoration of a pro-regenerative microenvironment. Collectively, graphene FIR represents a promising noninvasive strategy for diabetic wound repair via coordinated immunomodulatory and antioxidant actions.
Jian et al. (Sun,) studied this question.