Combination of zinc nanoparticles with chitosan scaffolds increased cytokine genes on wound healing of infected rats with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)

Background: The present study aims to determine the effect of zinc nanoparticles with chitosan in the expression of cytokine genes on wound healing of infected rats with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).Methods: In this study, all male Wistar rats were divided into five groups. Group M1: 0.1 mL sterile saline 0.9% solution was added to the wounds with no infection. Group M2: the wounds were infected with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and only treated with 0.1 mL the sterile saline 0.9% solution. Group M3: animals with infected wounds were treated with zinc nanoparticle. Group M4: animals with infected wounds were treated with chitosan. Group M5: animals with infected wounds were treated with 0.1 mL solution of zinc nanoparticles with chitosan. Skin biopsy samples were removed for the histological studies and quantitative assessment of IL-6, VEGF, TNF and TGF genes using real-time PCR in each groups.Results: Quantitative histological and neovascularization studies showed that there was significant difference between rats in groupM5 compared to other groups. The infected groupM5 exhibited a significant increase in the expression levels of VEGF: 8.02, TNF: 5.34, TGF: 7.98, and decrease of IL-6:-3.34 folds as compared to the other groups on the 21st day (P<0.05). Also, on the same day was seen the minimum surface area of wound in group 5. The surface area between each study group and other groups was statistically significant(P<0.05).Conclusion: Our studies also show that the type of zinc nanoparticles with chitosan scaffolds have more effects than other types of compounds in wound healing.