Although
cyclic AMP has been considered to regulate cell proliferation, the mechanism of this function is largely unknown. Recent studies suggest that
cyclic AMP promotes the proliferation of skin cells in a dose-dependent manner. An
ointment containing
dibutyryl cyclic AMP has been used in the treatment of
skin ulcers and found to be effective in promoting tissue repair. To search more efficacious
wound management, the authors developed a new
wound dressing composed of a spongy atelo-
collagen sheet containing
dibutyryl cyclic AMP. This
wound dressing was evaluated in two types of animal tests. One is the application of the
wound dressing to a full-thickness skin defect in order to evaluate the granulation tissue formation and the
wound size reduction. The
wound dressing was found to promote the granulation tissue formation and naturally reduce the
wound size. The other test was the application of the
wound dressing to the full-thickness skin defect, leaving behind a skin island in a central portion, in order to evaluate the epithelialization. This skin island left in a full-thickness skin defect was extremely enlarged. The enlargement of the skin island seems to be related to the epithelialization from the margin of the skin island as well as by the expansion of a skin island induced by contraction of the developed granulation tissue in the surrounding
wound area. These results suggest that an atelo-
collagen spongy sheet containing
dibutyryl cyclic AMP is effective in promoting the granulation tissue formation and epithelialization.