A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal
Towards a standardized diabetic prolonged wound healing model in hairless SKH1 mice
Authors: Koivunotko, Elle; Monola, Julia; Pridgeon, Chris S.; Linden, Jere; Harjumäki, Riina; Yatkin, Emrah; Madetoja, Mari; Yliperttula, Marjo
Publication year: 2026
Journal: Experimental Biology and Medicine
Article number: 10857
Volume: 251
ISSN: 1535-3702
eISSN: 1535-3699
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/ebm.2026.10857
Publication's open availability at the time of reporting: Open Access
Publication channel's open availability : Open Access publication channel
Web address : https://doi.org/10.3389/ebm.2026.10857
Self-archived copy’s web address: https://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/522953314
Self-archived copy's licence: CC BY
Self-archived copy's version: Publisher`s PDF
Chronic wounds, particularly those associated with diabetes, pose a significant clinical challenge due to their impaired healing dynamics and lack of reliable and standardized preclinical models. This pilot study aimed to establish a diabetogenic, immunocompetent, hairless mouse model (SKH1 strain) to simulate prolonged wound healing. Diabetes was induced by streptozotocin administration, followed by the creation of full-thickness dorsal skin wounds. Wounds were treated with either saline or nanofibrillated cellulose hydrogel as a model treatment. Wound healing progression and blood glucose were monitored, and histopathological assessments were performed after a 14-day experiment. In addition, for the first time, the Thermidas thermal imaging system was used in an in vivo mouse model to evaluate skin temperature. Results demonstrated that diabetes induction successfully prolonged wound closure by 5 days compared with the previously described acute wound model in the same strain with the identical protocol without streptozotocin (STZ) induction. Histopathological analyses showed increased macrophage activity (16.2% vs. 2.2% in the treatment groups and 10.2% vs. 0.3% in the control groups) and decreased collagen deposition (12.2% vs. 43.2% in the treatment groups and 17.6% vs. 27.4% in the control groups), suggesting prolonged wound healing. These findings support the use of hairless SKH1 mice as a viable model for studying prolonged diabetic wound healing and evaluating future therapeutic candidates.
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Funding information in the publication:
EK acknowledges the Post Docs in Companies program 2025 funded by Jenny and Antti Wihuri Foundation. JM acknowledges the Doctoral Programme in Materials Research and Nanosciences (University of Helsinki, Finland). CP acknowledges the Finnish Cultural Foundation (grant no. 00250755). RH and MY acknowledge the Academy of Finland, GeneCellNano flagship-project (grant no. 337430) and RH acknowledges the Finnish Cultural Foundation (grant no. 00220283).