Nicotine alters cutaneous wound healing in mice submitted to psychological stress

Stress and cigarette smoke are important environmental factors that can alter human health. Nicotine can modulate the individual response to psychological stress. Cutaneous wound healing is a complex process involving inflammation, granulation tissue formation, and remodeling, which result in scar formation. Chronic stress impairs cutaneous wound healing. In this study we evaluate the effects of nicotine administeration on cutaneous wound healing from chronically stressed mice. Male mice were stressed by spun at 115 rpm for 15 min per hour, daily, until euthanasia. A group of mice were only chronically stressed. A group of chronically stressed mice received daily application of nicotine patch (2mg/Kg). Control mice were not subjected to stress, but received daily nicotine patch (2mg/Kg). An excisional lesion was made and measured. Fourteen days later, mice were killed to collect blood and lesions. The inflammatory infiltrate, angiogenesis, collagen deposition, activity of matrix metalloproteinases and mieloperoxidase were evaluated in wounds. Stressed and nicotine treated‐mice showed a worst rate of contraction and re‐epithelialization than stressed animals. Nicotine treatment aggravates the delay in wound healing of stressed mice. Supported by CAPES (PNPD 2402092), FAPERJ and CNPq.