Fig. 1: Effects of diabetes on wound healing and CXXC5 and Wnt/β-catenin signaling profiles in mice.

Full-thickness wounds (diameter=0.8 cm) were made on the backs of normal and HFD+STZ-induced diabetic mice as described in the Methods. a Gross images of the wounds were photographed, and the relative healing rates of the wounds were measured on Days 1, 3, 7, 10, 12, and 16; the results are presented as relative wound closure rates (n = 8). b, c Representative images of H&E and picrosirius red collagen staining are shown. The distances of wound edges were quantified on Days 1 and 16 (n = 6). Dashed lines represent the epidermal-dermal boundary. Arrowheads indicate the wound margins; E, epidermis; D, dermis; S, scab; GN, granulation tissue. Scale bars, 100 µm. d Western blot analysis of the whole tissue lysate (WTL) of wounds was performed to detect β-catenin, keratin 14, PCNA, CXXC5 and tErk. e, f Representative images of IHC staining of CXXC5, β-catenin, collagen I, PCNA, and keratin 14 in wound tissues. Dashed lines represent the epidermal-dermal boundary. E, epidermis; D, dermis. g Quantitative IHC analysis of cytosolic CXXC5 and nuclear β-catenin, which were examined in the dermal layers of wound tissues (n = 6). Scale bars, 100 µm. h The relative mRNA expression levels in the wound tissues (n = 3). All data are presented as the mean ± SD. *p < 0.05; **p < 0.01; ***p < 0.001 determined by Student’s t test.