Abstract. The healing process of minor acute wounds is mainly facilitated by the skin's inherent regenerative capacity, which includes cellular mechanisms, remodeling of the extracellular matrix, and the presence of growth factors. The problem of wound healing is associated with injuries in wars, population aging, and the increase in obesity and diabetes mellitus on a global scale. It is known that the wound healing process is significantly affected by obesity. In this regard, studies of the role of growth factors in wound healing in the development of obesity are relevant.

Purpose. To determine the dynamics of wound healing and growth factor concentrations in the skin during the healing of full-thickness excised linear wounds in rats of different sexes with glutamate-induced obesity.

Materials and methods. Newborn males and females (n = 64) were randomly divided into 4 groups. Group 1 (males) – control, in rats of this group at the age of 4 months, full-thickness excised linear wounds were simulated, which were not treated with anything. In 4-month-old rats of group 2 (males) with glutamate-induced obesity, full-thickness linear wounds were modeled. Group 3 (females) – control, in rats of this group at the age of 4 months, fullthickness linear wounds were modeled, which were not treated with anything. In 4-month-old rats of group 4 (females) with glutamate-induced obesity, fullthickness linear wounds were modeled. To induce obesity, rats of group 2 and group 4 were subcutaneously injected with a solution of monosodium glutamate at a dose of 4.0 mg/kg on the 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th and 10th days after birth. The level of growth factors was determined using the appropriate reagent sets by the indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method according to the standard protocol.

Results. It has been shown that in male and female rats, the effect of glutamate-induced obesity on wound length is manifested only on the 12th day of healing. In males, the wound length in obesity during this period is 1.3 times higher (p < 0.05), and in females it is 1.4 times higher (p < 0.05) compared to the control. On the 16th day, males in the control have complete wound healing, and in obesity only on the 20th day. A similar picture is observed on the 16th day in females, in which complete healing also occurs on the 20th day. In male rats with glutamate-induced obesity, the concentration of insulin-like growth factor (IGF) significantly increases by 1.5 times compared to controls without obesity. In females, no difference in IGF concentration was found in the control and in obesity. However, in females, the concentration of IGF in obesity was 1.4 times higher than in obese males (p < 0.05). In obese females, the concentration of EGF was 1.4 times higher, FGF was 1.5 times higher, PDGF was 1.4 times higher, TGF was 1.3 times higher than in obese males/ However, no significant difference in the concentrations of NGF and VEGF was found in obesity between males and females.

Conclusions. In males and females with glutamate-induced obesity, wound healing occurs 4 days later than in controls without obesity. This process involves the growth factors IGF, EGF, FGF, PDGF and TGF, the concentration of which significantly increases in obesity. No significant difference in the concentrations of NGF and VEGF was found between males and females in both controls and obesity.

Keywords: glutamate-induced obesity, full-thickness linear incision wounds, male and female rats, growth factors

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