Diabetes is rising worldwide and impaired wound healing is one of its major complications. This study aimed to determine the effects of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) on wound healing in diabetic rats.

In this experimental study, abdominal adipose tissue was obtained from 10 patients who underwent an abdominoplasty. MSCs were isolated from adipose tissue and characterized using flow cytometry. Streptozotocin was used to induce diabetes in 10 male rats. Full-thickness excision wounds were punched on the back of each rat by a punch biopsy (0.8 cm in diameter). Animals were divided into two groups: the control group (receiving normal saline) and the group treated with MSCs. After treatment, wound healing was evaluated by photographic methods on days 7, 14, and 21.  

The isolated cells from adipose tissue expressed specific positive markers of MSCs. Importantly,the wound area significantly decreased in MSCs treated group on days 7 (P<0.05) and 14 (P<0.01) compared with days 0 and 7, respectively. The wound area decreased significantly in control animals on day 7 compared to day 0 (P<0.01), however, it did not significantly change on day 14 compared with day 7. On day 21, wounds closed in control and treatment groups.

Spraying the human adipose tissue-derived MSCs causes faster skin wound healing and therefore, this method can be considered for diabetic wound healing.