Time to Heal: MicroRNA Temporal Dysregulation in Diabetic Foot Ulcers.
- 1Department of Dermatology and Venereology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
- 2Cosmetics Safety and Efficacy Evaluation Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
Abstract
Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) are a severe complication of diabetes characterized by delayed healing, infection susceptibility, and tissue necrosis. During normal healing, microRNA (miRNA) expression changes over time and helps regulate inflammation, tissue formation, and matrix remodeling. The same miRNA can serve opposing roles depending on cell type, timing, and wound context. Hyperglycemia, hypoxia, and oxidative stress disrupt these processes and prolong inflammation. This review examines how altered miRNA regulation may impair wound-healing transitions and vessel maturation in DFUs. We organize findings from experimental models and human samples into three interpretive patterns: delayed or insufficient induction, aberrant persistence, and temporal inversion or phase-inappropriate expression. Angiogenesis provides an example of how disrupted miRNA timing may impair vascular repair and granulation tissue formation. Circadian regulation may further influence these processes, although direct evidence linking circadian regulation, miRNA dynamics, and human DFUs remains limited. Preclinical studies of miRNA combinations, engineered vesicles, and biomaterial carriers suggest opportunities to coordinate local miRNA delivery with repair needs. The human studies reviewed here do not establish clinical efficacy of a defined miRNA mimic or inhibitor in DFUs. Further translation requires miRNA profiling over time, assessment of the wound's biological stage, and delivery to the relevant cells during the appropriate repair window.
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BibTeX
@article{pan2026time,
title = {{Time to Heal: MicroRNA Temporal Dysregulation in Diabetic Foot Ulcers.}},
author = {Lingyu Pan and Lingyun Zhao and Jinfeng Liu and You Mou and Kaili Wang and Xinyi Liu and Wei Hua},
journal = {International journal of molecular sciences},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.3390/ijms27198491},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42883745},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Time to Heal: MicroRNA Temporal Dysregulation in Diabetic Foot Ulcers.
AU - Lingyu Pan
AU - Lingyun Zhao
AU - Jinfeng Liu
AU - You Mou
AU - Kaili Wang
AU - Xinyi Liu
AU - Wei Hua
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/23
JO - International journal of molecular sciences
DO - 10.3390/ijms27198491
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42883745
AB - Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) are a severe complication of diabetes characterized by delayed healing, infection susceptibility, and tissue necrosis. During normal healing, microRNA (miRNA) expression changes over time and helps regulate inflammation, tissue formation, and matrix remodeling. The same miRNA can serve opposing roles depending on cell type, timing, and wound context. Hyperglycemia, hypoxia, and oxidative stress disrupt these processes and prolong inflammation. This review examines how altered miRNA regulation may impair wound-healing transitions and vessel maturation in DFUs. We organize findings from experimental models and human samples into three interpretive patterns: delayed or insufficient induction, aberrant persistence, and temporal inversion or phase-inappropriate expression. Angiogenesis provides an example of how disrupted miRNA timing may impair vascular repair and granulation tissue formation. Circadian regulation may further influence these processes, although direct evidence linking circadian regulation, miRNA dynamics, and human DFUs remains limited. Preclinical studies of miRNA combinations, engineered vesicles, and biomaterial carriers suggest opportunities to coordinate local miRNA delivery with repair needs. The human studies reviewed here do not establish clinical efficacy of a defined miRNA mimic or inhibitor in DFUs. Further translation requires miRNA profiling over time, assessment of the wound's biological stage, and delivery to the relevant cells during the appropriate repair window.
SN - 1422-0067
ER -