Background and Purpose Diabetic patients with non‐healing ulcers have a reduced expression of VEGF. Genetically diabetic mice have an altered expression pattern of VEGF and its receptor, VEGF receptor 2 (VEGFR‐2). In diabetic wounds, the microRNAs, miR15b and miR200b, which respectively inhibit VEGF and VEGF‐R2 mRNAs, are up‐regulated, further affecting the impaired angiogenesis. We investigated whether anti‐miRs directed toward miR15b and miR200b could improve wound repair in genetically diabetic mice. Experimental Approach Skin wounds were produced on the backs of female diabetic mice. The anti‐miRs (antimiR15b, antimiR200b or antimiR15b/200b) at 10 mg·kg−1, or vehicle were applied to the wound edge. Mice were killed on days 7, 14 and at time of complete wound closure. Levels of mRNA and protein of angiogenic mediators and their receptors were measured with RT‐qPCR and Western blotting. Wounds were examined by histological and immunochemical methods. Key Results mRNA expression of VEGF, VEGFR‐2, angiopoietin‐1 and its receptor TEK were evaluated after 7 and 14 days. Protein levels of VEGF and transglutaminase II were measured at day 7, while VEGFR‐2 and Angiopoietin‐1 were measured at day 14. Histological features and the time to achieve a complete wound closure were also examined. Treatment with the anti‐miRs improved the analysed parameters and the co‐treatment resulted the most effective. Conclusion and Implications The results suggest that the inhibition of miR15b and miR200b may have a potential application in diabetes‐related wound disorders.

After breast surgery, women frequently develop chronic post-mastectomy pain (PMP). PMP refers to the occurrence of pain in and around the area of the mastectomy lasting beyond three months after surgery. The nature of factors leading to PMP is not well known. When PMP is refractory to analgesic treatment, it negatively impacts the lives of patients, increasing emotional stress and disability. For this reason, optimizing the quality of life of patients treated for this pathology has gained more importance. On the basis of the findings and opinions above, we present an overview of risk factors and predictors to be used as potential biomarkers in the personalized management of individual PMP. For this overview, we discuss scientific articles published in peer-reviewed journals written in the English language describing risk factors, predictors, and potential biomarkers associated with chronic pain after breast surgery. Our overview confirms that the identification of women at risk for PMP is fundamental to setting up the best treatment to prevent this outcome. Clinical practice can be planned through the interpretation of genotyping data, choosing drugs, and tailoring doses for each patient with the aim to provide safer and more effective individual analgesic treatment.

It is estimated that 10–50% of interventions can generate persistent post-surgical pain. Chronic post-mastectomy pain is a condition persisting for at least three months after surgery. It has been shown that physical activity in the cancer patient allows the improvement of the pain symptom. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of physical activity on the intensity and interference of chronic pain in the quality of life of women underwent mastectomy needed for breast cancer removal. The secondary objective was to measure the effects of physical activity on inflammatory and oxidative markers in the same population. A Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) was used to assess pain intensity, and Brief Inventory Pain (BIP) was used for assessing interference of pain in quality of life. Physical activity was measured with the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). Inflammatory mediators such as interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, c-reactive protein (CRP), and biomarkers of oxidative stress malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) were evaluated in the blood of patients. All the evaluations were performed after three and six months after surgery. Results showed that adequate physical activity can diminish intensity and interference of pain and that these effects are associated with a reduction of blood biomarkers of inflammation.