Noncoding RNA–Based Modulation Enhances Wound Healing in Diabetic Foot Infection: Evidence from Human Samples and Validated in a Murine Model

Diabetic foot infection, microRNA (miRNA), Long noncoding RNA (lncRNA), Wound healing, Inflammation Diabetic foot infection (DFI) is a serious complication of diabetes that can make wounds heal slowly and increase the risk of amputation.Ongoing inflammation and problems with the immune system are major reasons why these infections are so hard to treat.In this study, we looked at the role of certain microRNAs (miRNAs), long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), and their related genes in DFI.We also tested whether fixing the imbalances in these RNAs could help wounds heal better.We first analyzed tissue samples from people with DFI and compared them to samples from diabetics without foot ulcers and healthy individuals.Based on these findings, we created a treatment targeting noncoding RNAs and tested it in diabetic mice with infected foot wounds.The human DFI tissues showed lower levels of miR-143-3p, miR-145-5p, miR-146a, and WAKMAR2, along with changes in genes related to inflammation and immunity.In the mice, the RNA-based treatment helped wounds close faster, reduced infection severity, and partially restored normal gene activity.These results suggest that correcting noncoding RNA imbalances could be a promising way to improve healing in diabetic foot infections.