Objective:To investigate the effects of moist exposed burn therapy/moist exposed burn ointment（MEBT/MEBO）on the expressions of transforming growth factor-β1（TGF-β1）

Smad3 and phosphorylation Smad（P-smad3） and morphological structure in diabetic foot wound of rat. Methods:Eighty healthy male SD rats were randomly divided into blank control group

treated model group

recombinant bovine basic fibroblast growth factor（rb-b FGF）group and MEBT/MEBO group

each group had 20 rats. Rats in treated model group

rb-b FGF group and MEBT/MEBO group were enrolled to establish diabetic animal model by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin each 60 mg/kg;and rats in the blank control group were injected with the same volume of buffer solution of citric acid and sodium citrate. The wound tissues were separately collected on 5 d and 14 d after the medication

and the protein expressions of TGF-β1

Smad3 and P-smad3 were detected by Western blot and ulcer morphological structure was observed by regular pathological technique. Comparisons among different groups were analyzed by using single factor analysis of variance and rank sum test. Results:After 5 d treatment

there was no significant differences in the protein expression of Smad3 among four groups（F=1.036

P=0.388）. The protein expression of TGF-β1and P-smad3 in both MEBT/MEBO and rb-b FGF group were significantly lower than those of control group（P=0.005

P=0.026;P=0.001

P=0.005）. The protein expressions of TGF-β1 and P-smad3 of both MEBT/MEBO and rb-b FGF group were also higher than those of treated model group（P=0.000）. In addition

compared with the results of 5 d time point

the protein expressions of TGF-β1and P-smad3 in MEBT/MEBO and rb-b FGF group were decreased significantly（P=0.000）. After 5 d treatment

fibroblasts and capillary growth in MEBT/MEBO group

blank control group and b FGF group were better than that in the model group

while fibroblasts were not well aligned in blank control group. On the 14 d

fibroblasts and collagen fibers in MEBT/MEBO group

b FGF group and blank control group formed a dense arrangement. Collagen fibers in MEBT/MEBO group were proliferated obviously but arrangement was disordered. Collagen fibers in the model group also showed slug hyperplasia. Conclusion:MEBT/MEBO can activate TGF-β1/Smad3 signaling pathway at the early stage of wound healing

and thus promoting wound healing. However

at the later stage of healing

it can inhibit the excessive activation of this signaling pathway and therefore reducing excessive tissue proliferation.