title: Neutrophils express tumor necrosis factor-alpha during mouse skin wound healing.
abstract: The expression pattern of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) mRNA and protein was examined in vivo in experimental mouse skin wounds by in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry. TNF-alpha mRNA and protein is detected in a distinct layer of mainly neutrophils subadjacent to the would clot. The layer of TNF-alpha-positive cells extends from the margin of the advancing epithelial outgrowth to the opposing one. By in situ hybridization the TNF-alpha mRNA is detectable 12 h after wounding; the signal peaks after 72 h and remains visible up to at least 120 h after wounding. TNF-alpha mRNA could not be detected in the normal skin or in 5-hour-old wounds. Immunohistochemical staining for TNF-alpha and macrophages on adjacent sections confirms that the main part of TNF-alpha-positive cells are polymorphonuclear neutrophils and shows that most of the cells located just beneath the layer of TNF-alpha-positive neutrophils are macrophages with weak TNF-alpha immunoreactivity. The data reported here show that neutrophils serve as an important source of TNF-alpha during healing of mouse skin wounds. We suggest that this specific expression of TNF-alpha is related to the process of re-epithelialization.
authors.affiliation: Finsen Laboratory, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Feiken
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rømer
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Eriksen
authors.forename: L R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Lund
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D012867:Skin / Q000293:injuries*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D014945:Wound Healing
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha