Upregulated expression of transforming growth factor-beta receptors in dermal fibroblasts of skin sections from patients with systemic sclerosis.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the expression levels of transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) receptors in the skin of patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc).


METHODS
We examined expressions of TGF-beta type I and type II receptors (TGF-betaRI and TGF-betaRII) in skin sections of 5 patients with SSc and 5 healthy controls using in situ hybridization and immunohistochemical analysis.


RESULTS
The expression levels of both TGF-betaRI and TGF-betaRII were elevated in the dermal fibroblasts of skin sections from patients with SSc in comparison to control skin sections in in situ hybridization and in immunohistochemical stainings. The numbers of fibroblasts expressing TGF-betaRI and TGF-betaRII in the SSc skin sections were increased in comparison to controls. The inflammatory cells around the vessels also expressed TGF-betaRI and TGF-betaRII intensively in the SSc skin sections.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that the autocrine TGF-beta signaling due to the overexpression of TGF-betaRI and TGF-betaRII in dermal fibroblasts is involved in the pathogenesis of dermal fibrosis in patients with SSc.
Kubo
Masahide
M
Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Japan.
Ihn
Hironobu
H
Yamane
Kenichi
K
Tamaki
Kunihiko
K
D030201:Activin Receptors, Type I / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002452:Cell Count; D020405:Dermis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D000077293:Receptor, Transforming Growth Factor-beta Type I; D000077294:Receptor, Transforming Growth Factor-beta Type II; D018125:Receptors, Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012595:Scleroderma, Systemic / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D015398:Signal Transduction; D015854:Up-Regulation
D012333:RNA, Messenger; D018125:Receptors, Transforming Growth Factor beta; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D030201:Activin Receptors, Type I; D000077293:Receptor, Transforming Growth Factor-beta Type I; D000077294:Receptor, Transforming Growth Factor-beta Type II