title: Expression of epidermal growth factor receptor and related phosphorylation proteins in hypertrophic scars and normal skin.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the potential signal pathway involved in pathogenesis of hypertrophic scar formation.
  
  
  METHODS
  The samples of scar were obtained from patients with burn wound scars 6 - 28 months post-burn, while the samples of normal control skin came from the donor site of the same patients. Immunohistochemistry and light microscopy techniques were used to identify the expression of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and phosphotyrosine proteins (p-Tyr), as well as the phosphorylation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (Stat3) in both hypertrophic scars (n = 6) and normal skin (n = 6).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant differences were observed in the p-Tyr and EGFR positive expression keratinocytes both in hypertrophic scars and normal skin. The expression of p-Tyr, EGFR and Stat3 protein was greater in hypertrophic scars than in normal skin. However, there was no significant difference in p-Stat3 expression between scar tissues and normal skin.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Different tyrosine kinase activity occurs in hypertrophic scars and normal cutaneous tissues. Initially, varied expression of EGFR is due to different ligand stimulations. However, phosphotyrosine protein and Stat3 are subsequently activated through phosphorylation. In scar tissues, although EGFR has an intrinsic tyrosine kinase activity when activated by EGFR correlated ligand, phosphorylation of Stat3 showed no significant changes. Therefore, cellular signal pathways are induced by EGFR, which might play a role in hypertrophic scar pathogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Burn Institute, 304th Hospital, Trauma Center of Postgraduate Medical College, Beijing 100037, China.
authors.forename: Biao
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Xiaobing
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.forename: Tongzhu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Xiaoqing
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Zhiyong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Sheng
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017439:Cicatrix, Hypertrophic / Q000378:metabolism*; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D010766:Phosphorylation; D019000:Phosphotyrosine / Q000032:analysis; D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor; D012867:Skin / Q000737:chemistry*; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000032:analysis; D014945:Wound Healing
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor; C494086:STAT3 protein, human; D015534:Trans-Activators; D019000:Phosphotyrosine; D066246:ErbB Receptors