Increased plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 in keloid fibroblasts may account for their elevated collagen accumulation in fibrin gel cultures.
Proteolytic degradation of the provisional fibrin matrix and subsequent substitution by fibroblast-produced collagen are essential features of injury repair. Immunohistochemical studies revealed that although dermal fibroblasts of normal scars and keloids expressed both urokinase type plasminogen activator (uPA) and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), keloid fibroblasts had a much higher PAI-1 expression. In long-term three-dimensional fibrin gel cultures (the in vitro fibroplasia model), normal fibroblasts expressed moderate and modulated activity levels of uPA and PAI-1. In contrast, keloid fibroblasts expressed a persistently high level of PAI-1 and a low level of uPA. The high PAI-1 activity of keloid fibroblasts correlated with their elevated collagen accumulation in fibrin gel cultures. Substituting collagen for fibrin in the gel matrix resulted in increased uPA activity and reduced collagen accumulation of keloid fibroblasts. Furthermore, decreasing PAI-1 activity of keloid fibroblasts in fibrin gel cultures with anti-PAI-1-neutralizing antibodies also resulted in a reduction in collagen accumulation by keloid fibroblasts. Cumulatively, these results suggest that PAI-1 overexpression is a consistent feature of keloid fibroblasts both in vitro and in vivo, and PAI-1 may play a causative role in elevated collagen accumulation of keloid fibroblasts.
Tuan
Tai-Lan
TL
Department of Surgery, Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles 90027, USA. ttuan@chla.usc.edu
Wu
Huayang
H
Huang
Eunice Y
EY
Chong
Sheree S N
SS
Laug
Walter
W
Messadi
Diana
D
Kelly
Paul
P
Le
Anh
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002921:Cicatrix / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D003094:Collagen / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D005260:Female; D005337:Fibrin; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007627:Keloid / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017395:Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D044469:Racial Groups; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000502:physiology*
D017395:Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1; D005337:Fibrin; D003094:Collagen