Wound healing-associated proteins Hsp47 and fibronectin are elevated in Dupuytren's contracture.
BACKGROUND
Dupuytren's contracture or disease (DD) affects hand function by causing irreversible contraction of the palmar fascia. Histological analysis has shown that DD and wound granulation tissue share many cellular and biochemical characteristics, suggesting that DD may be an exaggerated wound-healing response. The goal of the present study was to examine the possible involvement of two important wound-healing-associated proteins-heat shock protein 47 (Hsp47), fibronectin (Fn), and its oncofetal isoforms-in DD, using clinical tissue samples and primary cell cultures.


METHODS
We examined the expression of Hsp47, Fn, and an oncofetal isoform of fibronectin (IIICS) in both normal and disease-matched surgical specimens and primary cell cultures using Western blot analysis, and immunocytochemistry (ICC).


RESULTS
Our results indicate that Hsp47 and total fibronectin is elevated in DD lesional tissue. In addition, Western and ICC analysis of patient-matched (normal and disease) primary cultures show significantly elevated levels of oncofetal fibronectin (IIICS spliced variant) within disease primary cell cultures.


CONCLUSIONS
The high levels of expression of Hsp47 and adult and oncofetal fibronectin in DD suggests that cell-mediated alterations in the extracellular environment may play an important role in the disease process. Furthermore, the involvement of these wound healing-associated proteins in DD supports the notion that this disease may be an exaggerated form of wound healing.
Howard
Jeffrey C
JC
Cell and Molecular Biology Laboratory, Hand and Upper Limb Centre, St. Joseph's Health Care, 268 Grosvenor Street, London, Ontario, Canada N6A 4L6.
Varallo
Vincenzo M
VM
Ross
Douglas C
DC
Faber
Kenneth J
KJ
Roth
James H
JH
Seney
Shannon
S
Gan
Bing Siang
BS
D015153:Blotting, Western; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004387:Dupuytren Contracture / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005205:Fascia / Q000378:metabolism; D005353:Fibronectins / Q000378:metabolism*; D050958:HSP47 Heat-Shock Proteins; D006225:Hand; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D014945:Wound Healing
D005353:Fibronectins; D050958:HSP47 Heat-Shock Proteins; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins; C494660:SERPINH1 protein, human; C121542:oncofetal fibronectin