title: [Expression of thymosin beta 4 mRNA expression in keloid tissues and fibroblasts cultured from keloid and its significance].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the relations between thymosin beta 4 and pathologic scars by comparing the mRNA levels of thymosin beta 4 in keloid, hypertrophic scar and normal skin.
  
  
  METHODS
  The primary fibroblasts from the patients of keloid (KFB), hypertrophic scar (HFB) and normal skin (NFB, n=7) were cultured in vitro with tissue culture system. Semi-quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay was used to assess the thymosin beta 4 mRNA levels in the tissues and fibroblasts obtained from the patients of three groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mRNA levels of thymosin beta 4 in the keloid tissues were lower than those in the tissues of hypertrophic scar and normal skin(both, P<0.01). The thymosin beta 4 mRNA level in keloid group was lower by 66.98% than hypertrophic scar, and 62.48% than normal skin. In addition, the same significant change was found in the cultured KFB compared with HFB group(the mean value was lower by 27.13%), but no difference was found between KFB and NFB.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Expression of thymosin beta 4 is closely related with keloid. The inadequate expression of thymosin beta 4 may be one of the key factors for keloid formation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic Surgery, Third Hospital of Peking University, Beijing 100083, China.
authors.forename: Fang-fei
authors.initials: FF
authors.lastname: Nie
authors.forename: Jiang-qun
authors.initials: JQ
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Ze-lian
authors.initials: ZL
authors.lastname: Qin
mesh_terms: D002478:Cells, Cultured; D017439:Cicatrix, Hypertrophic / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007627:Keloid / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D013947:Thymosin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000099201:Thymosin beta(4)
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D013947:Thymosin; D000099201:Thymosin beta(4)