Local and systemic interactions related to serum transforming growth factor-beta levels in burn wounds of various depths.
OBJECTIVE
This study aimed to investigate the interaction between serum levels of TGF-beta and active-immune cell infiltration in burn wounds of various depths.


METHODS
Thirty female Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into three groups: full-thickness burns (F), partial-thickness burns (P), and no burns (S). After burn-induction, blood samples were obtained only once from shams and at postburn 1, 48 h, and 7 days in burn groups. Serum levels of TGF-beta were measured by means of the ELISA. The proportions of neutrophils, fibroblasts, vascular proliferation, CD68-macrophages, and CD3-lymphocytes were studied immunohistochemically and graded semiquantitatively.


RESULTS
Serum TGF-beta levels in the F and P groups were lower than those in sham at 1h after burn (p<.05). No significant differences in TGF-beta were observed between groups F and P on days 2 and 7 after injury. No local accumulation of macrophages and fibroblasts was noted in either burn group, but the proportion of lymphocytes was higher in the P group at 1h after burn. Neutrophils were higher in the F group than the P on day 7 after burn.


CONCLUSIONS
Prolonged neutrophil infiltration in full-thickness burn wounds and suppressed lymphocyte proliferation in partial-thickness burn wounds seem to be related to an increase in serum TGF-beta levels.
Sakallioğlu
A Ebru
AE
Başkent University, Burn and Fire Disaster Institute, Ankara, Turkey.
Başaran
Ozgür
O
Ozdemir
B Handan
BH
Arat
Zübeyde
Z
Yücel
Muammer
M
Haberal
Mehmet
M
D000818:Animals; D002056:Burns / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D005260:Female; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000276:immunology; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000378:metabolism; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D008264:Macrophages / Q000276:immunology; D020556:Neutrophil Infiltration / Q000276:immunology; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000378:metabolism*
D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta