title: Temporal expression of wound healing-related genes in skin burn injury.
abstract: Determination of the age of burns, as well as of wounds induced mechanically, is essential in forensic practice, particularly in cases of suspected child abuse. Here, we investigated temporal changes in the expression of 13 genes during wound healing after a burn. The expression of cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α, and IFN-γ), chemokines (KC, MCP-1), proliferative factors (TGF-β, VEGF), proteases (MMP-2, 9, 13) and type I collagen in murine skin was examined by real-time PCR at 3, 6, 9, and 12 h and 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, and 14 days after a burn. Based on macroscopic and histological appearance, the healing process of a burn consists of 3 phases: inflammatory (from 3 h to 1 day after the burn), proliferative (from 1 to 7 days), and maturation (from 7 to 14 days). Expression of IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, IFN-γ and KC increased significantly in a biphasic pattern from 3 or 6 h to 12 h or 1 day and from 3 or 5 days to 7 days. Expression of MCP-1 increased significantly from 6 h to 5 days. Expression of both IL-10 and TGF-β increased significantly from 12 h to 7 days. Expression of VEGF, MMP-2, MMP-13 and type I collagen increased significantly from 3 days to 7 or 14 days. Expression of MMP-9 increased significantly from 6 h to 14 days. Our results suggest that evaluating the expression of a combination of these genes would enable the exact estimation of the age of a burn.
authors.affiliation: Department of Legal Medicine, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima University, 8-35-1 Sakuragaoka, Kagoshima 890-8544, Japan; Department of Dermatology, Field of Sensory Organology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima University, 8-35-1 Sakuragaoka, Kagoshima 890-8544, Japan. Electronic address: lupin28@m3.kufm.kagoshima-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Hidemichi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kubo
authors.affiliation: Department of Legal Medicine, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima University, 8-35-1 Sakuragaoka, Kagoshima 890-8544, Japan.
authors.forename: Takahito
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hayashi
authors.affiliation: Department of Legal Medicine, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima University, 8-35-1 Sakuragaoka, Kagoshima 890-8544, Japan.
authors.forename: Kazutoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ago
authors.affiliation: Department of Legal Medicine, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima University, 8-35-1 Sakuragaoka, Kagoshima 890-8544, Japan.
authors.forename: Mihoko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ago
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Field of Sensory Organology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima University, 8-35-1 Sakuragaoka, Kagoshima 890-8544, Japan.
authors.forename: Takuro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kanekura
authors.affiliation: Department of Legal Medicine, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima University, 8-35-1 Sakuragaoka, Kagoshima 890-8544, Japan.
authors.forename: Mamoru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ogata
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002056:Burns / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology; D018925:Chemokines / Q000032:analysis*; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000175:diagnosis; D002675:Child, Preschool; D024042:Collagen Type I / Q000032:analysis*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000032:analysis*; D005554:Forensic Medicine; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases / Q000032:analysis*; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012867:Skin / Q000293:injuries*; D013997:Time Factors; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D018925:Chemokines; D024042:Collagen Type I; D016207:Cytokines; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases
keywords: Burn; Forensic molecular diagnosis; Skin; Wound age determination; Wound healing