Oxidative Stress and Skin Fibrosis.
Fibrosis is defined as increased fibroblast proliferation and deposition of extracellular matrix components with potential clinical ramifications including organ dysfunction and failure. Fibrosis is a characteristic finding of various skin diseases which can have life-threatening consequences. These implications call for research into this topic as only a few treatments targeting fibrosis are available. In this review, we discuss oxidative stress and its role in skin fibrosis. Recent studies have implicated the importance of oxidative stress in a variety of cellular pathways directly and indirectly involved in the pathogenesis of skin fibrosis. The cellular pathways by which oxidative stress affects specific fibrotic skin disorders are also reviewed. Finally, we also describe various therapeutic approaches specifically targeting oxidative stress to prevent skin fibrosis. We believe oxidative stress is a relevant target, and understanding the role of oxidative stress in skin fibrosis will enhance knowledge of fibrotic skin diseases and potentially produce targeted therapeutic options.
Department of Dermatology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Clinical Research - Dermatology, 5 East 98th Street- 5th floor, Box 1048, New York, NY USA.
Anjali
A
Shroff
Department of Dermatology, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA USA ; Dermatology Service, Sacramento VA Medical Center, Mather, CA USA.
Andrew
A
Mamalis
Department of Dermatology, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA USA ; Dermatology Service, Sacramento VA Medical Center, Mather, CA USA ; Department of Dermatology, State University of New York Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY USA.
Jared
J
Jagdeo
Free radicals; Oxidative stress; Scars; Skin fibrosis; Skin scarring; Therapy