title: Expression of embryonic stem cell markers in keloid-associated lymphoid tissue.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify, characterise and localise the population of primitive cells in keloid scars (KS).
  
  
  METHODS
  5-µm-thick formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded sections of KS samples from 10 patients underwent immunohistochemical (IHC) staining for the embryonic stem cell (ESC) markers OCT4, SOX2, pSTAT3 and NANOG, and keloid-associated lymphoid tissue (KALT) markers CD4 and CD20. NanoString gene expression analysis and in situ hybridisation (ISH) were used to determine the abundance and localisation of the mRNA for these ESC markers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  IHC staining revealed the expression of the ESC markers OCT4, SOX2, pSTAT3 and NANOG by a population of cells within KS tissue. These are localised to the endothelium of the microvessels within the KALTs. NanoString gene expression analysis confirmed the abundance of the transcriptional expression of the same ESC markers. ISH localised the expression of the ESC transcripts to the primitive endothelium in KS tissue.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This report demonstrates the expression of ESC markers OCT4, SOX2, pSTAT3 and NANOG by the endothelium of the microvessels within the KALTs. These findings show a unique niche of primitive cells within KS, expressing ESC markers, revealing a potential therapeutic target in the treatment of KS.
authors.affiliation: Gillies McIndoe Research Institute, Wellington, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Chelsea
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Grant
authors.affiliation: Gillies McIndoe Research Institute, Wellington, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Daria A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Chudakova
authors.affiliation: Gillies McIndoe Research Institute, Wellington, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Tinte
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Itinteang
authors.affiliation: Gillies McIndoe Research Institute, Wellington, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Alice M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Chibnall
authors.affiliation: Gillies McIndoe Research Institute, Wellington, New Zealand Department of Pathology, Hutt Hospital, Wellington, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Helen D
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Brasch
authors.affiliation: Gillies McIndoe Research Institute, Wellington, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Paul F
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.affiliation: Gillies McIndoe Research Institute, Wellington, New Zealand Wellington Regional Plastic, Maxillofacial & Burns Unit, Hutt Hospital, Wellington, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Swee T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Tan
mesh_terms: D053595:Embryonic Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007627:Keloid / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008221:Lymphoid Tissue / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D000071317:Nanog Homeobox Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D050814:Octamer Transcription Factor-3 / Q000378:metabolism; D010766:Phosphorylation; D055748:SOXB1 Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000071317:Nanog Homeobox Protein; D050814:Octamer Transcription Factor-3; C494173:POU5F1 protein, human; C527782:SOX2 protein, human; D055748:SOXB1 Transcription Factors; D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor
keywords: DERMATOPATHOLOGY; HISTOPATHOLOGY; IMMUNOHISTOCHEMISTRY; SKIN