title: Characterization of a Novel Dermal Fibrosis Model Induced by Areca Nut Extract that Mimics Oral Submucous Fibrosis.
abstract: Oral submucous fibrosis (OSF) is an oral potentially malignant disorder and areca quid chewing is the main etiological factor. However, the molecular mechanism underlying OSF remains unclear, partly due to the lack of an appropriate animal model. The present study aimed to establish and characterize an animal model of areca nut extract (ANE)-induced skin fibrosis that mimics OSF. Mice were divided into 4 groups: the control group; the bleomycin group; and the ANE10 and ANE20 groups, which received 10mg/ml and 20mg/ml subcutaneous (SC) injection of ANE, respectively. Skin fibrosis was evaluated by histological analyses. Additionally, the expression levels of the fibrotic marker genes were determined by immunohistochemical staining and immunoblotting. ANE administration significantly increased dermal thickness and collagen deposition compared with the control group. Moreover, ANE induced the expression of the fibrotic marker genes alpha smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) in the skin lesions. The SC injection of ANE successfully induced skin fibrosis, exhibiting characteristics similar to those of OSF. This model may facilitate future studies of the mechanism underlying OSF.
authors.affiliation: School of Dentistry, College of Dental Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, Republic of China.|Orthopaedic Research Center, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, Republic of China.
authors.forename: Min-Hsuan
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Chiang
authors.affiliation: School of Dentistry, College of Dental Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, Republic of China.|Institute of Biomedical Sciences, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, Republic of China.|Cancer Center, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, Republic of China.|Center for Infectious Disease and Cancer Research (CICAR), Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, Republic of China.
authors.forename: Ping-Ho
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: School of Dentistry, College of Dental Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, Republic of China.|Oral & Maxillofacial Imaging Center, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, Republic of China.|Division of Oral Pathology & Maxillofacial Radiology, Department of Dentistry, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yuk-Kwan
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Orthopaedic Research Center, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, Republic of China.|Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Kaohsiung Municipal Ta-Tung Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, Republic of China.|Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, Republic of China.
authors.forename: Chia-Hsin
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Orthopaedic Research Center, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, Republic of China.|Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, Republic of China.
authors.forename: Mei-Ling
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.affiliation: School of Dentistry, College of Dental Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, Republic of China.|Orthopaedic Research Center, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yan-Hsiung
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001114:Areca / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003094:Collagen / Q000378:metabolism; D020405:Dermis / Q000473:pathology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009754:Nuts / Q000009:adverse effects*; D009914:Oral Submucous Fibrosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D010936:Plant Extracts; D003094:Collagen