[Regulative effect of lipopolysaccharide on the mRNA expression of procollagen type I and type III and collagenase of normal human skin fibroblasts and its significance].

OBJECTIVE

To explore the regulative effect of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on the mRNA expression of procollagen type I and type III and collagenase of normal skin fibroblasts of hypertrophic scar patients and its biological role in the formation of hypertrophic scar.

METHODS

Scar tissue and normal skin were obtained from 20 patients with hypertrophic scar. Fibroblasts were isolated, underwent passaged culture, and exposed to LPS from Escherichia coli of the concentrations of (0.005 - 1.0) microg/ml till they reached stable phenotype (at the eighth passage). The expression of procollagen type I and type III and collagenase mRNAs were tested by RT-PCR. Fibroblasts from hypertrophic scar tissue obtained from the same patients and normal skin fibroblasts without stimulation of LPS in the same culture passage were used as positive control and negative control respectively.

RESULTS

When LPS was of the concentrations of 0.005 - 0.5 microg/ml, the mRNA expression levels of procollagen type I and type III were markedly increased, but the mRNA expression of collagenase was significantly decreased, compared with negative control group (all P < 0.01). The effect reached the peak when the LPS concentration was 0.1 microg/ml. When the concentration of LPS reached 1.0 microg/ml, the mRNA expression levels of procollagen type I and type III were inhibited and the mRNA expression level of collagenase began to increase, but still lower than that of the negative control group (P < 0.01). When the concentration of LPS was 0.1 microg/ml, the mRNA expression levels of procollagen type I and type III and collagenase were similar to that of the positive control group (all P > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

LPS enhances the mRNA expression of procollagen type I and type III, inhibits the mRNA expression of collagenase within certain range of concentrations. LPS may be a primitive factor in hypertrophic scar formation.