Effect of Growth Factors on Cultured Human Hypertrophic Scar Fibroblasts

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Regarding wound repair, there are important but as yet unknown factors involved in the regulation of fibroblast function in the formation of hypertrophic scars and keloids. If these factors could be clarified, new therapies for keloids could be developed.Recently, some researchers have reported that growth factors and cytokines possess some abilities to control hypertrophic scar and keloid formation.The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the collagenase activity in human keloid fibroblasts is stimulated by two kinds of growth factors, TNF -α and TGF-β. Increased levels of collagenase activity were found in human keloid fibroblasts following exposure to TNF - α. A decreased level of collagenase activity was found in human keloid fibroblasts following exposure to both TNF - α and TGF- β. These results indicate that TGF- β can inhibit collagenase activity in human keloid fibroblasts stimulated by TNF - α, suggesting that growth factors and cytokines may play a therapeutic role in keloid formation.