Expression of thymosin beta 4 mRNA expression in keloid tissues and fibroblasts cultured from keloid and its significance.

Abstract:  OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relations between thymosin beta 4 and pathologic scars by comparing the mRNA levels of thymosin beta 4 in keloid, hypertrophic scar and normal skin. METHODS: The primary fibroblasts from the patients of keloid (KFB), hypertrophic scar (HFB) and normal skin (NFB, n=7) were cultured in vitro with tissue culture system. Semi-quantitative reverse transcription-polyme rase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay was used to assess the thymosin beta 4 mRNA levels in the tissues and fibroblasts obtained from the patients of three groups. RESULTS: The mRNA levels of thymosin beta 4 in the keloid tissues were lower than those in the tissues of hypertrophic scar and normal skin(both, P<0.01). The thymosin beta 4 mRNA level in keloid group was lower by 66.98% than hypertrophic scar, and 62.48% than normal skin. In addition, the same significant change was found in the cultured KFB compared with HFB group(the mean value was lower by 27.13%), but no difference was found between KFB and NFB. CONCLUSION: Expression of thymosin beta 4 is closely related with keloid. The inadequate expression of thymosin beta 4 may be one of the key factors for keloid formation.