RESUMO
Objective To estimate the effect of leptin antibody on transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 mRNA expression in hypertrophic scar model in rabbit ears.Methods Fifteen New Zealand white rabbits were included in this study.Three circular incisions which measured 7 mm in diameter and reached the perichondrium,were made in each ear of these rabbits to establish 90 models of hypertrophic scar.After the operation,these models were randomly and equally divided into 3 groups to be treated with topical sodium chloride physiological solution for 40 days (saline group),topical leptin antibody of 2 ng/ml for 40 days (leptin antibody group),and topical leptin antibody of 2 ng/ml for 14 days followed by injection of leptin antibody of 2 ng/ml once a week for 3 weeks (combination group).Scar tissue was resected from these rabbit ears at 40 days after the operation,followed by the determination of scar elevation index,histopathological examination by using haematoxylin and eosin staining,and quantification of TGF-β31 mRNA expression by real-time fluorescence-based PCR.SPSS 13.0 software was used for data processing.Statistical analysis was carried out by one-way analysis of variance.Results A significant decrease was observed in scar elevation index (2.33 ± 0.33 and 2.35 ± 0.22 vs.3.33 ± 0.41,both P ＜0.05) and TGF-β1 mRNA expression in the leptin antibody group and combination group compared with the control group,whereas no significant difference was observed between the leptin antibody group and combination group in either of the two parameters.Pathologically,there was an apparent proliferation of capillaries in the saline group with numerous irregularly and densely arranged fibroblasts with large nuclei,while relatively few fibroblasts with small nuclei,which were arranged in a more regular way,were observed in the leptin antibody group and combination group.Conclusion Leptin antibody treatment can reduce the expression of TGF-β1 mRNA in hypertrophic scar tissue in rabbit ears.