Study on the biological function of vascular endothelial cells in the hypertrophic scar / 中华烧伤杂志

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the biological function of vascular endothelial cells from hypertrophic scar, and to analyze the relationship between them.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The samples from human hypertrophic scar and normal skin tissue were harvested for histological examination. Then vascular endothelial cells were purified and isolated from the samples, and the level of transforming growth factor (TGF) beta1, platelet derived growth factor (PDGF), endothelin1 (ET)-1, fibroblast growth factor (FGF)2 and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were determined in a single cell with ELISA.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Few capillary vessels were observed in normal skin under microscope, while an increased number of them were present in hypertrophic scar, with slender, tortuous in morphology and even occluded. The diameter of blood capillary in hypertrophic scar was tiny under electron microscope, and the exfoliation of endothelial cells was observed. The levels of TGF-beta1, PDGF, ET-1, bFGF and VEGF from vascular endothelial cells from hypertrophic scar were 60 +/- 8, 30 +/- 4, 0.12 +/- 0.03, 52 +/- 5, 18.1 +/- 1.2 microg/cell, respectively, which were obviously lower than those in normal skin (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The biological function of vascular endothelial cells was attenuated in the hypertrophic scar, which mightbe the result of the production of large amounts of collagen in the scar tissue, as well as hypoxia.</p>