Expressions of fibroblast activation protein during skin scald burn healing in rats / 南方医科大学学报

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the time course of changes in the expression of fibroblast activation protein (FAP) during healing of skin scald burns in rats.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Adult Wistar rats were randomized into two equal groups (n=42) and subject to superficial second degree and deep second degree scald burns on the dorsal skin groups, with 6 normal rats serving as the control group. At 6 h, 12 h, and 1, 3, 7, 14, and 21 days after burns, 6 rats from each group were sacrificed to detect FAP expression by immunohistochemistry and Western blotting.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>FAP was expressed on the cell membrane and in the cytoplasm of the fibroblasts, especially those around the neovessels. In both burn groups, FAP expression increased significantly at 6 h after burns. In superficial burn group, FAP expression was comparable between 6 and 12 h and between 1 and 3 days (P>0.05), but showed significant differences between the other time points (P<0.05). In deep burn group, FAP expression was comparable between 12 h, 1 day and 3 days (P>0.05) but differed significantly between the other time points (P<0.05). In both burn groups, FAP expression reached the peak level at 7 days followed by a gradual declination. At 21 days after the burns, FAP maintained a significantly higher expression level than the control level (P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The time course of the changes of FAP expression following scald burns suggests an important role of FAP in the healing process of scald burns.</p>