Increased sensitivity to TNF‑α promotes keloid fibroblast hyperproliferation by activating the NF‑κB, JNK and p38 MAPK pathways

Li,Qijie; Cheng,Fengrui; Zhou,Kai; Fang,Lu; Wu,Junliang; Xia,Qingjie; Cen,Ying; Chen,Junjie; Qing,Yong

doi:10.3892/etm.2021.9933

Increased sensitivity to TNF‑α promotes keloid fibroblast hyperproliferation by activating the NF‑κB, JNK and p38 MAPK pathways

Authors:
- Qijie Li
- Fengrui Cheng
- Kai Zhou
- Lu Fang
- Junliang Wu
- Qingjie Xia
- Ying Cen
- Junjie Chen
- Yong Qing
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Affiliations: Laboratory of Anesthesia and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology, Translational Neuroscience Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, P.R. China, Department of Plastic and Burn Surgery, West China School of Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, P.R. China, Department of Anesthesiology, Institute of Neurological Diseases, Translational Neuroscience Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, P.R. China
Published online on: March 17, 2021 https://doi.org/10.3892/etm.2021.9933
Article Number: 502
Copyright: © Li et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution License.

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Abstract

Hyperproliferation of fibroblasts is the main cause of keloid formation. However, the pathogenesis of keloids has yet to be fully elucidated. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)‑α may play an important role in the formation and proliferation of keloids, as it is implicated in the pathogenesis of various fibrous disorders. In the present study, the expression level of TNF‑α and its receptors, soluble TNF receptor (sTNFR)1 and sTNFR2, in the peripheral blood and skin tissues was detected by ELISA, reverse transcription‑quantitative PCR or immunohistochemistry. There was no statistically significant difference in the expression of TNF‑α and sTNFR2 in the peripheral blood and skin tissues between patients with keloids and healthy participants (P>0.05), while the sTNFR1 mRNA level in fibroblasts cultured in vitro and its protein level in keloid skin samples were significantly higher compared with those in normal skin (P<0.05). Subsequently, TNF‑α recombinant protein was used to treat keloid‑derived and normal skin fibroblasts, and it was observed that TNF‑α promoted the proliferation of keloid fibroblasts (KFs), but had little effect on normal skin fibroblasts. Furthermore, it was observed that TNF‑α stimulation led to the activation of the nuclear factor (NF)‑κB, c‑Jun N‑terminal kinase (JNK) and p38 mitogen‑activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways in KFs. In conclusion, KFs exhibited increased expression of sTNFR1, which may contribute to the increased sensitivity to TNF‑α, resulting in low concentrations of TNF‑α activating the NF‑κB, JNK and p38 MAPK pathways, thereby promoting the sustained and excessive proliferation of KFs.

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