Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Esthetic Surgery, Chiba University, Japan.
Connect Tissue Res. 2009;50(5):323-9.
Delayed healing of skin wounds can be caused by wound instability, whereas appropriate massage or exercise prevents sclerosis and scar contracture. However, the mechanism by which wound healing is related to mechanical stress has not been fully elucidated. The present study aimed to identify whether mechanical stretching of fibroblasts reduces their production of extracellular matrix. We transferred skin fibroblasts into collagen-coated elastic silicone chambers, cultured them on a stretching apparatus, and used RT-PCR to examine the effects of mechanical stretching on the expression levels of 17 genes related to extracellular matrix production and growth factor secretion. We found that connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) was downregulated after 24 hr of cell stretching. Specifically, the CTGF mRNA and protein levels were 50% and 48% of the control levels, respectively. These findings suggest that cyclic stretching of fibroblasts contributes to anti-fibrotic processes by reducing CTGF production.
皮肤伤口愈合延迟可由伤口不稳定引起，而适当的按摩或运动可预防硬化和瘢痕挛缩。然而，伤口愈合与机械应力之间的关系的机制尚未完全阐明。本研究旨在确定纤维母细胞的机械拉伸是否会减少其细胞外基质的产生。我们将皮肤成纤维细胞转移到胶原蛋白包被的弹性硅酮室中，在拉伸装置上培养它们，并使用 RT-PCR 检查机械拉伸对与细胞外基质产生和生长因子分泌相关的 17 个基因的表达水平的影响。我们发现，细胞拉伸 24 小时后结缔组织生长因子（CTGF）的表达下调。具体而言，CTGF 的 mRNA 和蛋白水平分别为对照水平的 50%和 48%。这些发现表明，纤维母细胞的循环拉伸通过减少 CTGF 的产生有助于抗纤维化过程。
