Influence of Immune Cells and Circulating Inflammatory Cytokines on Pathological Scars: A Mendelian Randomization Study.

BACKGROUND

Pathological scars are the products of abnormal repair during the wound healing process. Previous researches have demonstrated that immune cells and inflammatory cytokines are closely associated with pathological scars. However, the causality between immune cells, inflammatory cytokines and pathological scars remains unclear.

METHODS

After obtaining genome-wide association studies (GWAS) data on immune cells, cytokines, hypertrophic scars, and keloids, we selected appropriate single - nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) for Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis. The inverse-variance weighted (IVW) method was used as the main analytical method. Sensitivity analyses were conducted to evaluate reliability of research findings.

RESULTS

Our research results indicated that 10 immunophenotypes can increase risk of hypertrophic scars, 5 immunophenotypes can decrease risk of hypertrophic scars, 3 inflammatory cytokines can increase risk of hypertrophic scars, and 2 inflammatory cytokines can decrease risk of hypertrophic scars. Meanwhile, 5 immunophenotypes can increase risk of keloids, 4 immunophenotypes can decrease risk of keloids, 1 inflammatory cytokine can increase risk of keloids, and 1 inflammatory cytokine can decrease risk of keloids.

CONCLUSION

This study reveals the roles of immune phenotypes and cytokines in the pathogenesis of pathological scars, and provides valuable references in research areas such as early identification and intervention treatment of pathological scars.