Abstract
Keloid scarring is a fibro-proliferative disorder of the skin with no effective treatment and poorly understood pathophysiology. This study investigated epigenetic modification and epithelial-mesenchymal interaction as possible molecular mechanisms important in keloid scarring. Genome-wide DNA methylation and transcriptome analysis was conducted using keloid fibroblasts from 12 patients. An integrated list of differentially methylated and expressed genes was generated. This may represent genes important in keloid pathology. Keratinocyte-fibroblast co-culture experiments showed changes in collagen production in both keloid and normal skin fibroblasts in response to keloid keratinocytes. This suggests epithelial-mesenchymal cross-talk also plays a role in keloid scarring.
Original language | English |
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Qualification | Doctor of Philosophy |
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Award date | 25 Oct 2016 |
Publication status | Unpublished - 2016 |