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From the Department of Plastic and Reconstructive
Surgery,*
the Department of Nature
Medicine,
the Department of Anatomy
I,
the Department of Surgery
II,§
and the Department of Molecular
Pathology,¶
, Nagasaki University School of
Medicine, Nagasaki, Japan
| Abstract |
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| Introduction |
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PTKs play a central role in the regulation of growth and differentiation of eukaryotic cells as components of the signal transduction pathway.4 As more than 100 different PTKs have been cloned,5 it would be difficult to identify the exact PTK involved in keloid formation. To break through this problem, we applied the PCR-based cloning technique using a degenerated primer6 and compared the expression profile of receptor-type PTKs in fibroblasts and normal adult dermis and keloids. In addition to cell proliferation and differentiation function, activated PTK signals are closely related to malignant phenotypes, such as invasion and metastasis. Although keloid is a benign disorder, it is invasive beyond the margins of the original wound.1 We speculated that the invasiveness of keloid fibroblasts is similar to some extent to that of malignant cells. To analyze the function of keloid-specific PTK signal, we used an invasion assay system usually used to estimate the invasive potential of malignant cells.7
Thus, in this study, we first determined the expression profile of PTK genes both in normal and keloid fibroblasts of the same patient. We then investigated the expression of PTK in both specimens and primary cultured fibroblasts. To further examine the functional properties of the PTK signal pathway, we investigated the effect of application of certain growth factors or anti-growth factor receptor neutralizing antibodies on cell proliferation and invasion.
| Materials and Methods |
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The three keloid samples used in this investigation were obtained
from three different Japanese female patients after undergoing surgical
excision. Three control samples were obtained from two different
Japanese male volunteers and a Japanese male patient with syndactly.
The profile of each subject is listed in Table 1
. We also established primary cultures
using normal skin around the keloid from one of the keloid patients
(K-1). Informed consent was obtained from each subject.
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Primary cultures of dermal fibroblasts were established as previously described.8 Strains of fibroblasts at passages 3 to 7 were used in this study. Explants were maintained in 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS)/Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium (DMEM), containing 100 U/ml penicillin, 100 µg/ml streptomycin at 37°C in a humidified incubator with 5% CO2. Tissue specimens were fixed in 4% paraformaldehyde, dehydrated, embedded in paraffin, and serially sectioned at 4 µm. Sections were prepared for histological examination, including hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining.
Analysis of Expression Profile of PTKs in Normal and Keloid Cultured Fibroblasts of the Same Patient
Oligonucleotide primers were synthesized corresponding to the amino acids HRDLAARN and SDVWS(F/Y)G(V/I), which are highly conserved sequences in the catalytic subdomains VI and IX of receptor-type PTK catalytic domains.5 The sense primer was 5'-CA(T/C)(C/A)GIGA(T/C)(C/T)TIGCIGCI(C/A)GIAA-3', and the antisense primer was 5'-A(T/C)ICC(A/G)AT(A/I)(G/C)(A/T)CCAIAC(A/G)TC-3'. Total RNAs were extracted from normal and keloid fibroblasts of the same patient (NK-1 and K-1) by a modified acid/guanidine thiocyanate/phenol/chloroform method using Isogen (Wako Pure Chemical Co., Osaka, Japan) reagents according to the instructions provided by the manufacturer. First-strand cDNA was synthesized from 500 ng of total RNA using Moloney murine leukemia virus reverse transcriptase (Life Technologies, Rockville, MD) and random primers, a fraction of which was then amplified using 25 pmol of each primer, 200 mmol/L each deoxy-NTP, and 2 U of Taq polymerase (Takara Biochemical Co., Osaka, Japan) in 10 mmol/L Tris/HCl (pH 8.3), 50 mmol/L KCl, 1.5 mmol/L MgCl2, and 0.01% gelatin in a final volume of 50 ml. Thirty-five cycles of denaturation (94°C for 30 seconds), annealing (45°C for 30 seconds), and extension (72°C for 60 seconds) were conducted with an automated thermal cycler. All reactions were initiated with a 5-minute incubation at 95°C and terminated with a 7-minute incubation at 72°C. The products (approximately 210 bp) were gel purified with the Qiaex II Kit (Qiagen, Chatsworth, CA) and subcloned into pGEM-T Easy Vector (Promega, Madison, WI). Clones were sequenced by the dideoxynucleotide chain-termination methods using a Thermo Sequenase Core sequencing kit (Amersham, Arlington Heights, IL) and a Hitachi SQ-5500 DNA sequencer (Hitachi Electronics Engineering Co., Tokyo). Homology search of reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction products was performed using BLAST SEARCH DATA BANK (http//www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov).
Immunohistochemistry
All collected tissues and fibroblasts (N-13 and K-13) were stained immunohistochemically. After immersion in 3% H2O2/methanol solution, deparaffinized sections were preincubated with 1% normal bovine serum albumin/phosphate-buffered saline (PBS). Sections were later incubated overnight at 4°C with an optimal dilution (1.0 µg/ml) of a primary antibody to IGF-IR (rabbit polyclonal antibody for the ß-subunits of human IGF-IR; Santa Cruz Biotechnology, Inc., Santa Cruz, CA). Slides were sequentially incubated with biotinylated goat anti-rabbit immunoglobulin antibodies and the avidin-biotin complex (ABC kit; Vector Laboratories, Burlingame, CA). After the addition of 0.05% 3,3'-diaminobenzidine tetrahydrochloride (DAB), used as a chromogen, slides were flooded with Tris/EDTA (TE; 10 mmol/L Tris/HCl (pH 7.5), 1 mmol/L EDTA) buffer, dehydrated, and mounted. Negative controls were prepared using the same serial sections but replacing the primary antibody with a nonimmunized serum.
Cell Proliferation Assay
We used normal and keloid fibroblasts (N-13 and K-13) in WST-1 assay. A colorimetric assay based on the cleavage of the tetrazolium salt WST-1 to a formazan dye by the mitochondrial dehydrogenase of viable cells was used. Cells suspended in DMEM containing 10% FBS were seeded at 3.0 x 103 cells/well into 96-well plates. The medium was changed to serum-free DMEM, and the culture was continued for 24 hours at 37°C. The medium was replaced with DMEM containing 0.2% FBS, 10% FBS, and IGF-I (1, 10, and 100 ng/ml, human recombinant IGF-I; Fujisawa Pharmaceutical Co., Tokyo, Japan) for 24 or 48 hours at 37°C. The ready-to-use WST-1 reagent was added to the cells and incubated during the last 2 hours at 37°C. The absorbance at 405 nm was measured by the multiwell spectrophotometer (IMMUNO-MINI NJ-2300 Inter Med, Tokyo, Japan).
Cell Invasive Assay
Normal fibroblasts (N-1) were seeded at 1.0 x 103 cells/well into 24-well plates and cultured in DMEM containing 10% FBS for 2 days at 37°C. The medium was changed to serum-free DMEM/F10 (DMEM/Ham's F10 (Gibco BRL, Life Technologies) ratio, 1:1), and membrane culture inserts, 12-µm pore size (Iwaki Glass Co., Chiba, Japan), were placed in 24-well plates. Cell matrix (type IA collagen, Nitta Zeratin Co., Osaka, Japan), 10X F10, and buffer (NaOH 500 mmol/L, HEPES 260 mmol/L, and NaHCO3 200 mmol/L) were mixed in a volume ratio of 8:1:1. Gel mixture (50 µl) was applied to each chamber and incubated for 1 hour at 37°C. Normal and keloid fibroblasts (2.0 x 103 cells/well), suspended in serum-free DMEM/F10, were added to the upper chamber. The fibroblast strains were N-12 and K-12. IGF-I (100 ng/ml) and 2% FBS were added to the chamber after 3, 24, and 48 hours of incubation. The culture was continued for 72 hours. In another experiment, keloid fibroblasts (2.0 x 103 cells/well) suspended in serum-free DMEM/F10 were then added to the upper chamber. Keloid fibroblast strains were K-1 and K-2. Antibody to IGF-IR (1H7) (10 nmol/L, mouse monoclonal antibody for human IGF-IR, Santa Cruz Biotechnology) or the mouse IgG (10 nmol/L, normal mouse IgG, Santa Cruz Biotechnology) was added to the chamber after 3, 24, and 48 hours of incubation, and 2% FBS was added to the chamber after 4, 25, and 49 hours of incubation. The cultures were continued for 72 hours. At the end of the incubation period, the cells on the upper surface of the filter were completely removed by wiping with a cotton swab. The chambers were fixed in 70% ethanol and stained with H&E. Cells of the lower surface were photographed and counted.
Statistical Analysis
Data were expressed as mean ± SD. Differences between groups were examined for statistical significance using the Mann-Whitney U test. A P value less than 0.05 denoted the presence of a statistically significant difference.
| Results |
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The frequency of each identified PTK cDNA is shown in Table 2
. In normal fibroblasts, the most
abundant receptor-type PTK was PDGF-R
, followed by ryk, axl, met,
IGF-IR, and EGFR. In keloid fibroblasts, PDGF-R
was also abundant,
and axl, met, and Ror-1 were also identified. However, the proportion
of the subclone for IGF-IR was markedly higher in keloid than normal
fibroblasts (Table 2)
.
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To confirm IGF-IR expression, we performed immunohistochemical
studies using anti-IGF-IRß antibody in cultured fibroblasts. Weak
staining was present in normal cultured fibroblasts (Figure 1A)
, but in contrast, strong staining was
evident in cultured keloid fibroblasts (Figure 1B)
. Histological
examination of the dermis showed that the keloid contained numerous
blood vessels and collagen fibers compared with normal skin (Figure 2, A and B)
. Immunohistochemistry for
IGF-IRß subunit showed that the staining intensity in the epidermis
and endothelial cells of normal specimens was almost similar to that of
keloids. Strong staining for IGF-IR was detected in fibroblasts of the
keloid specimens, but weak staining was seen in normal skin specimens
(Figure 2, C and D)
.
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To examine the functional properties of IGF-I on cell
proliferation, normal and keloid fibroblasts were cultured in DMEM
containing 0.2% or 10% FBS or IGF-I (10, 100, or 1000 ng/ml) in the
presence of 0.2% FBS. We examined each of the three cell lines. There
were no significant differences between normal and keloid fibroblasts
under all conditions in WST-1 assay (Figure 3, A and B)
. The number of normal and
keloid fibroblasts was significantly higher in the presence of 10% FBS
than in the presence of 0.2% FBS at 48 hours (Figure 3, A and B
, and
Figure 4
; P < 0.001).
Furthermore, the number of some lines (N-1, N-2, K-1, and K-3) slightly
increased in the presence of IGF-I (100 or 1000 ng/ml) compared with
their number in DMEM containing 0.2% at 48 hours (Figure 3, A and B
,
and Figure 4
; P < 0.005).
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To elucidate the functional effects of IGF-I on cell invasion,
normal and keloid fibroblasts were cultured in DMEM/F10 containing 0%
or 2% FBS or IGF-I (100 ng/ml). The presence of IGF-I (100 ng/ml) or
2% FBS in the culture medium significantly increased the number of
invading keloid fibroblasts (K-1 and K-2) compared with keloid
fibroblasts in serum-free medium and normal fibroblasts (N-1 and N-2)
under all conditions (Figure 5, A and B
,
and Figure 6
; *P < 0.03,
**P < 0.01, and data (K-1 and N-1) not shown.) When
fibroblasts were not inoculated in the lower chamber, invasion was
completely suppressed (data not shown). This phenomenon suggests that
growth factor, including IGF-I, produced by normal fibroblasts
stimulated keloid fibroblasts migration and invasion. To study how
IGF-I influences the invasiveness of keloid fibroblasts in the presence
of 2% FBS, we blocked the effect of IGF-I by using a neutralizing
antibody against IGF-IR. The antibody inhibited 2% FBS-induced
stimulation of invasion of K-1 and K-2 keloid fibroblasts (Figure 7
; P < 0.03).
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| Discussion |
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was the most abundant receptor-type PTK in both types of
fibroblasts, and there was no difference in the expression between
normal and keloid fibroblasts. In sharp contrast to normal fibroblasts,
IGF-IR was overexpressed in keloid fibroblasts. This finding was
confirmed by immunohistochemistry in primary cultured cells. In the
adult normal skin, IGF-IR was expressed in both the dermis and the
epidermis. However, the dermal fibroblast was weakly
stained.9
The keloid fibroblast were predominantly stained
by the IGF-IRß subunit antibody, whereas normal fibroblasts did not
show such staining. On the other hand, IGF-IR expression in dermis did
not show any difference between normal and keloid tissues.
Insulin-like growth factors are peptides that are structurally similar
to proinsulin. IGF-I mediates various actions of the growth hormone
postnatally10,11
and is thought to have a dual function,
acting both as a mitogen and a differentiation factor.12
In
addition, several studies have suggested that IGF-I production is
increased in various types of regenerating tissue, including
subcutaneous tissue, skeletal muscle,13,14
and peripheral
nerves15
after injury. Ghahary et al16
reported
increased expression of IGF-I mRNA in hypertrophic scar tissue. They
also showed that IGF-I treatment increased the expression of mRNA for
pro-
[I] chain of type I procollagen and pro-
[III] chain of
type III procollagen in hypertrophic scar fibroblasts.16
Furthermore, IGF-I reduced collagenase production by postburn
hypertrophic scar fibroblasts compared with normal
fibroblast.17
In keloid fibroblasts, IGF-I may alter the
process regulating the synthesis of extracellular matrix. Keloids are
collagenous lesions acquired as a result of delayed wound healing.
Other studies have demonstrated increased expression of IGF-I during
the later stages of wound healing.18
IGF-I/IGF-IR pathway
may delay the wound-healing process and promote keloid formation.
Clinically, keloids are most commonly observed in subjects 10 and 30 years of age.19 Interestingly, plasma levels of IGF-I are also high during the same period.20 IGF-IR is a membrane-bound heterotetramer receptor with an intrinsic tyrosine kinase activity.4 The receptor is expressed in a variety of cell types, including tumor cells.12,21 Activation of the IGF-IR by its ligands (IGF-I, IGF-II, and insulin) plays an important role in the control of cell growth and malignant transformation and is an important inhibitor of apoptosis.22,23 Experiments using dominant negative mutants of IGF-IR, antibodies to IGF-IR, or antisense strategies directed against IGF-IR mRNA have shown that reduced or aberrant receptor expression is associated with a reversal of the transformed phenotype, with prevention of metastasis and induction of apoptosis.24-26 Furthermore, cells lacking IGF-IR have prolonged cell cycle kinetics,27 and IGF-IR-deficient mice show severely diminished growth.28
How does the signaling pathway of the IGF-IR influence keloid formation? To examine the functional properties of IGF-I/IGF-IR pathway, we investigated cell proliferation and invasion in the presence of exogenous IGF-I or neutralizing antibody against IGF-IR. Our results showed that the mitogenic effect of IGF-I was weak, but FBS markedly enhanced cell proliferation activity on both normal and keloid fibroblasts. Sell et al27 also indicated that the IGF-IR signaling pathway is not the absolute requirement for cell cycle progression but is necessary for optimal growth. In another study, mouse fibroblasts that overexpress IGF-IR were found to have reduced growth factor requirements in vitro and were less susceptible to apoptosis.29 Combined together, our results and those of other investigators suggest that a complex network of various growth factors may regulate the growth of keloid fibroblasts. Other PTKs, such as c-met, axl, and ryk, might be also related to regulate the cell cycle in normal or keloid fibroblasts.
Our results also showed that the invasiveness of keloid fibroblasts in the presence of IGF-I (100 ng/ml) or 2% FBS was higher than that of keloid fibroblasts in serum-free medium and normal fibroblasts under all conditions. Furthermore, the neutralizing antibody against IGF-IR inhibited 2% FBS-induced stimulation of invasion of keloid fibroblasts. Previous studies have demonstrated that antisense RNA to the IGF-IR resulted in the suppression of tumor growth and prevented invasion of rat prostate cancer cells30 or murine carcinoma, H59 cells31 in vivo. Thus, the IGF-I/IGF-IR pathway may play a critical role in the regulation of migration and invasiveness of keloid fibroblasts. In this regard, IGF-I is also regulated by the IGF-binding proteins.32 Additional studies are required to elucidate the molecular mechanism of increased expression of IGF-IR in keloid fibroblasts.
In summary, we analyzed the expression profile of PTKs in normal and keloid fibroblasts using a PCR-based cloning technique and identified overexpression of IGF-IR in keloid fibroblasts. Exogenously added IGF-I had a weak mitogenic effect on both normal and keloid fibroblasts, as shown by WST-1 assay. The number of invading cultured keloid fibroblasts increased in the presence of IGF-I (100 ng/ml) and 2% FBS, and a neutralizing antibody against IGF-IR inhibited 2% FBS-induced stimulation of invasive properties of keloid fibroblasts. In contrast, that of invading cultured normal fibroblasts did not have this effect in both IGF-I (100 ng/ml) and 2% FBS conditions. Our results showed that the IGF-I/IGF-IR pathway might be involved in the regulation of invasiveness of keloid fibroblasts.
| Acknowledgements |
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| Footnotes |
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Supported by grant 10671682 from The Ministry of Education, Science, Sports, and Culture, Japan.
Accepted for publication December 6, 1998.
| References |
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receptors in keloid fibroblasts contribute to an enhanced response to PDGF. J Invest Dermatol 1994, 103:560-563[Medline]
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