Pathophysiological Factors Contributing to Keloid Formation

Fa-Lai Yeh

43卷1期 (2010/2)

1-6

Keloid formation occurs following an abnormal wound healing. It represents a
significant therapeutic challenge to physicians. A better understanding of the
pathophysiologic processes underlying keloid formation may help in the
development of more successful therapeutic interventions. This article delineates
current information on the pathogenesis of keloids. Results reported in the literature
and obtained from our studies showed that keloid-derived fibroblasts demonstrated
a higher growth potential and produced higher levels of procollagen than those
produced by control-derived fibroblasts. In addition, our results also showed a
decreased production of inflammatory mediators of MCP-1, PGE2, MMP-1, MMP-2
and TIMP-2 by keloid-derived fibroblasts as compared with normal skin-derived
fibroblasts. Furthermore, current literature also indicates that the growth factor
TGF-ß is overproduced and poorly regulated in keloid tissue. These alterations in
the wound healing process may result in delayed and prolonged activation of injuryinduced
inflammation as well as imbalance in the extracellular matrix formation
and degradation that may contribute to excess deposition of collagen in skin lesions
and lead to keloid formation.

keloid, pathophysiology

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