Fibroblasts and Endothelial Cells Interplay Drives Hypertrophic Scar Formation: Insights from In Vitro and In Vivo Models

December 2023 in “ Bioengineering & Translational Medicine ”

Yaxin Tan, Mengde Zhang, Yi Kong, Fanliang Zhang, Yuzhen Wang, Yuyan Huang, Wei Song, Li Zhao, Linhao Hou, Liting Liang, Xu Guo, Qinghua Liu, Feng Yu, Chao Zhang, Xiaobing Fu, Sha Huang

fibroblasts endothelial cells hypertrophic scar VEGF PDGF bFGF TGF-β IL-17 Wnt Notch PI3K-Akt MAPK vascular endothelial growth factor platelet-derived growth factor basic fibroblast growth factor transforming growth factor beta

TLDR Fibroblast and endothelial cell interactions are crucial in forming hypertrophic scars.

This study examines the interaction between fibroblasts and endothelial cells in hypertrophic scar formation using both in vitro and in vivo models, involving 13 patients with hypertrophic scars. It highlights the role of endothelial cells in enhancing fibroblast proliferation and migration through cytokine signaling, with elevated levels of VEGF, TGF-β, PDGF, and bFGF. The research demonstrates that these interactions contribute to increased vascularity and scar formation, with significant gene expression changes related to extracellular matrix organization and fibrosis. The findings suggest that targeting these molecular pathways could lead to new treatments for fibrosis and scarring.