Connective tissue growth factor stimulates hypertrophic scar derived fibroblusts primarily by ERK/MAPK signal pathway

Abstract

Objective To explore the signal mechanism of proliferation stimulating effect of connec-tive tissue growth factor (CTGF) on hypertrophic scar (HS) derived fibroblasts. Methods H-TdR in-corporation technique was used to determine the proliferative effect of CTGF at different concentration. Western blot was applied to semi-quantitively analyze the expression of phosphorylated and total ERK1/2 protein after 0, 5, 10, 15, 30, and 60 min of CTGF stimulation, and the relative value of which was de-fined as AI to measure the activation of ERK1/2 signal pathway. PD98059 was admitted to specifically block the ERK1/2 pathway, and subsequently cell proliferation stimulated by CTGF was studied by MTT. Results CTGF could stimulate fibroblasts proliferation with a dose-dependant manner, and activa-ted the ERK1/2 signal pathway, and AI built up to 0.209±0.0201, reaching the apex at 15 min after stimulation performed. Inhibition of ERK1/2 activation by PD98059 suppressed CTGF-mediated HS fi-broblasts proliferation significantly, while OD significantly dropped. Conclusion CTGF induces a prolif-erative response in HS fibroblasts, and this action is mainly dependent on the activation of ERK1/2 signal pathway. Key words: Connective tissue growth factor; Hypertrophic scar; Fibroblasts; Extracellu-lot-signal regulated protein kinase; Signal pathway