Expression and significance of mRNA and protein of eIF4E, p-eIF4E and MCl-1 in pathological scar

Abstract

To study the expression of eIF4E, p-eIF4E (Ser 209) and Mcl-1 gene in the pathological scars and to investigate its role and its probable mechanism in the pathogenesis of abnormal scar. Quantitative real-time PCR and Western Blot was performed to detect the expression and distribution of mRNA and protein of eIF4E and Mcl-1 in hypertrophic scar (10 cases), keloid (10 cases), normal scar (10 cases), and normal skin (10 cases). Western Blot was performed to detect the expression and distribution of protein of p-eIF4E in hypertrophic scar (10 cases), keloid (10 cases), normal scar (10 cases), and normal skin (10 cases). The expression of eIF4E mRNA and protein were 1.38 +/- 0.45, 1.23 +/- 0.23 in the normal skin (10 cases); 5.400 +/- 0.450, 5.460 +/- 0.460 in normal scar (10 cases); 0.597 +/- 0.060, 0.590 +/- 0.040 in hypertrophic scar (10 cases) and 0.694 +/- 0.066, 0.697 +/- 0.022 in keloid (10 cases). The expression of p-eIF4E protein in the normal skin (10 cases), normal scar (10 cases), hypertrophic scar (10 cases), and keloid (10 cases) were 0.202 +/- 0.037, 0.216 +/- 0.019, 0.426 +/- 0.026, 0.433 +/- 0.027. The expression of Mcl-1 mRNA and protein were 1.510 +/- 0.660, 1.400 +/- 0.530 in the normal skin (10 cases); 6.65 +/- 0.85, 7.23 +/- 1.53 in normal scar (10 cases); 0.589 +/- 0.059, 0.660 +/- 0.063 in hypertrophic scar (10 cases) and 0.870 +/- 0.118, 0.914 +/- 0.064 in the keloid (10 cases). The positive rate of mRNA and protein of eIF4E and Mcl-1 was not statistically different between the hypertrophic scar and keloid (P > 0.05), while they were all remarkably significant between normal scar and abnormal scar (P < 0.05). The phosphorylation of eIF4E in pathological scar was higher than that in control group. In pathological scar, mRNA and protein of eIF4E and Mcl-1 showed a strong positive correlation. The result indicates that the expression of eIF4E, p-eIF4E and Mcl-1 is increased in pathological scar. eIF4E plays an important role in pathological scar. Its activity is regulated by its phosphorylation. Therefore, eIF4E, p-eIF4E and Mcl-1 overexpression may play an important role in the proliferation of fibroblasts and in the pathogenesis of pathological scar.