LB1035 Three-dimensional structural and transcriptomic analyses reveal disruption and dysfunctional repair of the dermal extracellular matrix in early striae gravidarum

Abstract

The pathogenesis of striae gravidarum (SG) remains unclear. We obtained samples of early, abdominal SG emerging within 4-45 days and adjacent, involved skin (control) in pregnant women (n=8). We performed second harmonic generation (SHG) imaging coupled with multiphoton microscopy, and transcriptomic profiling (RNA-Seq). In SG, SHG imaging revealed that dermal type I collagen bundles appeared disorganized and separated. In the “spaces” between bundles, there were thin, loosely packed, wavy collagen fibrils, which were 47% less dense and 56% thinner (cross-sectional width 12.6±1.3 μm [mean±SEM]) than intact collagen bundles (28.3±2.0 μm).