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Updated: May 25, 2026
Strategic Endothelial Cell Tube Formation Assay: Comparing Extracellular Matrix and Growth Factor Reduced Extracellular Matrix
Published on: August 14, 2016
Differential expression of connective tissue growth factor and extracellular matrix proteins in lichen sclerosus
T Gambichler1, M Skrygan, V Czempiel
1Department of Dermatology Department of Medicine I, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany. t.gambichler@klinikum-bochum.de
Background:
The histopathology of lichen sclerosus (LS) suggests abnormalities in extracellular matrix (ECM) composition.
Objectives:
We aimed to investigate the expression pattern of ECM proteins and related growths factors and Smad signal transducers in LS as compared with healthy skin.
Methods:
To assess the expression of decorin, biglycan, versican, perlecan, fibronectin, dermatopontin, extracellular matrix protein 1 (ECM-1), matrix metalloproteinase 1, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1, connective tissue growth factor (CTGF), transforming growth factor β1, and Smad-3 protein, real-time RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry were performed on skin specimens obtained from the genital region of healthy subjects (n = 10) as well as LS patients (n = 26).
Results:
Median mRNA as well as mean protein expression of biglycan, versican, fibronectin, and ECM-1 was significantly higher in LS when compared with healthy controls. Both mRNA and protein CTGF expression observed in LS was significantly higher than in controls. CTGF mRNA expression significantly correlated with mRNA expression of biglycan, versican and fibronectin.
Conclusions:
Expression of ECM proteins (e.g. proteoglycans, ECM-1) and CTGF is altered in LS. TGF-ß/Smad-3 independent up-regulation of CTGF may induce accumulation of ECM proteins and maintain fibrosis in chronic LS.
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