Inflammation in Wound Healing and Pathological Scarring

Area of Science:

• Immunology
• Dermatology
• Wound Healing

Background:

• Pathological scarring, including hypertrophic scars and keloids, arises from aberrant inflammation during wound healing, impacting patient quality of life.
• Inflammatory cells play critical roles in both normal wound healing and the development of pathological scars.

Approach:

• This review synthesizes current knowledge on the immunopathogenesis of pathological scars.
• It examines the effects of various inflammatory cells and signaling pathways, such as transforming growth factor-β1, on fibroblast activation.
• The review also discusses current and potential treatment strategies for pathological scars.

Key Points:

• Pro-fibrotic immune cells, including M2 macrophages, dendritic cells, mast cells, and Th2 cells, promote scar formation by driving fibroblast to myofibroblast transition.
• The transforming growth factor-β1 signaling pathway is a key mediator in this process.
• Effective management of inflammatory responses during wound healing is crucial but remains a clinical challenge.

Conclusions:

• Understanding the immunopathogenesis of pathological scars is essential for developing targeted therapies.
• Modulating inflammatory responses during wound healing presents a promising therapeutic avenue for preventing or reducing pathological scarring.