From genetics to epigenetics: new insights into keloid scarring |
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| Authors: | Yongjing He Zhenjun Deng Mansour Alghamdi Lechun Lu Mark W. Fear Li He |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Department of Plastic Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China;2. Department of Dermatology, First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China;3. Department of Physiology, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China;4. Burn Injury Research Unit, School of Surgery, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia;5. Department of Human Anatomy, College of Medicine, King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia |
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| Abstract: | Keloid scarring is a dermal fibroproliferative response characterized by excessive and progressive deposition of collagen; aetiology and molecular pathology underlying keloid formation and progression remain unclear. Genetic predisposition is important in the pathogenic processes of keloid formation, however, environmental factors and epigenetic mechanisms may also play pivotal roles. Epigenetic modification is a recent area of investigation in understanding the molecular pathogenesis of keloid scarring and there is increasing evidence that epigenetic changes may play a role in induction and persistent activation of fibroblasts in keloid scars. Here we have reviewed three epigenetic mechanisms: DNA methylation, histone modification and the role of non‐coding RNAs. We also review the evidence that these mechanisms may play a role in keloid formation ‐ in future, it may be possible that epigenetic markers may be used instead of prognostic or diagnostic markers here. However, there is a significant amount of work required to increase our current understanding of the role of epigenetic modification in keloid disease. |
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