Differences of DNA copy number changes between hyperplastic scar and keloid

BACKGROUND: Clinical genetics and molecular biology studies have shown that the occurrence and development of the keloid is closely related to the inheritance. However, it remians unclear if the same is ture to the hypertrophic scar. OBJECTIVE: To investigate similarities and differences of genetic alteration between the hyperplastic scar and the keloid. DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING: A contrast observational experiment was performed in Guangdong Medical College between March 2007 and December 2008. MATERIALS: Scar samples were taken from 16 patients (in-patient and out-patient) in the Department of Plastic Surgery, the Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical College, with 10 patients with hypertrophic scars (3 males and 7 females, 20-50 years old) and 6 patients with keloids (1 males and 5 females, 19-46 years old). METHODS: The DNA of both hyperplastic scar and keloid tissues was extracted to investigate, using comparative genomic hybridization technique, the genomic imbalance (the lose or amplification of genetic material), so as to make a comparative study on differences of the DNA copy number changes between the two. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: (1)Comparison on the lose rate of DNA copy number between the hyperplastic scar and the keloid. (2)Comparison on the amplification rate of DNA copy number between the hyperplastic scar and the keloid. RESULTS: Neither altofrequent loss nor amplification of DNA copy number was found in any specific DNA region of hyperplastic scar tissues; as for the keloid, special DNA altofrequent loss regions were also not found, but altofrequent DNA copy number loss regions presented in 1, 16, 20 and 22 chromosomes. Comparatively, the keloid presented much higher loss rate of the DNA copy number in 1, 16, 20 and 22 chromosomes than the hyperplastic scar (P