OBJECTIVEThis paper is to investigate the effects of steroid or IFN alpha-2b on apoptosis and cell pathway of fibroblasts from keloids, hypertrophic scars and normal skins and different responses of different fibroblasts.

METHODS6 samples from keloid, hypertrophic scar and normal skin were collected respectively and fibroblasts from different sources were cultured in vitro. After different fibroblasts were treated with dexamethasone (0.1 mg/ml) or IFN alpha-2b (1000 U/ml), Bax and Bcl-2 protein expressions were detected in situ by immunohistochemical staining; DNA ladders of different fibroblasts were observed by gel electrophoresis; and relative activated (phospho-) ERK1/2 and JNK pathways were detected by method of FACE ELISA.

RESULTSDexamethasone could induce apoptosis of fibroblasts from keloids, hypertrophic scars and normal skins through activating (phospho-) ERK1/2 and JNK pathways; IFN alpha-2b could not induce apoptosis of fibroblasts from different sources. IFN alpha-2b could inhibit (phospho-) ERK1/2 pathway and could not affect (phospho-) JNK pathways of fibroblasts from keloid and hypertrophic scar. IFN alpha-2b could affect neither (phospho-) ERK1/2 pathway nor (phospho-) JNK pathways of fibroblasts from normal skin.

CONCLUSIONSThe responses of different fibroblasts to steroid or IFN alpha-2b were different.