OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of lanthanum chloride on the apoptosis of fibroblasts in trauma tissue.

METHODSFifty adult female SD rats were used and linear incisions were made on the back near the joints of extremities of the rats. One of the cuts receiving no treatment was designated as blank control (C). 0.25 ml of distilled water, lanthanum chloride (50 mmol/L) and the antibody of (TGFbeta(1)) transforming growth factor beta(1) (0.2 mg/ml) were respectively injected into the both sides of the other three wounds subcutaneously and the wounds were divided into simulating control (SC), lanthanum chloride (LC) and antibody (A) groups. The fibroblast apoptosis in the wound tissue samples and the change in intracellular calcium concentration (Ca(2+)) were determined by flow cytometry (FCM) and TUNEL methods on the 14th and 28th day after the injection.

RESULTSApoptosis of fibroblasts was enhanced significantly after 14 days of injection in LC and A groups compared with that in C and SC groups (P < 0.05 approximately 0.01). Furthermore, intracellular Ca(2+) was increased evidently in LC group (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONIt is indicated that lanthanum chloride might be effective in preventing scar development.