Crystal Aguh1, Yemisi Dina2, C Conover Talbot3, Luis Garza4. 1. Department of Dermatology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland. Electronic address: cagi1@jhmi.edu. 2. Meharry Medical College, Nashville, Tennessee. 3. Johns Hopkins Medical Institute Deep Sequencing and Microarray Core, Baltimore, Maryland. 4. Department of Dermatology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia (CCCA) is a primary cicatricial alopecia that most commonly affects women of African descent. Like CCCA, fibroproliferative disorders (FPDs) such as keloids, atherosclerosis, and fibroids are characterized by low-grade inflammation and irritation, resulting in end-stage fibrosis. OBJECTIVE: We sought to determine whether fibroproliferative genes were up-regulated in patients with CCCA. METHODS: A total of 5 patients with biopsy-proven CCCA were recruited for this study. Two scalp biopsy specimens were obtained from each patient; 1 from CCCA-affected vertex scalp and 1 from the unaffected occipital scalp. Microarray analysis was performed to determine the differential gene expression patterns. RESULTS: There was an upregulation of genes implicated in FPDs in patients with CCCA. Specifically, we noted increased expression of platelet derived growth factor gene (PDGF), collagen I gene (COL I), collagen III gene (COL III), matrix metallopeptidase 1 gene (MMP1), matrix metallopeptidase 2 gene (MMP2), matrix metallopeptidase 7 gene (MMP7), and matrix metallopeptidase 9 gene (MMP9) in affected scalp compared with in unaffected scalp. Significant overlap in the canonic pathways was noted between patients with CCCA and patients with both atherosclerosis and hepatic fibrosis (P < .001). LIMITATIONS: Small sample size and the use of whole skin tissue for analysis. CONCLUSION: We have identified the upregulation of critical genes implicated in FPDs in the gene expression profile of patients with CCCA. These findings may help identify future therapeutic targets for this otherwise difficult-to-treat condition.
BACKGROUND: Central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia (CCCA) is a primary cicatricial alopecia that most commonly affects women of African descent. Like CCCA, fibroproliferative disorders (FPDs) such as keloids, atherosclerosis, and fibroids are characterized by low-grade inflammation and irritation, resulting in end-stage fibrosis. OBJECTIVE: We sought to determine whether fibroproliferative genes were up-regulated in patients with CCCA. METHODS: A total of 5 patients with biopsy-proven CCCA were recruited for this study. Two scalp biopsy specimens were obtained from each patient; 1 from CCCA-affected vertex scalp and 1 from the unaffected occipital scalp. Microarray analysis was performed to determine the differential gene expression patterns. RESULTS: There was an upregulation of genes implicated in FPDs in patients with CCCA. Specifically, we noted increased expression of platelet derived growth factor gene (PDGF), collagen I gene (COL I), collagen III gene (COL III), matrix metallopeptidase 1 gene (MMP1), matrix metallopeptidase 2 gene (MMP2), matrix metallopeptidase 7 gene (MMP7), and matrix metallopeptidase 9 gene (MMP9) in affected scalp compared with in unaffected scalp. Significant overlap in the canonic pathways was noted between patients with CCCA and patients with both atherosclerosis and hepatic fibrosis (P < .001). LIMITATIONS: Small sample size and the use of whole skin tissue for analysis. CONCLUSION: We have identified the upregulation of critical genes implicated in FPDs in the gene expression profile of patients with CCCA. These findings may help identify future therapeutic targets for this otherwise difficult-to-treat condition.
Authors: Rolf Westerberg; Petr Tvrdik; Anne-Birgitte Undén; Jan-Erik Månsson; Lars Norlén; Andreas Jakobsson; Walter H Holleran; Peter M Elias; Abolfazl Asadi; Per Flodby; Rune Toftgård; Mario R Capecchi; Anders Jacobsson Journal: J Biol Chem Date: 2003-10-27 Impact factor: 5.157
Authors: Monica G Chiaramonte; Margaret Mentink-Kane; Bruce A Jacobson; Allen W Cheever; Matthew J Whitters; Mary E P Goad; Anthony Wong; Mary Collins; Debra D Donaldson; Michael J Grusby; Thomas A Wynn Journal: J Exp Med Date: 2003-03-17 Impact factor: 14.307
Authors: Taylor A Jamerson; C Conover Talbot; Yemisi Dina; Shawn G Kwatra; Luis A Garza; Crystal Aguh Journal: Exp Dermatol Date: 2022-01-20 Impact factor: 4.511
Authors: Eddy H C Wang; Isha Monga; Brigitte N Sallee; James C Chen; Alexa R Abdelaziz; Rolando Perez-Lorenzo; Lindsey A Bordone; Angela M Christiano Journal: PNAS Nexus Date: 2022-07-11