HIF-1α promotes the keloid development through the activation of TGF-β/Smad and TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB pathways.

ABSTRACT: A keloid is defined as an overgrowth of the dense fibrous tissues that form around a wound. Since they destroy the vascular network, keloid tissues often exhibit anoxic conditions. Hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) is a core factor that mediates hypoxia stress responses and regulates the hypoxic cellular and biological behaviors. In this study, we found that the expression level of HIF-1α in keloid tissue was significantly higher than that in the normal skin tissue. Hypoxia-induced HIF-1α expression significantly inhibited cellular apoptosis and promoted cellular proliferation in keloid fibroblasts but not in normal fibroblasts. Specifically, HIF-1α activated the TGF-β/Smad and TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB pathways, and the interaction of these two pathways may promote the development of keloids. M

SUBMITTER: Lei R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6927730 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature