Korean J Immunol.  1999 Dec;21(4):311-317.

Control of Scarring in Adult Wounds using Antisense Connective Tissue Growth Factor Ollgodeoxynucleotides

• Chung HT

Abstract

Adult wounds heal with scar formation, whereas fetal wounds heal without scarring and with a lesser inflammatory and cytokine response. Recently connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) is known to play an important role in wound healing. We reasoned that a strategy employing antisense oligodeoxynucleotides (ODN) complementary to CTGF mRNA by topical application of the ODN on the skin wound. Phosphorothioation of ODN to retard their degradation. When antisense CTGF ODN were applied on the wound site, there was a marked reduction of scarring compared with a control wound site. This effect of antisense CTGF ODN on scar forrnation was associated with decreased expression of the CTGF gene. However, sense CTGF ODN had no effect on the expression of the CTGF gene. In addition, control wounds healed with excessive fibrosis compared with the antisense-treated wounds. In conclusion, our results indicate that antisense CTGF ODN could be used for ameliorating scar formation during wound healing.

Keyword

Connective tissue growth factor; Antisense oligodeoxynucleotides; Wound healing

MeSH Terms

Adult*
Cicatrix*
Connective Tissue Growth Factor*
Connective Tissue*
Fibrosis
Humans
Oligodeoxyribonucleotides
RNA, Messenger
Skin
Wound Healing
Wounds and Injuries*
Connective Tissue Growth Factor
Oligodeoxyribonucleotides
RNA, Messenger