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Biochemistry

Authoring team

The biochemistry of keloid scars is marked by the following features:

  • collagen metabolism:
    • increased collagen turnover
    • increased activity of the synthetic enzymes lysyl oxidase and prolyl-4-hydroxylase
    • increased collagen mRNA expression
    • active keloids synthesise collagen at a rate of 20 times that of normal skin and 3 times that of hypertrophic scars(1)
    • type I and type III collagen synthesis is increased, but the former is increased to a relatively greater extent
    • reduced breakdown of collagen as suggested by the accumulation of collagenase inhibitors alpha-1-antitrypsin and alpha-2-macroglobulin
  • increased metabolic rate as suggested by a rise in the activity of enzymes of the glycolytic and TCA pathways

Ref:

(1) Craig RDP, Schofield JD, Jackson JS. Europ J Clin Invest (1975); 5: 69-72.

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