Co-localization of transforming growth factor β2 with α1(I) procollagen mRNA in tissue sections of patients with systemic sclerosis

Abstract

The role of transforming growth factor β2 (TGF-β2) in the pathogenesis of systemic sclerosis (SSc) was investigated by in situ hybridization of skin biopsies from six patients with SSc. Two patients with acute systemic lupus erythematosis (SLE), one with acute dermatomyositis (DM), and three healthy individuals were used as controls. TGF-β2 mRNA was found to be co-localized with proα1(I) collagen expression around dermal blood vessels in all patients with the inflammatory stage of SSc, whereas there was no expression of either gene in the dermis of patients in the fibrotic stage, the SLE patients or the normal controls. These findings provide evidence that TGF-β2 released by inflammatory cells around blood vessels may play a role in mediating the collagen gene disregulation in fibrosis.