Glucocorticoid promotes fatty acids metabolism in hypertrophic scar tissues and fibroblasts via the microRNA

Hypertrophic scar (HS) is a skin lesion due to abnormal wound healing after skin injury; histologically, HS is characterized by deposition of excessive amounts of the extracellular matrix and collagen produced by wound healing-induced proliferative fibroblasts. Clinically, HS management includes surgical resection of HS, topical glucocorticoid therapy or drug injections, pressure therapy, fractional carbon dioxide laser therapy, and cryotherapy. In terms of non-surgical therapy, glucocorticoids (like Triamcinolone acetonide, a synthetic corticosteroid medication used topically to treat various skin conditions) was able to effectively inhibit HS formation safely for decades. The effects of glucocorticoids may either be due to its anti-inflammatory, anti-allergenic and immunomodulatory effects or activate fatty acids metabolism by promotion of lipid accumulation in fibroblasts. However, it is no clear why and how glucocorticoids-upregulated fatty acid metabolisms benefit in HS treatment and prevention.And it remains to be defined how altered microRNAs regulated-fatty acid metabolism involved in pathological scars. These patients were diagnosed by routine pathological examination and were given local injections of glucocorticoid triamcinolone acetonide mixed with lidocaine in for more than 3 months. Patients who had received lidocaine treatment were enrolled as controls. Patients received surgical treatment to resect the HS tissues.