Effects of shRNA-CTGF on the expression of collagen-I in keloid

Objective To explore the effects of recombinant plasmids of pGPU6/GFP/NeoshRNA-CTGF (shRNA-CTGF) on the type Ⅰ collagen (COL-Ⅰ) protein expression in keloid,through RNA interference on connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) in vivo and in vitro.Methods Recombinant plasmids were designed and constructed by specific shRNA-CTGF; After transfeced human keloid fibroblast with shRNA-CTGF in vitro,RT-PCR was used to detect the CTGF mRNA level,and Western blot to detect the secretion of COL-Ⅰ.After transfected the keloid of nude mice with shRNA-CTGF in vivo,RT-PCR was used to detect the CTGF and COL-Ⅰ mRNA level,and Western blot was used to detect the protein expression of COL-Ⅰ.Results Recombinant plasmids of CTGF were successfully constructed,and the CTGF gene expression was significantly decreased in vivo and in vitro by 86.8％ and 54.1 ％,respectively; Down-regulation of CTGF in vitro significantly inhibited the mRNA and protein level of COL-Ⅰ by 76.8％ and 65.6％,respectively; Down-regulation of CTGF in vivo significantly reduced the COL-Ⅰ mRNA and protein level by 52.7％ and 48.0％,respectively.Conclusions CTGF gene expression is successfully down-regulated by the recombinant plasmid of shRNA-CTGF in vivo and in vitro.shRNA-CTGF significantly reduces the COL-Ⅰ protein level in keloid.It implies that CTGF gene is a potential target in the therapy of pathological scar. Key words: Keloid;  Connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) ;  Fibroblast;  RNA interference (RNAi)