Enhanced expression oftype1procollagen and transforming growth factor- intuberculin induced delayed typehypersensitivity

Aimns-Tissue fibrosis isa common and seriousconsequenceof chronicinflammation. Themechanismlinking these twoprocesses ispoorlyunderstood. The present studyhasutilised ahumaninvivo modelofa delayed typehypersensitivity (DTH)reaction, thetuberculin Heafreaction, induced byintradermal tuberculin inBCG immunised subjects, todissect the relation betweenthesetwoprocesses. Methods-Punchskinbiopsyspecimens wereobtained onday5,day13andsixto 16weeksfollowing thetuberculin Heaftest in18subjects withgrade3or4responses. Skinbiopsyspecimens fromsixsubjects servedascontrols. Thespecimens were examinedusingimmunohistochemical staining fortype1procollagen andtransforming growthfactor-P (TGF-P), aswell asinsituhybridisation fortype1 pro