Smac/DIABLO regulates the apoptosis of hypertrophic scar fibroblasts.

In abnormal skin wound healing, hypertrophic scars (HS) are characterized by excessive fibroblast hypercellularity and an overproduction of collagen, leading to atypical extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling. Although the exact mechanisms of HS remain unclear, decreased HS fibroblast (HSFB) apoptosis and increased proliferation are evident in the development of HS. In this study, the contribution of the second mitochondria-derived activator of caspases/direct inhibitor of apoptosis protein (IAP)-binding protein with a low isoelectric point (pI) (Smac/DIABLO), an apoptosis-promoting protein released from the mitochondria, was investigated in human normal skin and HSFB cultures.

The -2T/C polymorphism in the adrenocorticotropin receptor gene affects stress perception of patients with alopecia areata.

Background: Altered hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis response involved in the pathogenesis of stress-associated alopecia areata (AA) has been reported. A novel polymorphism -2T>C of the adrenocorticotropin receptor (ACTHR) can result in an insufficient HPA response to stress; therefore, the functional polymorphism may underlie a role in stress-associated AA.

Objective: To investigate the relationship between psychosocial factors and the risk of developing AA and to detect the association between the -2T>C polymorphism of ACTHR and AA.

An implication for post-transcriptional control: reciprocal changes of melanocortin receptor type 2 mRNA and protein expression in alopecia areata.

Alopecia areata (AA) is a hair follicle-specific autoimmune disease that is inherited genetically but triggered environmentally. Stress response is believed to play a role in the pathogenesis of AA. The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA axis), known as the stress axis, plays a cardinal role in the stress response.

Melanocortin receptor type 2 (MC2R, ACTH receptor) expression in patients with alopecia areata.

Human skin expresses elements of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis that function as a local stress response system. Because adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) is an intermediate in the HPA axis from corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) signal to cortisol secretion, MC2R that binds only ACTH may be important in the stress response of skin. We investigated the local expression of MC2R by immunohistochemistry to identify the role of ACTH/MC2R in stress-associated alopecia areata (AA).