[Detection and analysis of Fas gene (exon 1-6) mutations in keloids].

Objective: To detect Fas DNA mutations (exon 1-6) in the fibroblasts of patients with keloids, thereby to understand the clinicopathological implications of altered structure of the keloids.

Methods: PCR followed by single-strand conformational polymorphism analysis and direct DNA sequencing were used to detect Fas gene mutations in 15 patients with keloids.

Results: Insertion and point mutations were identified on the boundary between intron 5 and exon 6 in two patients, while no Fas mutations were found in the fibroblasts derived from normal skin samples of any of the patients.

Conclusion: Nonfunction of Fas protein may be related to aberrant gene structure that codes for the transmembrane domain.