SKIN MAST-CELL PROMOTION OF MATRIX REMODELING IN BURN WOUND-HEALING IN MICE - RELEVANCE OF CHYMASE

Inflammation, granulation, and collagen accumulation, which are observ ed in the wound healing process, occasionally lead to hypertrophic sca rring. Several in vitro reports have suggested that skin mast cells (M Cs) and their major protease, chymase, participate in the healing proc ess as well as in fibrotic skin diseases. The present study examined t he potential involvement of MCs and MC chymase in the healing of burns in mouse dorsal skin. The size of the burn wounds, density of the cap illaries, collagen accumulation, MC number, and chymase activity were measured before and 1, 3, 7, and 14 days after burning. The healing pr ocess corresponded strongly with MC density and chymase activity in bo th acute and subacute phases. The maximum decrease in MC number and ch ymase activity occurred on day 3 when tissue loss due to necrosis was maximal, From day 7 to 14, the burn wounds retracted rapidly accompani ed by increases in capillaries and collagen fibers, in correspondence with fast increments in MC numbers and chymase activity at the wound e dges. The present results combined with previous in vitro results stro ngly support the contention that skin MC chymase plays a role in the n ormal wound healing process, and presumably in dermal fibrotic disorde rs.