Abstract: Objective To investigate the effect of imiquimod on the proliferation of fibrodblasts and production of collagen in keloid.Methods Biopsy samples of keloid were obtained from patients and cultured in vitro.Fibroblasts were harvested and passaged,treated with varying concentrations of imiquimod during the exponential phase of growth.Morphologic changes of the cells were observed,and cellular activity was determined by the MTT method.The production of procollagen typeⅠand Ⅲ in vitro was measured by immunohistochemistry and Western blot analysis.Results Imiquimod at 10μg/mL～100μg/mL could significantly inhibit the proliferation of fibroblasts in vitro in a doseand time-dependent manner.The production of procollagen typeⅠand type Ⅲ was attenuated in the presence of imiquimod.Conclusion Imiquimod can effectively inhibit the proliferation of fibroblasts and the production of procollagen typeⅠand type Ⅲ in vitro.

Key words: Fibroblasts, Collagen typeⅠ, Collagen type Ⅲ, Imiquimod, Keloid