Abstract: Objective To investigate the role of β-1,4-galactosyltransferase-Ⅰ( β-1,4-GalT-Ⅰ) in the pathogenesis of keloid.Methods Tissue samples were resected from 10 patients with keloid,6 normal human controls and 7 patients with hypertrophic scar.The content of hydroxyproline was determined by alkali hydrolyzation method,and the expression of β-1,4-GalT-Ⅰgene by reverse transcription-PCR and image analysis technique.Results The content of hydroxyproline and mRNA expression of β-1,4-GalT-Ⅰwere significantly higher in the keloid tissues than in the normal controls(10.98±1.55μg/mg vs 5.38±0.47μg/mg, 0.2995±0.0825 vs 0.0451±0.0287,respectively,both P<0.01).However,no significant difference was found in either of hydroxyproline content or β-1,4-GalT-ⅠmRNA expression between tissue samples of keloid and hypertrophic scar(both P>0.05).There was a positive correlation between the mRNA expression of β-1,4-GalT-Ⅰand hydroxyproline content in the tissue of keloid(r=0.9496,P<0.01)and of hypertrophic scar.Conclusion β-1,4-GalT-Ⅰmay play a modulatory role in the fibrotic process of keloid tissue.

Key words: Keloid, Cicatrix,hypertrophic, beta-N-acetylglucosaminylglycopeptide beta-1,4-galac-tosyltransferase