Study Status: Recruiting
Recruit Status: Unknown status
Study Type: Interventional
Official Title: Gene Expression During Surgical Scar Remodeling by Fractional Photothermolysis
Brief Summary: This project aims to understand the molecular biology underlying the improvement of surgical scars treated by ablative fractional photothermolysis (FP). Previous human studies at MGH have shown that FP significantly improves the appearance and functionality of surgical and burn scars. At the Wellman Center, we have conducted a randomized, controlled study on linear surgical scars demonstrating the efficacy of FP to decrease the volume of hypertrophic scars, and to improve the appearance and texture of scars. However, the underlying mechanism of this therapeutic effect is unknown. It is clear that FP induces wound healing and remodeling of the normal skin surrounding microthermal zones (MTZs). Furthermore, other researchers have employed animal models using transgenic zebrafish and the mouse eye, and found that laser treatments induce changes in gene expression in specific cells. We propose to determine whether the effect of FP on scar improvement occurs via changes in patterns of local gene expression within the skin, specifically dermal fibroblasts. By characterizing these changes, we may be able to identify molecular mechanisms that both explain and contribute to the beneficial effects of FP in the surgical and traumatic scar. The molecular insights into the therapeutic effects of fractional laser photothermolysis may provide a basis for future therapeutic strategies to improve scar remodeling.