Objective: To detect the distribution of beta-endorphin and mu-opioid receptors (MOR) in normal skin tissue and scar tissue from healthy volunteers and patients with hypertrophic scar.
Methods: Normal skin samples from 10 healthy individuals and 10 patients with hypertrophic scar, and scar samples from the same 10 patients were investigated. The beta-endorphin and MOR protein in the samples were detected by immunofluorescence (IF). The reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to detect MOR mRNA.
Results: Beta-endorphin and MOR protein were expressed in all samples. There were no significant differences in the expression of beta-endorphin and MOR protein between normal skin from healthy volunteers and patients with hypertrophic scar (P > 0.05). The expression of beta-endorphin, MOR protein and mRNA in hyperplastic scar was significantly stronger than that in normal skin (P < 0.01).
Conclusions: The expression of beta-endorphin and MOR is different in normal skin and hypertrophic scar. This maybe the possible reason of scar paresthesia.