Pathological Changes of Lymphedematous Skin: Increased Mast Cells, Related Proteases, and Activated Transforming Growth Factor-β1

Abstract

Our results demonstrate that chymase and TGF-β1 expression was significantly increased in the fibrotic skin of secondary lower limb LE. The increased expression of chymase in the skin may play an important role in the development fibrosis in the lymphedematous skin. We speculate that chymase may facilitate the release of LAP TGF-β1 to generate activated TGF-β1, and the upregulation of active TGF-β1 can promote fibrosis in the SLE skin.