Effect of acitretin in inducing the expression of heparin-binding epidermal-growth-factor-like growth factor mRNA in normal human keratinocytes

Objective: To investigate the alteration of cell proliferation and heparin-binding epidermal-growth-factor-like growth factor (HB-EGF) mRNA expression in cultured normal human keratinocytes after acitretin treatment. Methods: After a 12-hour incubation with 0.1 and 1 μmol/L acitretin in normal human keratinocytes, the proliferation potency of the cells was detected by MTT colorimetric assay and the expression of HB-EGF mRNA was examined by real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Results: Both keratinocytes growth inhibition and HB-EGF mRNA expression was dose-dependently induced by acitretin. Treatment with 0.1 and 1 μmol/L acitretin inhibited keratinocyte proliferation by 10.2% and 14.4%, and elevated HB-EGF mRNA by 3.2-and 7.1-fold, respectively. Conclusion: Upregulated HB-EGF mRNA expression induced by acitretin in normal human keratinocytes may be involved in regulating keratinocyte growth inhibition after acitretin treatment.