THE ROLE OF POLYMORPHISM OF THE COLLAGEN GENE 1 TYPE OF ALPHA-2 (COL1A2) (RS42524) IN THE DIAGNOSTIC METHODS OF THE EVALUATION OF POST-OPERATIVE SKIN SCARS LOCALIZED IN DIFFERENT AREAS OF THE HEAD AND NECK

Abstract

The problem of diagnosing scars of the head and neck begins important in modern society. This is due to the high incidence of different types of scar tissue, their ineffective treatment, and possible recurrences. One of the causes of pathological scars is the disruption of the collagen gene polymorphism that encodes it. However, data on the value of the polymorphic variant of the collagen type I gene in the formation of pathological conditions of the skin are rather limited. Today according to literature there are disparate data on the differential diagnosis of pathological scars, all of them are not systematized and need the optimization. Object and methods. To study the polymorphism of the COL1A2 gene (rs42524), 60 patients were examined. All patients have got cicatricial tissue localized in different areas of the head and neck and were treated at the Department of Maxillofacial Surgery of Poltava State Clinical Hospital. Additional examination of scar tissue was performed by analyzing digital images in Adobe Photoshop CC using a color system RGB. Results and Discussion. We have studied the differences in the external state of scar tissue, depending on the genotype in a group of patients with pathological scars in different topographoanatomical areas of the head and neck. The scar tissues were evaluated using features such as scar consistency, color, sensitivity, and scar area, without considering the scar tissue type by the author’s standardized system for the external evaluation of cicatricial tissue. Patients with pathological scars in different topographic and anatomical regions of the head and neck, which are carriers of the allele C (genotypes GC and CC), have more pronounced signs of low-grade chronic inflammation of the skin. The obtained data about association of the polymorphism gene COL1A2 (rs42524) with signs of low-grade chronic inflammation of the skin in patients with pathological scars in different areas of the head and neck, probably indicate a possible effect of single-nucleus replacement on the physiological functions of collagen, namely the collagen specific collaboration with different molecules and cells. Using the RGB system, it was established that using the RGB color systems in Adobe Photoshop makes it possible to differentiate the types of pathological scars of the head and neck depending on the intensity of color spectrum. It was noted the relationship between the presence of the polymorphic variant of the COL1A2 gene (rs42524) in the genotype and data of RGB examination among patients with scars in different areas of the head and neck that were separated in previous studies, by the types of scars in 4 groups according to the type of scar. At present, there is no optimized method of differential diagnosis of different types of scars of the head and neck, which is why there is a necessity to develop an informative and economically feasible method of diagnosis. Conclusions. It is possible to determine precisely the type of scar and, depending on the type, to choose the optimal method of surgery or conservative therapy by using the RGB system and determining the type of scar, taking into account the effect gene polymorphism of collagen 1 alpha-2 (COL1A2) (rs42524) on cicatricial tissue formation.

Keywords

• pathological scar
• rgb system
• collagen gene polymorphism
• diagnostics.