2009 Volume 29 Issue 3 Pages 3_3-3_12
The aim of this study was to elucidate the effect of physical body pressure on the destruction of the extracellular matrix (ECM) leading to pressure ulcers. Materials used were human normal skin fibroblast and umbilical endothelial cells. Following cultivation of both fibroblasts and endothelial cells in the presence or absence of physical pressure (50 mmHg), the change in cell morphology and ECM, levels of the degradation enzyme of ECM, such as MMPs, and alteration of gene expression were examined. In fibroblasts, in addition to the morphological change, down-regulation of fibronectin, up-regulation of versican, collagen, MMP3, and ADAMTS4 were observed, however, no prominent alteration was detected in endothelial cell morphology under the experimental conditions used. Therefore, it is suggested that physical body pressure of around 50 mmHg could be critical for dispersion of body pressure. However, physical pressure might also affect over all tissue, resulting in alteration of the ECM structure. It was suggested that nursing intervention based on not only the physical pressure but also the total over all tissue structure should be investigated.
