miR-361 prevents the formation of hypertrophic scars by inhibiting TGF-β1

Excessive wound repair following dermal injuries, such as burns or trauma, may lead to pathological scar formation. Transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) is a potent growth factor involved in wound healing. It is considered to be a key regulator of hypertrophic scars (HS) and various fibrotic diseases. MicroRNAs (miRNAs/miRs) widely participate in the pathophysiological processes of various diseases by playing a role in post-transcriptional gene regulation. At present, at least to the best of our knowledge, there are no study assessing the role of miR-361 in HS. The present study thus investigated the role of this miRNA in HS and found that miR-361 expression was downregulated in HS. miR-361 suppressed the proliferation of HS fibroblasts by inhibiting TGF-β1 expression. Moreover, miR-361 inhibited the formation of scars on rabbit ears by inhibiting the expression of TGF-β1. Thus, miR-361 may play a protective role in HS by suppressing TGF-β1.