The Search for the Genetic Basis of African Keloids

Keloids are benign hyperproliferative growths of dermal fibroblasts characterized by excessive, and often times extensive, deposition of extracellular matrix components especially collagen and fibronectin. First described in the Edward Smith papyrus in Egypt around 1700 BC, the aetiopathogenesis of the disease has become one of the greatest enigmas in modern medicine. Studies have shown that the condition is significantly more common in the coloured races, especially those of African origin. This brief exposition focuses on an exciting and potentially evolutionary study of this condition by the University College Hopital, Ibadan, team of plastic surgeons led by Professor Oluwatosin and collaborators from the University of Connecticut, USA. The team hopes to uncover the genetic basis of African keloids that may lead to the development of more effective diagnostic, therapeutic and prognostic interventions.