Figure 1.

Deficiency of CD39 and/or CD73 limits adenosine levels and dermal fibrosis after bleomycin treatment. A: Skin adenosine levels were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography in supernates after 2 hours of skin culture. ^∗P < 0.05 (n = 6 to 12 skin samples per group). Skinfold thickness (B) and breaking tension (C) measurements were performed on freshly excised skin and 6-mm skin punch biopsy specimens. D: Dermal hydroxyproline content was assessed on 6-mm skin biopsy specimens. Data represent means ± SEM. ^∗P < 0.05, ^∗∗P < 0.01, comparisons versus WT + bleomycin (BLM); analysis of variance, followed by Dunnett's post-test analyses. E: Skin histological sections were stained with H&E (top row) and picrosirius red, viewed under polarized microscopy (middle and bottom rows). Original magnifications: ×20 (E, top row); ×10 (E, middle row); ×40 (E, bottom row).