Prognostic tests for development of dermal stretch marks and implications for the preventative treatment thereof

Abstract

Various methods of assessing the regenerative potential of dermal tissue in a patient may be determined and methods to determine the potential development of stretch marks in a patient are provided. Through the analysis of a series of dermal tissue samples, a method of monitoring the aging process of the dermal tissue of a patient is possible. Damaged or stretched marked skin may also be used in the development of various diagnostic therapies relating to the inducement of the extracellular matrix components of the skin due to the loss of elastic fibers generally found in stretch marked skin.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of diagnosing the regenerative potential of dermal tissue in a patient comprising:
 establishing a baseline value for normal dermal tissue;   obtaining a sample of dermal tissue from said patient; and   comparing said sample of dermal tissue from the patient with the baseline value for normal dermal tissue to identify a quantitative difference between the sample and normal tissue.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said quantitative difference is reflected in a difference in a value selected from the group consisting of: the DNA content of the fibroblasts in said dermal tissue; the extracellular matrix protein content of said dermal tissue; the connective tissue content of said dermal tissue; collagen content of said dermal tissue; fibrillin content of said dermal tissue; the rate of proliferation of fibroblasts in said dermal tissue; the rate of migration of fibroblasts in said dermal tissue; the rate of connective tissue synthesis in said dermal tissue; the rate of extracellular matrix protein by said fibroblasts; and a combination thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said quantitative difference is reflected in a difference in a value of the DNA content of the fibroblasts in said dermal tissue and the extracellular matrix protein content of said dermal tissue. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said quantitative difference is reflected in a difference in a value of the rate of proliferation of fibroblasts in said dermal tissue and the rate of connective tissue synthesis in said dermal tissue. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein said sample of dermal tissue from the patient is obtained from stretch-marked skin or non-stretch-marked skin. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said sample of dermal tissue from the patient is obtained from a skin punch biopsy. 
     
     
         7 . A method of diagnosing the potential for the development of stretch marks in a patient comprising:
 establishing a baseline value for normal dermal tissue;   obtaining a sample of dermal tissue from said patient; and   comparing said sample of dermal tissue from the patient with the baseline value for normal dermal tissue to identify a quantitative difference between the sample and normal tissue.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said quantitative difference is reflected in a difference in a value selected from the group consisting of: the DNA content of the fibroblasts in said dermal tissue; determining the extracellular matrix protein content of said dermal tissue; the connective tissue content of said dermal tissue; collagen content of said dermal tissue; fibrillin content of said dermal tissue; the rate of proliferation of fibroblasts in said dermal tissue; determining the rate of migration of fibroblasts in said dermal tissue; the rate of connective tissue synthesis in said dermal tissue; the rate of extracellular matrix protein by said fibroblasts; and a combination thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said quantitative difference is reflected in a difference in a value of the DNA content of the fibroblasts in said dermal tissue and the extracellular matrix protein content of said dermal tissue. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said quantitative difference is reflected in a difference in a value of the rate of proliferation of fibroblasts in said dermal tissue and the rate of connective tissue synthesis in said dermal tissue. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said sample of dermal tissue from the patient is obtained from non-stretch-marked skin. 
     
     
         12 . A method of establishing a treatment protocol comprising
 determining the likelihood of stretch marks forming;   pretreating the affected area to mitigate the occurrence of stretch marks.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the likelihood of stretch marks forming is determined by comparing a sample of dermal tissue from a patient with a baseline value for normal dermal tissue to identify a quantitative difference between the sample and normal tissue, wherein the difference in a value selected from the group consisting of: the DNA content of the fibroblasts in said dermal tissue; the extracellular matrix protein content of said dermal tissue; the connective tissue content of said dermal tissue; the collagen content of said dermal tissue; the fibrillin content of said dermal tissue; determining the rate of proliferation of fibroblasts in said dermal tissue; the rate of migration of fibroblasts in said dermal tissue; the rate of connective tissue synthesis in said dermal tissue; the rate of extracellular matrix protein by said fibroblasts; and a combination thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said quantitative difference is reflected in a difference in a value of the DNA content of the fibroblasts in said dermal tissue and the extracellular matrix protein content of said dermal tissue. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said quantitative difference is reflected in a difference in a value of the rate of proliferation of fibroblasts in said dermal tissue and the rate of connective tissue synthesis in said dermal tissue. 
     
     
         16 . A kit for determining the propensity for forming stretch marks comprising components to measure a value selected from the group consisting of: the DNA content of the fibroblasts in said dermal tissue; the extracellular matrix protein content of said dermal tissue; the connective tissue content of said dermal tissue; collagen content of said dermal tissue; fibrillin content of said dermal tissue; the rate of proliferation of fibroblasts in said dermal tissue; the rate of migration of fibroblasts in said dermal tissue; the rate of connective tissue synthesis in said dermal tissue; the rate of extracellular matrix protein by said fibroblasts; and a combination thereof.