Different apoptotic patterns observed in tissues damaged by phenol and TCA peels

Herein we intended to understand the histological differences in tissues treated with phenol and trichloroacetic acid (TCA) peels by study the expression of proteins involved in apoptotic cell death using immunohistochemical methods. Phenol penetrated into skin quickly and induced histological changes in endothelial cells in the dermis, which were detected by the TUNEL method and the expression of activated Caspase-3 molecules. However, we did not observe up-regulation of p53 and Fas antigens. Meanwhile degenerations from TCA peels were detected by the TUNEL method, but not observed with Caspase-3 activation. These findings suggest that skin degenerations from phenol peels undergo Caspase-3-mediated apoptosis from that of TCA peels in pathogenesis.