In vitro identification of a subpopulation of fibroblasts that produces high levels of collagen in scleroderma patients.
A subpopulation of scleroderma dermal fibroblasts was identified by flow cytometric analysis. Between 15% and 25% of the cells within the scleroderma fibroblast lines had high levels of cytoplasmic granularity, as identified by side light scatter characteristics. Similar fibroblasts composed less than 3% of the cells within the normal fibroblast lines, although greater numbers could be induced through exposure to soluble factors derived from activated mononuclear cells. The granular subpopulation of fibroblasts produced 2-3 times as much procollagen as did the other fibroblasts. These data support the hypothesis that fibrosis in scleroderma may result in part from the activity of an inherently high procollagen-producing subset of normal fibroblasts that is expanded through exposure to immune cytokines.
Department of Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore.
B W
BW
Needleman
J V
JV
Ordonez
D
D
Taramelli
W
W
Alms
K
K
Gayer
J
J
Choi
D000328:Adult; D001685:Biological Factors / Q000494:pharmacology; D002460:Cell Line; D003094:Collagen / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D016207:Cytokines; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000378:metabolism; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009000:Monocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D011347:Procollagen / Q000096:biosynthesis; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D012016:Reference Values; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012594:Scleroderma, Localized / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D012867:Skin / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology
D001685:Biological Factors; D016207:Cytokines; D011347:Procollagen; D003094:Collagen