title: Synergistic effect of tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interferon-gamma on collagen synthesis of human skin fibroblasts in vitro.
abstract: The effect of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF alpha) and interferon-gamma (IFN gamma) on collagen metabolism by human diploid fibroblasts in confluent monolayer culture was examined. Recombinant TNF alpha reduced collagen mRNA levels 2-fold and stimulated collagenase mRNA levels 5-fold, while recombinant IFN gamma affected only collagen mRNA levels. The combination of TNF alpha (10 ng/ml) and IFN gamma (100 ng/ml) resulted in a much stronger (about 30-fold) reduction of collagen mRNA levels indicating that the two cytokines act synergistically. In contrast no such synergism was observed with respect to collagenase mRNA levels. The effect of TNF alpha and IFN gamma on collagen metabolism reported here indicates a complex interaction of different cytokines in the control of tissue remodeling that occurs during inflammation, repair, or atrophy.
authors.affiliation: Dermatologische Klinik, Ludwig Maximilians Universität, München, Federal Republic of Germany.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Scharffetter
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Heckmann
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hatamochi
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mauch
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Stein
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Riethmüller
authors.forename: H W
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Ziegler-Heitbrock
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Krieg
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003094:Collagen / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D004357:Drug Synergism; D005347:Fibroblasts; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003012:Microbial Collagenase / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D003094:Collagen; D003012:Microbial Collagenase