Comparative caustic and biological activity of trichloroacetic and glycolic acids on keratinocytes and fibroblasts in vitro.
OBJECTIVE
Beside their causticity, the biological mechanism by which trichloroacetic acid (TCA) and glycolic acid (GA), two agents extensively used for chemical peeling, might act remains unknown. The purpose of this study was to examine in vitro the effect of TCA and GA on human keratinocytes and the influence of the released epithelial mediators on collagen and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) production by human dermal fibroblasts.


METHODS
Cultured keratinocytes were treated by TCA and GA at 10 mg/ml brought to pH 3, 5 and 7, and the conditioned media neutralized to pH 7 were added to human normal skin fibroblasts.


RESULTS
TCA was cytotoxic for keratinocytes at each tested pH. The conditioned medium depressed protein and collagen synthesis and the expression of MMPs when added to fibroblasts as did also TCA when added directly to fibroblasts. GA was not cytotoxic for keratinocytes at neutral pH and the conditioned medium obtained at each pH applied to fibroblasts did not alter protein, collagen nor MMPs production while causing an elevated secretion of IL-6.


CONCLUSIONS
TCA exerts a toxic effect on keratinocytes and fibroblasts while GA does not alter the metabolism of fibroblasts but induces the secretion of IL-6.
Rakic
L
L
Laboratory of Connective Tissues Biology, Tour de Pathologie B23, CHU Sart Tilman, Belgium.
Lapière
C M
CM
Nusgens
B V
BV
D002424:Caustics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D017364:Collagenases / Q000378:metabolism; D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology; D018093:Gelatinases / Q000378:metabolism; D006016:Glycolates / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism; D015603:Keratinocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology; D013385:Succinate Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism; D014238:Trichloroacetic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*
D002424:Caustics; D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned; D006016:Glycolates; D007375:Interleukin-1; D015850:Interleukin-6; D014238:Trichloroacetic Acid; D013385:Succinate Dehydrogenase; D017364:Collagenases; D018093:Gelatinases