Penicillin G does not alter collagen type I metabolism of dermal fibroblasts in culture.
BACKGROUND
Penicillin G (PenG) has successfully been used for therapy of dermal fibrosis in patients suffering from systemic sclerosis (SSc). However, there is little knowledge on the mechanism of the antifibrotic action of PenG.


OBJECTIVE
We studied the effects of PenG on dermal fibroblasts by analysing the influence of various amounts of PenG on the proliferation, synthesis and degradation of collagen by human dermal fibroblasts from healthy donors and 1 SSc patient (collagen high producer).


METHODS
Collagen metabolism of cultured dermal fibroblasts was studied by Northern hybridisation for mRNA of collagen I, proline-4-hydroxylase, lysyl hydroxylase, matrix metalloproteinase I and determination of collagen content in culture supernatants.


RESULTS
PenG did not alter the expression of the investigated mRNA, independently of the dosage and the incubation times used. The amount of collagen I protein was not influenced.


CONCLUSIONS
There is no evidence of a direct antifibrotic effect of PenG on dermal fibroblasts; therefore, other mechanisms might be responsible for its effect in the treatment of SSc patients.
Anderegg
U
U
Department of Dermatology, Leipzig University, and Saxon Academy of Science, Leipzig, Germany. andu@medizin.uni-leipzig.de
Wilczek
A
A
Haustein
U F
UF
D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003094:Collagen / Q000378:metabolism*; D020405:Dermis / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010400:Penicillin G / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010406:Penicillins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012595:Scleroderma, Systemic / Q000378:metabolism
D010406:Penicillins; D003094:Collagen; D010400:Penicillin G