Enhanced expression of the receptor for granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor on dermal fibroblasts from scleroderma patients.
OBJECTIVE
To elucidate events that initiate the involvement and stimulation of fibroblasts in systemic sclerosis (SSc).


METHODS
We examined 15 patients with SSc diffuse form, 15 with CREST syndrome, and 5 healthy subjects. Cultured fibroblasts obtained from skin biopsies in SSc involved and non-involved areas and norrmal skin fibroblasts were cultured with different doses of granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) to study the effects of this factor on the expression of GM-CSF receptor (GM-CSFR) on fibroblast proliferation and cellular adhesion structures.


RESULTS
Cultured fibroblasts obtained from biopsies of normal and SSc skin areas express GM-CSFR and such expression is increased in SSc fibroblasts. GM-CSF stimulation in vitro did not increase SSc fibroblast growth, in spite of a strongly increased expression of the GM-CSFR. The adhesion structures are always more abundant in SSc fibroblasts as compared to healthy cells and GM-CSF seems able to increase cell adhesion plaques.


CONCLUSIONS
We suggest that shift of fibroblasts toward a more adhesive differentiated pattern, due to or accompanied by an increased expression of GM-CSFR, may be an important event in the pathogenesis of SSc.
Postiglione
Loredana
L
Dip. di Biologia e Patologia Molecolare e Cellulare, Università degli Studi Federico, Napoli, Italia.
Montagnani
Stefania
S
Riccio
Antonio
A
Montuori
Nunzia
N
Sciorio
Salvatore
S
Ladogana
Paolo
P
Spigna
Gaetano Di
GD
Castaldo
Clotilde
C
Rossi
Guido
G
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017675:CREST Syndrome / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D020405:Dermis / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000276:immunology; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016187:Receptors, Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D013347:Subcellular Fractions / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000276:immunology*
D016187:Receptors, Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor