title: Enhanced expression of the receptor for granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor on dermal fibroblasts from scleroderma patients.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Dip. di Biologia e Patologia Molecolare e Cellulare, Università degli Studi Federico, Napoli, Italia.
authors.forename: Loredana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Postiglione
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Montagnani
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Riccio
authors.forename: Nunzia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Montuori
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sciorio
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ladogana
authors.forename: Gaetano Di
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Spigna
authors.forename: Clotilde
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Castaldo
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rossi
mesh_terms: 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*
chemical_list: D016187:Receptors, Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor