title: Apoptosis and proliferation of human peritoneal fibroblasts in response to hypoxia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the effect of hypoxia on apoptosis and proliferation of fibroblasts cultured from normal peritoneum or adhesions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective experimental study.
  
  
  METHODS
  University medical center.
  
  
  METHODS
  Primary cultures of fibroblasts established from peritoneal and adhesion tissues of the same patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Hypoxia treatment of the primary cultured fibroblasts.
  
  
  METHODS
  Apoptosis was assessed by the TUNEL assay and by the BCL-2-BAX expression ratio, as determined using multiplex reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. The proliferation rate of these cells was determined by measuring the proliferative fraction using the flow cytometry in adhesion and peritoneal fibroblasts under normal and hypoxic conditions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with fibroblasts from normal peritoneum, fibroblasts from adhesions had significant complementary decreases in apoptosis and an increase in proliferation. In response to hypoxia, the Bcl-2-bax mRNA ratio was significantly higher in fibroblasts from adhesions as compared with fibroblasts from normal peritoneum. The degree of apoptosis induced by hypoxia correlated with the increase in the bcl-2-bax ratio in fibroblasts derived from both normal peritoneum and adhesions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Hypoxia induces proliferation while inhibiting apoptosis in fibroblasts from adhesion, thereby creating a phenotype that would favor adhesion development.
authors.affiliation: Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and the C. S. Mott Center for Human Growth and Development, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan 48201, USA. g.saed@wayne.edu
authors.forename: Ghassan M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Saed
authors.forename: Michael P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Diamond
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis; D002455:Cell Division; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000473:pathology* / Q000502:physiology*; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010532:Peritoneal Diseases / Q000473:pathology; D010537:Peritoneum / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D012016:Reference Values; D000267:Tissue Adhesions / Q000473:pathology; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein
chemical_list: C494826:BAX protein, human; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein