Triamcinolone stimulates bFGF production and inhibits TGF-beta1 production by human dermal fibroblasts.
BACKGROUND
Triamcinolone acetonide has been shown to decrease both cellular proliferation and collagen production by dermal fibroblasts. An alteration of cytokine levels may mediate these effects.


OBJECTIVE
To delineate the effect of triamcinolone acetonide on both cellular proliferation and the production of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and transforming growth factor beta1 (TGF-beta1) by human fibroblasts grown in a serum-free in vitro model.


METHODS
Human normal and keloid dermal fibroblasts were propagated in a serum-free in vitro model with exposure to 0, 5, 10, or 20 microm triamcinolone acetonide for 0, 24, 72, or 96 hours. Cell counts were determined by phase contrast microscopy. Levels of bFGF and TGF-beta1 in the supernatants were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).


RESULTS
In our study, 20 microm triamcinolone acetonide caused statistically significant increases in the peak levels of bFGF for normal and keloid fibroblast cell lines (P < 0.05). It also caused statistically significant decreases in the level of TGF-beta1 for normal and keloid fibroblast cell lines. For the keloid fibroblasts, 10 microm triamcinolone acetonide also caused a statistically significant decrease in the level of TGF-beta1.


CONCLUSIONS
We conclude from these results that triamcinolone acetonide increases the production of bFGF and decreases production of TGF-beta1 by human dermal fibroblasts.
Carroll
Lisa A
LA
Wound Healing and Tissue Engineering Laboratory, Division of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, Stanford University Medical Center, Stanford, California, USA. lcaroll@uchospitals.edu
Hanasono
Matthew M
MM
Mikulec
Anthony A
AA
Kita
Magdalena
M
Koch
R James
RJ
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000187:drug effects*; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D007627:Keloid / Q000473:pathology; D012867:Skin / Q000166:cytology; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D014221:Triamcinolone / Q000494:pharmacology*
D005938:Glucocorticoids; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2; D014221:Triamcinolone