title: Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ agonists reduce cell proliferation and viability and increase apoptosis in systemic sclerosis fibroblasts.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  No study has evaluated the effect of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) agonists on cell viability, proliferation and apoptosis in cultured systemic sclerosis (SSc) fibroblasts.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The effects of two pure PPARγ agonists (rosiglitazone and pioglitazone) in cultured SSc fibroblasts were evaluated and compared with effects in normal fibroblasts.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included evaluation of cell viability and proliferation (based on the cleavage of tetrazolium salts and measurement of absorbance of the cell proliferation reagent WST-1), and determination of cell apoptosis (by means of the Hoechst dye uptake).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Rosiglitazone or pioglitazone (20μmolL(-1) ) significantly reduced cell proliferation (cell count of 75% and 83% compared with baseline, respectively, after 2h) and cell viability (absorbance reductions of 25% and 22% compared with baseline, respectively, after 2 h), and increased apoptosis (apoptotic cell percentages 9·9% and 8·6%, respectively, after 48h of incubation) in SSc fibroblasts, whereas they did not present a significant influence on control fibroblasts.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The effects of rosiglitazone or pioglitazone shown on SSc fibroblasts raise the hypothesis of a therapeutic role for PPARγ agonists in patients affected by SSc.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Metabolism Unit, University of Pisa School of Medicine, Via Roma 67, I-56100 Pisa, Italy. alessandro.antonelli@med.unipi.it
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Antonelli
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ferri
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Ferrari
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Colaci
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ruffilli
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sebastiani
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fallahi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects*; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D047495:PPAR gamma / Q000819:agonists*; D000077205:Pioglitazone; D000077154:Rosiglitazone; D012595:Scleroderma, Systemic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D045162:Thiazolidinediones / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D047495:PPAR gamma; D045162:Thiazolidinediones; D000077154:Rosiglitazone; D000077205:Pioglitazone