Interleukin-4 stimulates collagen synthesis by normal and scleroderma fibroblasts in dermal equivalents. |
| |
Authors: | C Fertin J F Nicolas P Gillery B Kalis J Banchereau F X Maquart |
| |
Affiliation: | Laboratoire de Biochimie, CNRS URA 610, Faculté de Médecine, Reims, France. |
| |
Abstract: | Interleukin-4 (IL-4) is one of the products of T-lymphocytes and mast cells, inflammatory cells which accumulate in connective tissues at early stages of fibrosis. We tested the effects of IL-4 on human fibroblasts from normal and scleroderma skin seeded in three dimensional collagen lattices ("dermal equivalents"). IL-4 (10 and 100 U/ml) stimulated collagen synthesis in a dose-dependent manner. No significant alteration of lattice retraction and cell proliferation was observed. At the concentration 100 U/ml, Il-4 was approximately twice more efficient on collagen synthesis than Transforming Growth Factor beta (10 ng/ml). IL-4 secretion in connective tissues might be an important factor for the development of fibrotic processes. |
| |
Keywords: | |
|
|