Transforming growth factor beta stimulates the production of the tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases (TIMP) by human synovial and skin fibroblasts. |
| |
Authors: | J K Wright T E Cawston B L Hazleman |
| |
Affiliation: | Rheumatology Research Unit, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, U.K. |
| |
Abstract: | IL-1 stimulates the secretion of metalloproteinases by a variety of connective tissue cells and is thought to be the primary inducing agent of connective tissue breakdown in rheumatoid arthritis. Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) is known to be capable of inhibiting the synthesis of metalloproteinases and to be able to partially inhibit interleukin-1 (IL-1) induced cartilage degradation. The present paper examines the ability of TGF-beta to modulate the action of IL-1 on fibroblasts of synovial and skin origin and investigates the secretion of the tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases (TIMP) by these cells after exposure to TGF-beta and IL-1. The principal findings are that when four out of five fibroblast lines were exposed to TGF-beta and IL-1 in combination they displayed a significant increase in TIMP secretion; furthermore, in two of these cell lines a significant stimulation of TIMP secretion was induced by TGF-beta alone. |
| |
Keywords: | |
|
|