Effect of ascorbic acid and growth factors on collagen metabolism of flexor retinaculum cells from individuals with and without carpal tunnel syndrome.

The effects of ascorbic acid and various growth factors on the proliferation rate and collagen metabolism were studied in cells from the flexor retinaculum of individuals with carpal tunnel syndrome (FR-CTS) and without carpal tunnel syndrome (FR control) and in human dermal fibroblasts. Ascorbic acid and four growth factors, including basic fibroblast growth factor, transforming growth factor, platelet-derived growth factor, and epidermal growth factors, were used. Ascorbic acid stimulates type I collagen production more in FR control than in FR-CTS. Growth factor treatment resulted in the following responses by the cells: (1) a higher mitogenic response than in the control cells; (2) a higher stimulation of type III collagen production and a lower stimulation of type I collagen production in CTS cells as compared with control cells; and (3) more alpha 2 (I) than alpha 1 (I) collagen production in CTS cells, unlike in control cells. We concluded that cells of the FR from individuals with CTS are physiologically altered.