Effect of gammadelta T cell supernatant on human skin fibroblast proliferation and collagen production--possible role of transforming growth factor-beta and basic fibroblast growth factor.

BACKGROUND: Perivascular mononuclear cell infiltration, vascular injury and diffuse interstitial fibrosis has been shown in systemic sclerosis (SSc). Objective To study a role of cellular immune mechanism inducing fibroblast proliferation and collagen synthesis.
METHODS: The interaction of gammadelta T-cell receptor bearing lymphocyte supernatant to human fibroblast proliferation and collagen synthesis was studied.
RESULTS: The fibroblasts added with gammadelta T cell supernatant showed increased proliferation compared with those without it and that added with alphabeta supernatant. The endothelial cells added with gammadelta T cell supernatants, however, showed significantly decreased proliferation compared with those without it and that added with alphabeta T cell supernatant. The fibroblasts added with endothelial cell supernatant showed increased proliferation compared with those without it. A doubling of collagen synthesis was observed when human skin fibroblasts were maintained in all of the supernatant. The collagen synthesis was inhibited by antitransforming growth factor-beta antibody and antibasic fibroblast growth factor antibody.
CONCLUSION: gammadelta T-cell-receptor bearing lymphocyte has proliferative and collagen synthesis activity to human skin fibroblasts, but suppressive to endothelial cells.