Collagen production by cultures containing multinucleated cells derived from synovial fibroblasts.

Multinucleate cells are found frequently in rheumatoid synovium. In this study, polyethylene glycol was used to fuse rabbit synovial fibroblasts. Approximately 40% of the cells developed more than one nucleus in a 24 hour period, during which time cell membranes had increased permeability. In cultures containing multinucleate cells, 3H-thymidine incorporation was depressed for 24 hours although 3H-leucine incorporation into TCA precipitable material was unaffected; autoradiography showed that depression of 3H-thymidine continued for at least 4 days. Collagenase production by cultures containing fused cells was increased more than 10-fold over control cultures during a 28 day period.