Glucocorticoids alter the ratio of type III type I collagen synthesis by mouse dermal fibroblasts.

The type of collagen synthesized by primary cultures of dermal fibroblasts from two different strains of mice (A/J and C57BL6/J) was investigated. Confluent cultures were grown for four days with or without 10(-6) and 10(-7) M corticosterone or 10(-6) M dexamethasone. Glucocorticoid treatment results in a lower type III/type I procollagen ratio in both strains. While the amount of type I procollagen remains unchanged, type III is reduced to about 25 per cent of control values in the cells from both mouse strains. Thus, glucocorticoids can modulate the types of collagen synthesized by cultured cells.