Effect of a platelet release fraction on glycosaminoglycan synthesis by cultured dermal fibroblasts from patients with progressive systemic sclerosis

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Abstract
Confluent cultures of dermal fibroblasts from patients with progressive systemic sclerosis (PSS) and healthy controls were investigated for the synthesis of glycosaminoglycans (GAG) in response to a platelet release fraction (PRF) obtained by treatment of pooled platelets from normal individuals with adenosine 5''-diphosphate (ADP). PRF, at concentrations of 1 to 50 .mu.g protein/ml, produced a linear increase in GAG synthesis that was always greater in cultures of PSS fibroblasts than in cultures of normal fibroblasts (P<0.001). A partial inhibition of GAG synthesis was observed with 100 .mu.g/ml of PRF. The increased GAG synthesis in cultures incubated with PRF was not due to ADP. These findings demonstrate a difference in response to PRF between PSS and normal fibroblasts and may reflect an increased responsiveness of PSS fibroblasts to platelet factors.