Effect of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma agonists on myofibroblast differentiation and collagen production in nasal polyp-derived fibroblasts.

OBJECTIVES

We investigated the effect of transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) on the differentiation of nasal polyp-derived fibroblasts (NPDFs) and on their production of collagen, and investigated the effect of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma) agonists on the effects of TGF-beta1.

METHODS

Primary fibroblast lines were established from 5 human nasal polyp tissues. We activated the NPDFs with TGF-beta1 and exposed them to the PPARy agonists ciglitazone and 15-deoxy-Delta-prostaglandin J2. The expression of alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA) and collagen was measured by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reactions, immunocytochemical staining, and collagen assays.

RESULTS

The treatment with TGF-beta1 increased the expression of alpha-SMA and collagen, and expression was markedly attenuated by the PPARy agonists.

CONCLUSIONS

PPARy agonists inhibit the differentiation of TGF-beta1-activated NPDFs and their production of collagen.