Background: No study has evaluated the effect of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) agonists on cell viability, proliferation and apoptosis in cultured systemic sclerosis (SSc) fibroblasts.
Objectives: The effects of two pure PPARγ agonists (rosiglitazone and pioglitazone) in cultured SSc fibroblasts were evaluated and compared with effects in normal fibroblasts.
Methods: The study included evaluation of cell viability and proliferation (based on the cleavage of tetrazolium salts and measurement of absorbance of the cell proliferation reagent WST-1), and determination of cell apoptosis (by means of the Hoechst dye uptake).
Results: Rosiglitazone or pioglitazone (20μmolL(-1) ) significantly reduced cell proliferation (cell count of 75% and 83% compared with baseline, respectively, after 2h) and cell viability (absorbance reductions of 25% and 22% compared with baseline, respectively, after 2 h), and increased apoptosis (apoptotic cell percentages 9·9% and 8·6%, respectively, after 48h of incubation) in SSc fibroblasts, whereas they did not present a significant influence on control fibroblasts.
Conclusions: The effects of rosiglitazone or pioglitazone shown on SSc fibroblasts raise the hypothesis of a therapeutic role for PPARγ agonists in patients affected by SSc.
© 2012 The Authors. BJD © 2012 British Association of Dermatologists.