Differential effect of etretinate on proliferation and extracellular matrix metabolism of human dermal fibroblasts from elderly and young individuals in a novel three-dimensional culture

The effect of etretinate on proliferation and biosynthesiso f collagensa nd glycosaminoglycans(G AGS) were
investigatedu sing human dermal fibroblasts in a novel three-dimensionacl ulture supplementedw ith L-ascorbica cid
2-phosphate. Fibroblasts from two young and two elderly individuals were studied at different concentrations of
etretinate, 0.25, 1. O and 2.5 pg/ml. Collagens( hydroxyproline) and GAGS (disaccharideu nits) extracted from the cell
layer were analyzed and quantified biochemically by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Etretinate
showed no significant effect on fibroblast proliferation either in the monolayer or the three-dimensionacl ulture.
Etretinate increasedth e collageno r GAGS content in the cell layer, which was prominent at etretinate concentrations
of 1.0 and 2.5 or 0.25 pg/ml, respectivelyi n fibroblastsf rom the elderly (P < 0.05). This effect was not seenin dermal
fibroblast from the young. Theser esultss uggesth at etretinate may have the differential effect on collagena nd GAG
metabolismsd ependingo n the donor age of the cultured fibroblasts.0 1998E lsevier ScienceI reland Ltd. All rights
reserved.