The effect of pentoxifylline on IL-6 and PDGF expression in human keloid fibroblasts

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of different dose of pentoxifylline (PTX) on intedeukin-6 (IL-6) and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) expression in human normal skin fibroblast (NF) and keloid fibroblast (KF), to explore the pathogenesis of PTX on prevention and treatment of KF.

Methods: Human NF and KF were passaged till the 5th to 7th generations by tissue block adhering wall method, and then were cultured in vitro with different dose of PTX. Levels of IL-6 and PDGF were detected by ELISA at various periods. 

Results: (1) Compared with control group, the expressions of IL-6 in NF were significantly inhibited with 0.5 mg/ml PTX for 72 h, 1.0 mg/ml and 2.0 mg/ml PTX for 24 h, 48 h and 72 h separately (p < .01); The lower expressions of IL-6 were also showed in KF with 0.25 mg/ml PTX for 48 h and 72 h, 0.5 mg/ml, 1.0 mg/ml and 2.0 mg/ml PTX for 24 h, 48 h and 72 h separately (p < .01). (2) After cultured with 0.25 mg/ml PTX for 72 h, 0.5 mg/ml, 1.0 mg/ml and 2.0 mg/ml PTX for 24 h, 48 h and 72 h separately, the expressions of PDGF in NF were decreased significantly compared to the controls (p < .01); The reduced PDGF expressions were also found in KF after cultured with 0.25 mg/ml, 0.5 mg/ml, 1.0 mg/ml and 2.0 mg/ml PTX for 24 h, 48 h and 72 h separately (p < .05). Repeated measures analysis of variance indicated the difference source of cells and doses with statistical significance.

Conclusions: The expressions of IL-6 and PDGF in KF were higher than those in NF. PTX plays a notable inhibitory role in the expression of IL-6 and PDGF, which could be used as a promising medicine for Keloid treatment.