epidermal-growth-factor and Dupuytren-Contracture

Etiology and pathogenesis of Dupuytren's disease still remains unclear. This disease like other conditions resulting from chronic pathological fibrosis (organ fibromatoses, intraperitoneal adhesions, hypertrophic scars) remains a therapeutic problem. These facts substantiate fully research on processes leading to pathological changes in these diseases. The ongoing research is not only to broaden our knowledge but mainly to work out methods of causal treatment. Despite significant observations in vitro and in clinical trials, practical applications from these studies are still a way ahead. Consequently, symptomatic surgical treatment of Dupuytren's disease still remains the method of choice.

Topics: Animals; Dupuytren Contracture; Epidermal Growth Factor; Fascia; Fasciotomy; Fibronectins; Genetic Predisposition to Disease; Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor; Hand; Humans; Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinases; Transforming Growth Factor beta

The aim of this article was to show the participation of epidermal growth factor (EGF) in the pathogenesis of Dupuytren's disease (palmar contracture). The concentration of EGF in specimens obtained from 68 patients with Dupuytren's contracture and 14 controls was examined immunochemically with the use of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The determined EGF concentration in pathologic aponeurosis with symptoms of Dupuytren's disease (median, 6.29 ng/g; range, 1.67 to 63.09 ng/g) showed significantly different values (p = 0.036) in comparison with the control group (median, 10.1 ng/g; range, 5.13 to 39.81 ng/g). The changes in EGF concentration were shown in tested groups of pathologic tissues that were formed according to the clinical stage of disease progression. The significantly lower concentration than that seen in the control group characterizes tissues with first and third degrees of palmar contracture progression (p = 0.025 and p = 0.018, respectively). In the group of patients with second-degree disease progression, the EGF level increased transiently. Nevertheless, in comparison with the other groups, the difference was not significant. The group with the fourth degree of the disease showed EGF concentrations that resembled the control values. The authors conclude that significant differences in levels of EGF concentration between contractured and normal fasciae may suggest the participation of this cytokine in the pathogenesis of Dupuytren's disease.

Topics: Aged; Disease Progression; Dupuytren Contracture; Epidermal Growth Factor; Fascia; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Smoking

The so-called fibrogenic cytokines, able to induce the growth of fibroblasts and their differentiation into myofibroblasts and to stimulate their production of extracellular matrix, are involved in the genesis of Dupuytren's contracture. Although many studies have been made of biomolecular aspects of palmar fibromatosis, practical applications from them are still far from imminent because of the real difficulty of blocking their action in vivo, even in a chronic, progressive lesion such as Dupuytren's disease. Consequently, surgical excision of the palmar fascia still remains the treatment of choice.

Topics: Dupuytren Contracture; Epidermal Growth Factor; Fasciotomy; Fibronectins; Genetic Predisposition to Disease; Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor; Hand; Humans; Metalloproteases; Platelet-Derived Growth Factor; Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinases; Transforming Growth Factor beta

Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) is a multifunctional polypeptide that stimulates extracellular matrix deposition and fibroblast proliferation. Because both these features characterize Dupuytren's contracture, we investigated a possible role for TGF-beta in the etiology of this disorder. We studied receptor expression for TGF-beta, effects of TGF-beta 1 on DNA-synthesis, and in vitro production of TGF-beta 1 and TGF-beta 2 in both normal and Dupuytren-derived fibroblasts. We also studied the effects of epidermal growth factor (EGF) on growth of the different cell types. TGF-beta receptor profiles were different between the two cell types, as were TGF-beta 1 and EGF-induced stimulation of cell growth. Both cell types secreted both active and latent TGF-beta. Our results suggest that growth factors such as TGF-beta and EGF may play a role in Dupuytren's contracture.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Animals; Cells, Cultured; DNA; Dupuytren Contracture; Epidermal Growth Factor; Female; Fibroblasts; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Mink; Receptors, Transforming Growth Factor beta; Swine; Transforming Growth Factor beta