Down-regulating causes of fibrosis with tamoxifen: a possible cellular/molecular approach to treat rhinophyma.

Abstract

Fibrosis and proliferative scarring are prominent features of the severe forms of rhinophyma. Up-regulation of growth and fibroblast kinetics are hallmarks of fibrosis. Persistent overexpression or dysregulated activation of the fibrogenic isoforms of transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) is associated with the increased fibroblast function leading to fibrotic conditions such as rhinophyma. Tamoxifen, a synthetic nonsteroidal antiestrogen, can neutralize or down-regulate TGF-beta. Fibroblast-populated collagen lattices (FPCLs) were constructed from fibroblasts cultured from rhinophyma or normal nasal skin. One-half of each set of FPCLs was treated with Tamoxifen. Lattice contraction was serially measured over 5 days, and the supernatants of the cultures were analyzed for TGF-beta-2 by immunoassay. Tamoxifen significantly decreased fibroblast activity by decreasing contraction of the treated lattices (P < 0.05) and significantly decreased the production/secretion of TGF-beta-2 by rhinophyma fibroblasts (P < 0.001). These results suggest a possible new cellular/molecular approach to the treatment of the fibrotic varieties of rhinophyma.

• Authors: Wyatt G Payne, Francis Ko, Stephanie Anspaugh, Chad K Wheeler, Terry E Wright, Martin C Robson
• Journal: Annals of plastic surgery (Ann Plast Surg) Vol. 56 Issue 3 Pg. 301-5 (Mar 2006) ISSN: 0148-7043 [Print] United States
• PMID: 16508362 (Publication Type: Comparative Study, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators
• TGFB2 protein, human
• Transforming Growth Factor beta
• Transforming Growth Factor beta2
• Tamoxifen

Topics

• Case-Control Studies
• Cell Proliferation (drug effects)
• Cells, Cultured (cytology, drug effects)
• Down-Regulation
• Fibroblasts (cytology, drug effects)
• Fibrosis (prevention & control)
• Humans
• Male
• Rhinophyma (drug therapy, pathology, surgery)
• Sampling Studies
• Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators (pharmacology)
• Sensitivity and Specificity
• Tamoxifen (pharmacology)
• Transforming Growth Factor beta (drug effects, metabolism)
• Transforming Growth Factor beta2