BUTYLATED HYDROXYANISOLE BLOCKS THE INHIBITORY EFFECTS OF TUMOR-NECROSIS-FACTOR-ALPHA ON COLLAGEN PRODUCTION IN HUMAN DERMAL FIBROBLASTS

Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) has been demonstrated to selec tively decrease the production of type I and type III collagens in hum an dermal fibroblasts. The effects of the commonly used food antioxida nts, butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), a lpha-tocopherol, propyl gallate, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catal ase on TNF-alpha-induced growth enhancement and collagen metabolism we re evaluated in the present study. BHA at concentrations of both 5 x 1 0(-5) M and 10(-4) M inhibited cell proliferation and DNA synthesis in duced by 10 ng/ml TNF-alpha in human dermal fibroblasts, while other a ntioxidants had minimal effects. Further, BHA (5 x 10(-5) M and 10(-4) M) significantly blocked TNF-alpha-induced decreases in collagen synt hesis. These results suggest that antioxidants such as BHA may be invo lved in the modulation of collagen synthesis by TNF-alpha in human der mal fibroblasts.