Effect of sucrose on collagen metabolism in keloid, hypertrophic scar, andgranulation tissue fibroblast cultures

Sucrose has been used to treat wounds with excellent results and with minim al abnormal scarring. In this study the effects of sucrose on collagen meta bolism in fibroblast culture was evaluated. Sucrose (5.5, 15,,, 25 mM) was added to granulation tissue, hypertrophic scar, and keloid fibroblast cultu res, mRNA levels and procollagen aminopropeptides for type I and LII collag ens in cell culture medium were studied. Sucrose decreased mRNA levels for pro alpha1(I) and proal(III) collagens in fibroblast cultures derived from hypertrophic scar and keloid. In normal granulation tissue fibroblast cultu res, 5,5 mM sucrose increased mRNA levels for pro alpha1(I) and pro alpha1( III) collagen, and higher concentrations decreased them. The synthesis of t ype I collagen decreased dose-dependently in all cell strains, whereas the synthesis of type III collagen decreased only in granulation tissue fibrobl asts, To conclude, in vitro high concentrations of sucrose down-regulate bo th collagen gene expression and synthesis in normal granulation tissue fibr oblasts, whereas in fibroblasts derived from abnormal scar sucrose down-reg ulates only type I collagen gene expression and synthesis, changing the pat tern of collagen metabolism toward normal.