The influence of the anabolic agent, oxandrolone, upon the expression of procollagen types I and III mRNA in human fibroblasts cultured on collagen or plastic

The repair process entails the reestablishment of: a connective tissue matr ix, a scar, where collagen is the major matrix component. Collagen depositi on is critical for the initial gains in wound breaking strength and makes u p the extracellular matrix of granulation tissue. The systemic administrati on of anabolic steroid reportedly enhances wound repair through the expansi on of collagen synthesis and deposition. Do human dermal fibroblasts receiv ing an anabolic steroid, oxandrolone, increase their expression of procolla gen mRNA? Human dermal fibroblasts were grown on collagen-coated or uncoate d plastic dishes in the presence of ascorbic acid to optimize collagen proc essing. By Northern Blot analysis, fibroblasts growing on collagen expresse d less types I and III procollagen mRNA, reduced by 49 percent and 91 perce nt respectively, compared to fibroblasts growing on plastic. Fibroblasts gr owing on plastic and receiving oxandrolone (3 gamma /ml) showed a minimal c hange in procollagen mRNA expression. However, oxandrolone stimulated expre ssion of type III procollagen mRNA 11-fold and type I procollagen mRNA doub led in fibroblasts maintained on collagen, relative to control fibroblasts maintained on collagen. A collagen substrate inhibits types I and III proco llagen mRNA expression in fibroblasts. The anabolic steroid, oxandrolone, a ntagonizes such collagen substrate inhibition of procollagen mRNA expressio n, stimulating procollagen mRNA expression to levels of fibroblasts growing on plastic. These findings suggest that oxandrolone may directly enhance w ound healing by increasing the expression of procollagen mRNA in fibroblast s associated with a collagen matrix analogous to the healing wound.