Effect of heparin and related glycosaminoglycan on PDGF-induced lung fibroblast proliferation, chemotactic response and matrix metalloproteinases activity

Fibroblast migration, proliferation, extacellular matrix protein synthesis and degradation are the key events in various biological and pathological processes in pulmonary fibrosis. In addition, biopsy specimens from the lungs of patients with plumomary fibrosis show increased numbers of mast cells which have metachromatic granules containing heparin, histamin and proteases. Little is known about how these products influence pulmonary fibrosis. In the present study, we investigated the effect of heparin and related glycosaminoglycans on PDGF-induced lung fibroblast proliferation and chemotactic response in vitro. In addition, we examined the effect of heparin on both the induction of matorix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and MMPs activity in lung fibroblasts in vitro.