Cyclosporin A and transforming growth factor β modify the pattern of extracellular glycosaminoglycans without causing cytoskeletal changes in human gingival fibroblasts

Cyclosporin A is a powerful immunosuppressive drug that has had a major impact on transplant therapy. It apparently links to different enzymatic pathways, and affects multiple enzymatic systems. Transforming growth factor β induces the deposition of glycosaminoglycans, proteoglycans, and collagen fibers in the extracellular matrix. The aim of this study of normal and hypertrophic human gingival fibroblast cultures was to evaluate the cytoskeletal and extracellular changes in glycosaminoglycan secretion due to the presence of cyclosporin A and transforming growth factor β. The results showed that there is an increase in total and individual classes of extracellular glycosaminoglycans in the presence of cyclosporin A and transforming growth factor β, but the action of the latter was significantly greater. Immunohistochemical analysis of the cytoskeleton did not reveal any morphological differences between treated and control cells. Our data suggest that the biochemical changes in the extracellular matrix are caused more by cytokine, and that cyclosporin A does not induce any morphological changes in fibroblast cultures derived from hypertrophic and normal gingiva.