Effect of subcellular matrix on glycosaminoglycan synthesis by human lung fibroblasts

The influences modulating glycosaminoglycan production by lung cells are not well understood. We examined the effect of three different subcellular matrices, plastic, type I collagen, and reconstituted basement membrane-like material (RBM), on the synthesis of sulfated glycosaminoglycans by cultured IMR-90 human lung fibroblasts. Accumulation of 35SO4-labeled glycosaminoglycans into the cell-matrix layer or medium was measured. Cells on collagen synthesized significantly less total glycosaminoglycans than cells on plastic but had a higher fraction of labeled glycosaminoglycans present in the cell-matrix layer (35 vs. 18%) with the increases being highest for dermatan and chondroitin sulfates. Cells grown on the RBM synthesized significantly more glycosaminoglycans than cells on plastic or collagen and also had 260% more labeled glycosaminoglycans present in the cell-matrix layer than cells on plastic. We conclude that the matrix to which lung fibroblasts are exposed can influence the amount and type of glycosaminoglycans synthesized and the degree of incorporation into the matrix. This may be relevant to fibrotic lungs with increased type I collagen or to severely injured lungs in which intra-alveolar fibroblasts are in contact with denuded basement membranes.