Contraction of collagen lattices by cells from Dupuytren's nodules

The aim of this study was to see if nodular cells in Dupuytren's disease differed from dermal cells in their contractile capacity and motility. Ten surgical specimens from patients with Dupuytren's disease and contracture of the finger of more than 45 degrees were harvested and the nodular cells were explanted and cultured. Dermal fibroblasts from the forearm were used as control cells. Both types of cell had the same growth pattern. The morphology on confocal laser scanning microscopy was also similar in both types of cell. Dermal control cells caused significantly more contraction of collagen lattices compared with fibroblasts from nodules of Dupuytren's contracture. The F-actin content was equal in both groups. Platelet derived growth factor, PDGF-BB (but not PDGF-AA), increased the chemotactic activity of both cell types, but there were no differences between them. The results indicate that at a late state of the disease cells from Dupuytren's nodules lose their contractile capacity and regain a phenotype resembling that of dermal fibroblasts.