Dexamethasone-induced increase in platelet-derived growth factor (B) mRNA in human alveolar macrophages and myelomonocytic HL60 macrophage-like cells.

Platelet-derived growth factor (B) (PDGF(B)) from alveolar macrophages is thought to play a central role in orchestrating the fibrotic response. Because corticosteroids are widely used in the treatment of patients with lung fibrosis, we asked whether corticosteroids modulated PDGF(B) gene activation in macrophages. PDGF(B) mRNA in alveolar macrophages obtained from smokers was increased after culture in the presence of dexamethasone (P less than 0.05), interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) (P less than 0.05), or both in combination (P less than 0.05). Dexamethasone did not alter the abundance of mRNA encoding transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta), but did decrease the mRNA of early growth response gene 2 (EGR2). These initial experiments required large numbers of cells and thus were performed on macrophages from smokers. The results were reproduced when PDGF(B) mRNA abundance in macrophages from healthy nonsmoking volunteers was measured by the reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). There was an increase in PDGF(B) mRNA in macrophages from nonsmokers after stimulation with dexamethasone alone (P less than 0.05) or in combination with IFN-gamma (P less than 0.05). To provide adequate cell numbers for kinetic and dose-response studies, the in vitro model of phorbol ester (TPA)-induced differentiation of HL60 cells to macrophage-like cells was used. In these cells, dexamethasone caused a 20-fold increase in the abundance of PDGF(B) mRNA, which was concentration and time dependent but not associated with changes in TGF-beta or EGR2 mRNA. This study suggests that in addition to their anti-inflammatory effects, corticosteroids may also increase the abundance of PDGF(B) mRNA.