Different metabolism of hexose sugars and sucrose in wound fluid and in fibroblast cultures derived from granulation tissue, hypertrophic scar and keloid

Abstract

Viscose cellulose sponge implants in the rat and fibroblast cultures established from granulation tissue, hypertrophic scar, or keloid were treated with different concentrations of glucose, fructose, galactose, mannose, and sucrose. The concentrations of the above-mentioned sugars in wound fluid and cell culture medium were examined at the termination of experiments by liquid chromatography. Results showed that glucose was present in wound fluid in relatively low levels. In addition to glucose, only mannose was found in wound fluid. On the other hand, cell culture studies showed that virtually all the added sugars were found in cell culture medium. The most prominent exception was the decreased concentration of mannose in keloid fibroblast cultures. In addition, glucose concentration in culture medium of keloid fibroblasts was constantly very low except in mannose-treated cultures where the consumption of glucose was dose-dependently decreased compared to increased mannose concentration. Similarly, increased concentrations of galactose and mannose resulted in dose-dependent lowered consumption of glucose in granulation tissue and hypertrophic scar fibroblasts. These findings suggest that the sugar metabolism may differ in various fibroblast cultures. Further, at least in our wound model, only glucose and mannose are present in wound fluid, and excess sugar is rapidly cleared from wound fluid.