A role for substance P has been proposed in musculoskeletal fibrosis, with effects mediated through transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ). We examined the in vitro effects of substance P on proliferation, collagen secretion, and collagen deposition in rat primary dermal fibroblasts cultured in medium containing 10% fetal bovine serum, with or without TGFβ. In six-day cultures, substance P increased cell proliferation at concentrations from 0.0002 to 100 nM. TGFβ increased proliferation at concentrations from 0.0002 to 2 pg/mL, although higher concentrations inhibited proliferation. Substance P treatment alone at concentrations of 100, 0.2, and 0.00002 nM did not increase collagen deposition per cell, yet when combined with TGFβ (5 ng/mL), increased collagen deposition compared to TGFβ treatment alone. Substance P treatment (100 nM) also increased smooth muscle actin (SMA) expression at 72 h of culture at a level similar to 5 ng/mL of TGFβ; only TGFβ increased SMA at 48 h of culture. Thus, substance P may play a role in potentiating matrix deposition in vivo when combined with TGFβ, although this potentiation may be dependent on the concentration of each factor. Treatments targeting substance P may be a viable strategy for treating fibrosis where both substance P and TGFβ play roles.
Keywords: TGFbeta; collagen; fibroblasts; proliferation; smooth muscle actin; substance p.