Inflammatory cell regulation of fibroblast growth and function may be instrumental in normal wound repair and healing. However, in chronic inflammation the prolonged release of inflammatory mediators can lead to pathologic changes in connective tissue. Therefore, investigations in this laboratory focus on the production and mechanism of action of a T cell product which can regulate fibroblast growth and functions. Human peripheral blood T lymphocytes are activated by concanavalin A and other mitogens to produce fibroblast activating factor (FAF), a mediator that stimulates proliferation of dermal fibroblasts. FAF has been purified at least 5,000-fold using anion-exchange chromatography, gel filtration and preparative PAGE electrophoresis. A leukemia T-cell line, HSB2, produces FAF when stimulated with mitogens and can potentially be used to produce large quantities of FAF for biochemical purification, as well as for molecular cloning of the FAF gene.
