Calcitonin gene-related peptide increases the production of glycosaminoglycans but not of collagen type I and III in cultures of rat fat-storing cells

We investigated whether calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) was able to affect the production of collagen and glycosaminoglycans (GAG) in cultures of rat fat-storing cells (FSC). Rat CGRP (1 nM-1 uM) induced a dose-dependent increase of total GAG production in FSC cultures with an EC 50 of 28 nM. One uM human CGRP (8–37) shifted the dose-response curve of rat CGRP to the right (EC 50 = 257 NM) without depressing the maximal response. Salmon calcitonin (1 nM-1 uM) did not significantly modify total GAG accumulation in FSC cultures. Collagen type I and III production was not significantly affected by either CGRP or calcitonin in FSC cultures. These findings suggest that peripheral sensory neuropeptides may modulate liver fibrogenesis.