Concentration-dependent effects of mometasone furoate and dexamethasone on foetal lung fibroblast functions involved in airway inflammation and remodeling

Lung fibroblasts play a key role in the pathogenesis of airway inflammation and remodeling through the release of mediators and the expression of surface molecules connected with cell–cell and cell–extracellular matrix interaction. The aim of the study was to evaluate the inhibitory effect of two corticosteroids, mometasone furoate (MOM) and dexamethasone (DEX), respectively, on a variety of fibroblast functions: DNA synthesis and proliferation, expression of adhesion molecules [intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1, CD54) and hyaluronic cellular adhesion molecule (HCAM, CD44)] and release of chemokines/cytokines [monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1, eotaxin, interleukin (IL)-6 and transforming growth factor (TGF)-β]. Cells from a human foetal lung fibroblast cell line (GM 06114) were stimulated with basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) or tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α in the presence of different concentrations (0.01–100.0 nM) of MOM or DEX. A significant increase in fibroblast DNA synthesis and proliferation was observed when the cells were stimulated with bFGF ( p