The Rate of Synthesis of Glycosaminoglycans and Collagen by Fibroblasts Cultured from Adult Human Liver Biopsies

Adult human liver biopsies were cultured from normal, alcoholic hepatitis, chronic active hepatitis, fibrosis plus alcoholic hepatitis (active cirrhosis), inactive cirrhosis, and drug hepatitis. The synthesis of collagen was estimated in cultures from 58 livers by measuring the conversion of [¹⁴C]proline to the [¹⁴C]hydroxyproline of collagen; that of glycosaminoglycans in cultures from 57 livers by the incorporation of [³H]acetate and ³⁵SO₄ into glycosaminoglycans (GAG). The synthesis of procollagen was increased only in cultures from alcoholic hepatitis, both in the pulse medium (P < 0.05) and in the chase medium (P < 0.02). The synthesis of insoluble collagen was increased in cultures from chronic (active) hepatitis (P < 0.01), fibrosis plus alcoholic hepatitis (active cirrhosis) (P < 0.001), and inactive cirrhosis (P < 0.05). Essentially all radioactive GAG was soluble in culture media. The predominant GAG were chondroitin-4 or -6-SO₄. The synthesis of GAG was increased only in cultures from fibrosis plus alcoholic hepatitis (active cirrhosis) both in the pulse medium (P < 0.01) and chase medium (P < 0.001).