Cell proliferation and lipid formation in hamster sebaceous gland cells.

Background: The development of sebocytes and lipogenesis are known to be dependent on androgens. However, it is not fully understood whether growth factors are involved in the regulation of cell proliferation and lipid formation in sebaceous glands.

Objective: This study was designed to evaluate the effect of growth factors such as epidermal growth factor (EGF), transforming growth factor alpha (TGF-alpha), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and keratinocyte growth factor (KGF) on cell proliferation and lipogenesis in cultured hamster sebocytes.

Methods: Cell proliferation and intracellular lipid accumulation in these hamster sebocytes treated with growth factors were examined.

Results: EGF, TGF-alpha and bFGF augmented the proliferation of hamster sebocytes for 8 days in a time- and dose-dependent manner. However, KGF had no effect on their proliferation. Moreover, the accumulation of intracellular lipids consisting mainly of triglycerides was suppressed in EGF-, TGF-alpha-, bFGF- and KGF-treated hamster sebocytes.

Conclusion: EGF, TGF-alpha and bFGF, but not KGF, have mitogenic activity on hamster sebocytes, and all these growth factors act as antilipogenic factors. Moreover, it is likely that the formation of intracellular lipid droplets is independent of cell proliferation in hamster sebocytes.