Tissue from patients with Dupuytren's contracture expressed a higher percentage of peptide regulatory factors than that of controls: interleukin-1 alpha (83% v 16%; p < 0.01); interleukin-1 beta (66% v 8%; p < 0.01); transforming growth factor beta (75% v 25%; p < 0.02); and basic fibroblast growth factor (66% v 25%; p < 0.05).