title: Identification of an EGF/TGF-alpha receptor in primary cultures of guinea pig gastric mucous epithelial cells.
abstract: Binding and localization of transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF-alpha) and epidermal growth factor (EGF) were assessed using in vitro primary cultures of guinea pig gastric mucous epithelial cells (GMEC). GMEC were isolated and cultured in six-well plates with Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium + 10% serum and then changed to serum-free medium for 24 h for binding studies. The binding time course of 125I-labeled EGF and 125I-TGF-alpha in GMEC cultures at 4 degrees C was saturable, reaching a plateau within 4-6 h. Competition-binding curves revealed that the amount of unlabeled EGF and TGF-alpha to reduce 125I-EGF binding by 50% was 0.35 and 0.23 nM, respectively. The amount of unlabeled EGF and TGF-alpha to decrease 125I-TGF-alpha binding by 50% was 0.30 and 0.21 nM, respectively. A Scatchard analysis of the data disclosed that a single class of high-affinity binding sites (dissociation constant = 0.24 nM) was present. The maximal binding capacity was approximately 20 fmol/10(6) cells or approximately 12,000 receptors per cell. The binding of 125I-EGF and 125I-TFG-alpha to GMEC cultures was maximal between pH 7.0 and 8.5. No specific binding of EGF or TGF-alpha could be detected below pH 5.0. The half-maximal pH dissociation value for EGF and TGF-alpha was pH 5.89 and pH 6.83, respectively. We found no difference in the final amounts of membrane-bound or internalized 125I-EGF and 125I-TGF-alpha. However, there was a significant difference (P < 0.05) at 5-30 min in the rate of dissociated and internalized 125I-EGF- and 125I-TGF-alpha. Immunofluorescence microscopy of GMEC cultures for EGF/TGF-alpha receptors showed increased fluorescence at the leading edges and around the perimeter of cells. Detection of an EGF/TGF-alpha receptor was also confirmed by Western blotting. Our findings demonstrate that guinea pig GMEC possess a specific EGF/TGF-alpha receptor, which further supports a physiological role for EFG and TFG-alpha as mitogens in these cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Oregon Health Sciences University, Portland, USA.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Rutten
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Dempsey
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Luttropp
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Hawkey
authors.forename: B C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Sheppard
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Crass
authors.forename: C W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Deveney
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Coffey
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001667:Binding, Competitive; D015153:Blotting, Western; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000378:metabolism*; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D014018:Tissue Distribution
chemical_list: D066246:ErbB Receptors