Keratinocyte growth factor is an endogenous stimulant of rabbit gastric epithelial cell proliferation and migration in primary culture.
Mesenchymal-epithelial interactions are important in the gastric mucosal repair. However, specific factors responsible for such interactions have not been established. In the present study, keratinocyte growth factor (KGF) significantly stimulated proliferation of gastric epithelial cells dose dependently and synergistically with hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), epidermal growth factor (EGF) and insulin. Restitution of gastric epithelial monolayers was also assessed, using a round wound restitution model. Keratinocyte growth factor facilitated the restitution of gastric epithelial cells significantly but did not have any effects on gastric fibroblasts. Keratinocyte growth factor receptor mRNA was expressed by gastric epithelial cells, indicating that these effects were elicited by the specific receptor mediated pathway. Northern blot analysis revealed the expression of KGF mRNA in gastric fibroblasts but not in gastric epithelial cells, indicating the production of KGF. These results suggest that KGF might be involved in gastric mucosal repair, through mesenchymal-epithelial interaction.
Takahashi
M
M
Second Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Japan.
Ota
S
S
Nishimura
S
S
Ogura
K
K
Maeda
S
S
Toda
N
N
Hamada
E
E
Terano
A
A
Omata
M
M
D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques; D002455:Cell Division; D002465:Cell Movement; D004847:Epithelial Cells; D004848:Epithelium / Q000502:physiology; D051526:Fibroblast Growth Factor 10; D051523:Fibroblast Growth Factor 7; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology*; D006133:Growth Substances / Q000502:physiology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011817:Rabbits
D051526:Fibroblast Growth Factor 10; D006133:Growth Substances; D051523:Fibroblast Growth Factor 7; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors