Enhanced fibroblast growth factor 5 expression in stromal and exocrine elements of the pancreas in chronic pancreatitis.
BACKGROUND
Fibroblast growth factor 5 (FGF-5) belongs to a group of mitogenic and angiogenic heparin binding growth factors but its potential role in chronic inflammatory conditions is not known.


OBJECTIVE
To compare FGF-5 expression in the normal pancreas and in the pancreas of patients with chronic pancreatitis (CP) and to characterise FGF-5 expression and secretion in TAKA-1 cells, an immortalised Syrian hamster pancreatic duct cell line.


RESULTS
Northern blotting revealed the presence of a 4.0 kb FGF-5 mRNA transcript in both normal and CP tissue samples. Densitometric analysis indicated that the transcript levels were increased by a factor of 1.44 in CP tissue samples compared with normal tissue samples (p = 0.039). By immunohistochemisty and in situ hybridisation, FGF-5 was faintly expressed in ductal and islet cells in the normal pancreas. In contrast, in CP tissue samples, there was abundant expression of FGF-5 in ductal, acinar, and islet cells, as well as in periductal fibroblasts. FGF-5 was also expressed in TAKA-1 cells as determined by Northern blotting. By immunoblotting of heparinsepharose precipitates, TAKA-1 cells were shown to secrete FGF-5 into the medium.


CONCLUSIONS
Exocrine and stromal derived FGF-5 has the potential to participate in autocrine and paracrine pathways that may contribute to the pathobiology of chronic pancreatitis.
Ishiwata
T
T
Department of Medicine, University of California, Irvine 92697, USA.
Kornmann
M
M
Beger
H G
HG
Korc
M
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D002908:Chronic Disease; D006224:Cricetinae; D005260:Female; D051521:Fibroblast Growth Factor 5; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010179:Pancreas / Q000378:metabolism*; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
C496449:FGF5 protein, human; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D051521:Fibroblast Growth Factor 5; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors