title: Growth factors associated with gastric mucosal hypertrophy in autoimmune gastritis.
abstract: A prominent pathological feature of murine autoimmune gastritis is a pronounced mucosal hypertrophy. Here, we examined factors that may be responsible for inducing this hypertrophy. Because gastrin is known to be both an inducer of gastric mucosal cell proliferation and is elevated in autoimmune gastritis, mice deficient in gastrin were thymectomised at day 3 and assessed for autoimmune gastritis. Gastrin-deficient mice showed all the characteristic features of murine autoimmune gastritis, including gastric unit hypertrophy due to hyperproliferation and accumulation of immature epithelial cells, decreases in the number of zymogenic and parietal cells, and autoantibodies to the gastric H+/K+-ATPase. Hence, gastrin is not required for either the establishment of chronic gastritis or development of the typical pathological features of this disease. We also examined mRNA levels of a number of gastric mucosal growth factors in RNA samples from mice with hypertrophic autoimmune gastritis. Members of the Reg family, RegIIIbeta and RegIIIgamma, were greatly elevated in mice with hypertrophic gastritis, whereas RegI and amphiregulin (an EGF receptor ligand) were more modestly and/or inconsistently induced. These data demonstrate that induction of gastric mitogenic factors, such as members of the Reg family, can be achieved in inflammatory situations by gastrin-independent pathways. Members of the Reg family, in particular RegIIIbeta and RegIIIgamma, are good candidates to be involved in inducing the mucosal hyperproliferation in autoimmune gastritis. These findings are likely to be of relevance to other gastric inflammatory conditions.
authors.affiliation: The Russell Grimwade School of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Univ. of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia.
authors.forename: Teo V
authors.initials: TV
authors.lastname: Franic
authors.forename: Louise M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Judd
authors.forename: Nhung V
authors.initials: NV
authors.lastname: Nguyen
authors.forename: Linda C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Samuelson
authors.forename: Kate L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Loveland
authors.forename: Andy S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Giraud
authors.forename: Paul A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Gleeson
authors.forename: Ian R
authors.initials: IR
authors.lastname: van Driel
mesh_terms: D066258:Amphiregulin; D000818:Animals; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000276:immunology; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D066255:EGF Family of Proteins; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000235:genetics; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000235:genetics; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005755:Gastrins / Q000235:genetics*; D005756:Gastritis / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D015870:Gene Expression; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics; D006133:Growth Substances / Q000235:genetics*; D017506:H(+)-K(+)-Exchanging ATPase / Q000276:immunology; D066257:Heparin-binding EGF-like Growth Factor; D006984:Hypertrophy; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008817:Mice, Mutant Strains; D011506:Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D016211:Transforming Growth Factor alpha / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D066258:Amphiregulin; C587849:Areg protein, mouse; D001323:Autoantibodies; D066255:EGF Family of Proteins; D005755:Gastrins; D006023:Glycoproteins; D006133:Growth Substances; C587884:Hbegf protein, mouse; D066257:Heparin-binding EGF-like Growth Factor; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D011506:Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C088549:RegIII protein, mouse; D016211:Transforming Growth Factor alpha; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor; D066246:ErbB Receptors; D017506:H(+)-K(+)-Exchanging ATPase