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Increased expression of transforming growth factor alpha precursors in acute experimental colitis in rats.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND AND AIM: Epidermal growth factor (EGF) and transforming growth factor alpha (TGF-alpha), members of the EGF family of growth factors, protect rat gastric and colonic mucosa against injury. Having shown previously that exogenously applied EGF protects rat colonic mucosa against injury, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the endogenously expressed ligand mediating the protective effect of EGF/TGF-alpha in vivo. METHODS: In an experimental model of trinitrobenzene sulphonic acid (TNBS)/ethanol induced colitis in rats EGF and TGF-alpha expression was evaluated using a ribonuclease protection assay, northern blot analysis, western blot analysis, and immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: TGF-alpha mRNA increased 3-4 times at 4-8 hours after induction of colitis and returned to control levels within 24 hours. TGF-alpha immunoreactive protein with a molecular size of about 28 kDa representing TGF-alpha precursors increased markedly after induction of colitis with a peak at 8-12 hours. No fully processed 5.6 kDa TGF-alpha protein was detected in normal or inflamed colon tissue. Only a weak signal for EGF mRNA expression was detected in the rat colon and no EGF protein was observed by immunohistochemistry or western blot analysis. CONCLUSIONS: TGF-alpha precursors are the main ligands for the EGF receptor in acute colitis. It is hypothesised that TGF-alpha precursors convey the biological activity of endogenous TGF-alpha peptides during mucosal defence and repair.

SUBMITTER: Hoffmann P

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1891469 | biostudies-other | 1997 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other

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Project description:Radiation fibrosis of the lung is a late toxicity of thoracic irradiation. Epidermal growth factor (EGF) signaling has previously been implicated in radiation lung injury. We hypothesized that TGF-?, an EGF receptor ligand, plays a key role in radiation-induced fibrosis in lung. Mice deficient in transforming growth factor (TGF-?(-/-)) and control C57Bl/6J (C57-WT) mice were exposed to thoracic irradiation in 5 daily fractions of 6 Gy. Cohorts of mice were followed for survival (n ? 5 per group) and tissue collection (n = 3 per strain and time point). Collagen accumulation in irradiated lungs was assessed by Masson's trichrome staining and analysis of hydroxyproline content. Cytokine levels in lung tissue were assessed with ELISA. The effects of TGF-? on pneumocyte and fibroblast proliferation and collagen production were analyzed in vitro. Lysyl oxidase (LOX) expression and activity were measured in vitro and in vivo. Irradiated C57-WT mice had a median survival of 24.4 weeks compared to 48.2 weeks for irradiated TGF-?(-/-) mice (P = 0.001). At 20 weeks after irradiation, hydroxyproline content was markedly increased in C57-WT mice exposed to radiation compared to TGF-?(-/-) mice exposed to radiation or unirradiated C57-WT mice (63.0, 30.5 and 37.6 ?g/lung, respectively, P = 0.01). C57-WT mice exposed to radiation had dense foci of subpleural fibrosis at 20 weeks after exposure, whereas the lungs of irradiated TGF-? (-/-) mice were largely devoid of fibrotic foci. Lung tissue concentrations of IL-1?, IL-4, TNF-?, TGF-? and EGF at multiple time points after irradiation were similar in C57-WT and TGF-?(-/-) mice. TGF-? in lung tissue of C57-WT mice rose rapidly after irradiation and remained elevated through 20 weeks. TGF-?(-/-) mice had lower basal LOX expression than C57-WT mice. Both LOX expression and LOX activity were increased after irradiation in all mice but to a lesser degree in TGF-?(-/-) mice. Treatment of NIH-3T3 fibroblasts with TGF-? resulted in increases in proliferation, collagen production and LOX activity. These studies identify TGF-? as a critical mediator of radiation-induced lung injury and a novel therapeutic target in this setting. Further, these data implicate TGF-? as a mediator of collagen maturation through a TGF-? independent activation of lysyl oxidase.

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Increased expression of transforming growth factor alpha precursors in acute experimental colitis in rats.

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