Regulation Of Epithelial Cell Proliferation Research Articles

Cell‐autonomous requirements for Dlg‐1 for lens epithelial cell structure and fiber cell morphogenesis

Cell polarity and adhesion are thought to be key determinants in organismal development. In Drosophila, discs large (dlg) has emerged as an important regulator of epithelial cell proliferation, adhesion, and polarity. Herein, we investigated the role of the mouse homolog of dlg (Dlg-1) in the development of the mouse ocular lens. Tissue-specific ablation of Dlg-1 throughout the lens early in lens development led to an expansion and disorganization of the epithelium that correlated with changes in the distribution of adhesion and polarity factors. In the fiber cells, differentiation defects were observed. These included alterations in cell structure and the disposition of cell adhesion/cytoskeletal factors, delay in denucleation, and reduced levels of alpha-catenin, pERK1/2, and MIP26. These fiber cell defects were recapitulated when Dlg-1 was disrupted only in fiber cells. These results suggest that Dlg-1 acts in a cell autonomous manner to regulate epithelial cell structure and fiber cell differentiation.

Mammary Gland Development in Transforming Growth Factor Beta1 Null Mutant Mice: Systemic and Epithelial Effects1

The cytokine-transforming growth factor beta1 (TGFB1) is implicated in development of the mammary gland through regulation of epithelial cell proliferation and differentiation during puberty and pregnancy. We compared mammary gland morphogenesis in virgin Tgfb1(+/+), Tgfb1(+/-), and Tgfb1(-/-) mice and transplanted Tgfb1(+/+) and Tgfb1(-/-) epithelium to determine the impact of TGFB1 deficiency on development. When mammary gland tissue was evaluated relative to the timing of puberty, invasion through the mammary fat pad of the ductal epithelium progressed similarly, irrespective of genotype, albeit fewer terminal end buds were observed in mammary glands from Tgfb1(-/-) mice. The terminal end buds appeared to be normal morphologically, and a comparable amount of epithelial proliferation was evident. When transplanted into wild-type recipients, however, Tgfb1(-/-) epithelium showed accelerated invasion compared with Tgfb1(+/+) epithelium. This suggests that the normal rate of ductal extension in Tgfb1(-/-) null mutant mice is the net result of impaired endocrine or paracrine support acting to limit the consequences of unrestrained epithelial growth. By adulthood, mammary glands in cycling virgin Tgfb1(-/-) mice were morphologically similar to those in Tgfb1(+/+) and Tgfb1(+/-) animals, with a normal branching pattern, and the tissue differentiated into early alveolar structures in the diestrous phase of the ovarian cycle. Transplanted mammary gland epithelium showed a similar extent of ductal branching and evidence of secretory differentiation of luminal cells in pregnancy. These results reveal two opposing actions of TGFB1 during pubertal mammary gland morphogenesis: autocrine inhibition of epithelial ductal growth, and endocrine or paracrine stimulation of epithelial ductal growth.

Rapamycin impairs skin γδ T cell function resulting in autophagy

Epithelial tissues provide barrier functions vital to the survival of the organism. To maintain this protective role, there is a complex regulation of epithelial cell proliferation and survival. γδ TCR‐expressing lymphocytes reside within the epithelia where they regulate tissue homeostasis and repair by producing growth factors, cytokines, and chemokines. Chronic nonhealing wounds are a devastating consequence of defective tissue repair. Patients that receive the immunosuppressant Rapamycin for the prophylaxis of acute kidney rejection report an increased incidence of wound healing complications. We hypothesize that rapamycin not only targets allograft‐specific αβ T lymphocytes, but also suppresses skin γδ T cells resulting in defective tissue repair. Rapamycin inhibits the signaling molecule mTOR, a key player in growth factor and cytokine signal reception. We have established a murine model of rapamycin administration in which there is delayed wound repair. Treatment with rapamycin arrests skin γδ T cell proliferation in G1 phase and causes the T cells to undergo autophagy. In addition skin γδ T cells exhibit a defect in TNF‐α production at the wound site. We propose that rapamycin blocks the ability of skin γδ T cells to receive nutrient and growth factor signals resulting in autophagy. This limits the ability of skin γδ T cells to proliferate and negatively impacts their ability to mediate wound repair.Support from Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and NIH DK073098.

207. Effect of TGFB1 on mammary gland development is dependent on cellular source of gene expression

The cytokine TGFB1 is implicated in development of the mammary gland through regulation of epithelial cell proliferation and differentiation during puberty and pregnancy. We have compared mammary gland morphogenesis in virgin Tgfb1+/+, Tgfb1+/− and Tgfb1−/− mice, and transplanted Tgfb1+/+ and Tgfb1−/− epithelium to determine the impact of TGFB1 deficiency on development. When mammary gland tissue was evaluated respective to timing of puberty, invasion through the mammary fat pad of the ductal epithelium progressed similarly irrespective of genotype, albeit fewer terminal end buds were observed in mammary glands from Tgfb1−/− mice. The terminal end buds appeared morphologically normal, and a comparable amount of epithelial proliferation was evident. However, when transplanted into wildtype recipients, Tgfb1−/− epithelium showed accelerated invasion compared with Tgfb1+/+ epithelium. This suggests that the normal rate of ductal extension in Tgfb1−/− null mutant mice is the net result of impaired endocrine or paracrine support acting to limit the consequences of unrestrained epithelial growth. By adulthood, mammary glands in cycling virgin Tgfb1−/− mice were morphologically similar to those in Tgfb1+/+ and Tgfb1+/− animals, a normal branching pattern was observed, and the tissue differentiated into early alveolar structures in the diestrus phase of the ovarian cycle. Transplanted mammary gland epithelium showed a similar extent of ductal branching and evidence of secretory differentiation of luminal cells in pregnancy. These results reveal two opposing actions of TGFB1 during pubertal mammary gland morphogenesis, dependent on the cellular source of gene expression. When expressed in the epithelium, TGFB1 inhibits epithelial ductal growth, when expressed systemically, TGFB1 promotes epithelial ductal growth.

Conditional Deletion of Pten Causes Bronchiolar Hyperplasia

Tumor suppressor phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN) is a lipid phosphatase that regulates multiple cellular processes including cell polarity, migration, proliferation, and carcinogenesis. In this work, we demonstrate that conditional deletion of Pten (Pten(Delta/Delta)) in the respiratory epithelial cells of the developing mouse lung caused epithelial cell proliferation and hyperplasia as early as 4 to 6 weeks of age. While bronchiolar cell differentiation was normal, as indicated by beta-tubulin and FOXJ1 expression in ciliated cells and by CCSP expression in nonciliated cells, cell proliferation (detected by expression of Ki-67, phospho-histone-H3, and cyclin D1) was increased and associated with activation of the AKT/mTOR survival pathway. Deletion of Pten caused papillary epithelial hyperplasia characterized by a hypercellular epithelium lining papillae with fibrovascular cores that protruded into the airway lumens. Cell polarity, as assessed by subcellular localization of cadherin, beta-catenin, and zonula occludens-1, was unaltered. PTEN is required for regulation of epithelial cell proliferation in the lung and for the maintenance of the normal simple columnar epithelium characteristics of bronchi and bronchioles.

Polyamines and mRNA stability in regulation of intestinal mucosal growth

The mammalian intestinal epithelium is a rapidly self-renewing tissue in the body, and its homeostasis is preserved through strict regulation of epithelial cell proliferation, growth arrest, and apoptosis. Polyamines are necessary for normal intestinal mucosal growth and decreasing cellular polyamines inhibits cell proliferation and disrupts epithelial integrity. An increasing body of evidence indicates that polyamines regulate intestinal epithelial cell renewal by virtue of their ability to modulate expression of various genes and that growth inhibition following polyamine depletion results primarily from the activation of growth-inhibiting genes rather than a simple decrease in expression of growth-promoting genes. In this review article, we will focus on changes in expression of growth-inhibiting genes following polyamine depletion and further analyze in some detail the mechanisms through which mRNA stability is regulated by RNA-binding proteins.

Epimorphin-/- mice have increased intestinal growth, decreased susceptibility to dextran sodium sulfate colitis, and impaired spermatogenesis

Dynamic and reciprocal epithelial-mesenchymal interactions are critical for the normal morphogenesis and maintenance of epithelia. Epimorphin has been identified as a unique molecule expressed by mesenchymal cells and myofibroblasts and has putative morphogenetic effects in multiple epithelial tissues, including intestine, skin, mammary gland, lung, gallbladder, and liver. To define the in vivo role of epimorphin, we created epimorphin-null mice by targeted inactivation of the epimorphin gene. Male epimorphin-/- mice are sterile due to abnormal testicular development and impaired spermatogenesis. Intestinal growth is increased in epimorphin-/- mice due to augmented crypt cell proliferation and crypt fission during the neonatal (suckling) period, mediated at least in part by changes in bone morphogenetic protein (Bmp) and Wnt/beta-catenin signaling pathways. Colonic mucosal injury and colitis induced by dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) are ameliorated in epimorphin-/- mice, probably due to the increased proliferative capacity of the epimorphin-/- colon. These in vivo findings support the notion that epimorphin is a key stromal regulator of epithelial cell proliferation and growth in the intestine. In addition, our studies demonstrate a novel and critical role for epimorphin in regulating testicular development and growth as well as spermatogenesis.

Roles of Dopamine in Proliferation of Gastric-Cancer Cells

Purpose: Dopamine is a neurotransmitter, but in the GIT, the roles of dopamine are a regulator of epithelial cell proliferation, an endogenous protective factor, and a regulator of stomach cancer cell proliferation. By using two different gastric-cancer cell lines, we assessed the effects of dopamine and dopamine receptors on the proliferation of human gastric-cancer cells. Materials and Methods: To assess the effects of dopamine and dopamine receptors on the proliferation of human gastric-cancer cells, we investigated cell proliferation and the expression of D1, D2L, and D2S receptor in two gastric-cancer cell lines, SNU 601 and KCU-C2. The effects of dopamine and dopamine receptors on the level of the cell proliferation were determined by staining with an A/H/E (acridine orange, hoechst and ethidium bromide) mixture. Results: After dopamine treatment, the cell viability was significantly decreased in SNU 601 cells (P

A novel organotypic culture model for normal human endometrium: regulation of epithelial cell proliferation by estradiol and medroxyprogesterone acetate

A novel organotypic culture system was established for modelling the hormonal responses of the normal human endometrium in vitro. Endometrial epithelial cells were cultured as glandular organoids within reconstituted extracellular matrix (Matrigel) in tissue culture inserts and stromal cells on plastic below the epithelial compartment. The effects of estradiol (E2) and E2 together with medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) on cell proliferation and the expression of estrogen receptor alpha (ERalpha) and progesterone receptor (PR) were studied in 10 epithelial-stromal co-cultures and in three parallel monocultures of epithelial organoids. In co-cultures, E2 was shown to increase the percentage of Ki67-positive cells by approximately 2-fold relative to untreated controls. In the presence of MPA, a significant decrease in cell proliferation was detected. Similar results were obtained when the corresponding percentages of Ki67-positive organoids were calculated instead of individual cells. In the absence of stromal fibroblasts, Ki67 epithelial labelling remained below the control value after both hormonal treatments. Epithelial organoids retained their capacity to express estrogen and progesterone receptors in culture. E2 was shown to markedly increase and MPA to down-regulate the expression of PR. The expression of ERalpha was only slightly affected by either hormonal treatment. The present organotypic model provides a novel in vitro system in which to study the effects of steroids in the normal human endometrium both in terms of cell proliferation and gene expression. The culture system holds promise as a useful method to screen novel steroid compounds and may help to circumvent problems related to the use of animal models.

Crosstalk between NF-κB and β-catenin pathways in bacterial-colonized intestinal epithelial cells

Salmonella-epithelial cell interactions are known to activate the proinflammatory NF-kappaB signaling pathway and have recently been found to also influence the beta-catenin signaling pathway, an important regulator of epithelial cell proliferation and differentiation. Here, using polarized epithelial cell models, we demonstrate that these same bacteria-mediated effects also direct the molecular crosstalk between the NF-kappaB and beta-catenin signaling pathways. Convergence of these two pathways is a result of the direct interaction between the NF-kappaB p50 subunit and beta-catenin. We show that PhoP(c), the avirulent derivative of a wild-type Salmonella strain, attenuates NF-kappaB activity by stabilizing the association of beta-catenin with NF-kappaB. In cell lines expressing constitutively active beta-catenin, IkappaBalpha protein was indirectly stabilized and NF-kappaB activity was repressed after wild-type Salmonella colonization. Accordingly, constitutively active beta-catenin was found to inhibit the secretion of IL-8. Thus our findings strongly suggest that the crosstalk between the beta-catenin and NF-kappaB signaling pathways is an important regulator of intestinal inflammation.

Cathepsin L-deficient mice exhibit abnormal skin and bone development and show increased resistance to osteoporosis following ovariectomy.

The role of cathepsin L in normal physiological processes was assessed using cathepsin L homozygous knockout mice (B6;129-Ctsl(tm1Alpk)). These mice were generated using gene targeting in embryonic stem cells. Null mice fail to express mRNA and protein to cathepsin L. They developed normally and were fertile. The distinct phenotypic change exhibited was a progressive hair loss, culminating in extensive alopecia by 9 months of age. Histological analysis of the skin from homozygous mice revealed diffuse epithelial hyperplasia, hypotrichosis, hair shaft fragmentation and utricle formation. These findings provide evidence that cathepsin L is involved in the regulation of epithelial cell proliferation and differentiation in the skin. In addition, the role of cathepsin L in bone remodelling was evaluated. Using bone histomorphometric measurements, trabecular, but not cortical, bone volume was found to be significantly decreased in the cathepsin L heterozygote and homozygote mice compared to the wild-type mice. Following ovariectomy, it was observed that loss of trabecular bone, the most metabolically active component of bone, occurred to a lesser extent in homozygote, and heterozygote mice, than was seen in wild-type mice. These observations suggest that cathepsin L is likely to have a role in controlling bone turnover during normal development and in pathological states.

CD44 negatively regulates apoptosis in murine colonic epithelium via the mitochondrial pathway

Regulation of epithelial cell proliferation and apoptosis are important determinants of colonic crypt homeostasis, and their dysregulations are key features of colon cancer. In this study, we investigated whether CD44, an adhesion protein overexpressed in colon cancer, plays a role in colonocyte proliferation and apoptosis, and the molecular mechanisms involved in these processes. Using a CD44 knockout mouse model devoid of a gross phenotype, we found that CD44 null colonocytes have alterations at the ultrastructural and molecular levels. Mitochondria in CD44 null colonocytes at the top of the crypt have disrupted cristae. The ratio of anti-apoptotic Bcl-xl to pro-apoptotic Bak was shifted toward apoptosis in CD44 null colon due to decreased Bcl-xl expression. Caspase 9 was upregulated and active in CD44 null colon. Its expression shifted from a location restricted to the top of the control crypts to the whole crypt axis in CD44 null colon. Caspase 3 was also activated in CD44 null colon suggesting that CD44 null colonocytes are apoptotic via the intrinsic pathway. Cell cycle regulators, cyclin A, p21, and pRb protein were abrogated in CD44 null mice. Overall, CD44 negatively regulates apoptosis via the mitochondrial pathway in the colonic epithelium through the regulators/effectors of cell cycle and apoptosis.

TGF-beta induces the expression of SAP30L, a novel nuclear protein.

BackgroundWe have previously set up an in vitro mesenchymal-epithelial cell co-culture model which mimics the intestinal crypt villus axis biology in terms of epithelial cell differentiation. In this model the fibroblast-induced epithelial cell differentiation from secretory crypt cells to absorptive enterocytes is mediated via transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), the major inhibitory regulator of epithelial cell proliferation known to induce differentiation in intestinal epithelial cells. The aim of this study was to identify novel genes whose products would play a role in this TGF-β-induced differentiation.ResultsDifferential display analysis resulted in the identification of a novel TGF-β upregulated mRNA species, the Sin3-associated protein 30-like, SAP30L. The mRNA is expressed in several human tissues and codes for a nuclear protein of 183 amino acids 70% identical with Sin3 associated protein 30 (SAP30). The predicted nuclear localization signal of SAP30L is sufficient for nuclear transport of the protein although mutating it does not completely remove SAP30L from the nuclei. In the nuclei SAP30L concentrates in small bodies which were shown by immunohistochemistry to colocalize with PML bodies only partially.ConclusionsBy reason of its nuclear localization and close homology to SAP30 we believe that SAP30L might have a role in recruiting the Sin3-histone deacetylase complex to specific corepressor complexes in response to TGF-β, leading to the silencing of proliferation-driving genes in the differentiating intestinal epithelial cells.

Transgenic mice expressing human fibroblast growth factor-19 display increased metabolic rate and decreased adiposity.

The fibroblast growth factors (FGFs), and the corresponding receptors, are implicated in more than just the regulation of epithelial cell proliferation and differentiation. Specifically, FGF23 is a regulator of serum inorganic phosphate levels, and mice deficient in FGF receptor-4 have altered cholesterol metabolism. The recently described FGF19 is unusual in that it is nonmitogenic and appears to interact only with FGF receptor-4. Here, we report that FGF19 transgenic mice had a significant and specific reduction in fat mass that resulted from an increase in energy expenditure. Further, the FGF19 transgenic mice did not become obese or diabetic on a high fat diet. The FGF19 transgenic mice had increased brown adipose tissue mass and decreased liver expression of acetyl coenzyme A carboxylase 2, providing two mechanisms by which FGF19 may increase energy expenditure. Consistent with the reduction in expression of acetyl CoA carboxylase 2, liver triglyceride levels were reduced.

The Mixed Lineage Kinase Leucine-Zipper Protein Kinase Exhibits a Differentiation-Associated Localization in Normal Human Skin and Induces Keratinocyte Differentiation upon Overexpression

Leucine-zipper protein kinase/dual leucine zipper bearing kinase/mitogen-activated protein kinase-upstream kinase is a recently described protein serine/threonine kinase which belongs to the mixed lineage kinase family. The overall pattern of expression of the leucine-zipper protein kinase/dual leucine zipper bearing kinase/mitogen-activated protein kinase-upstream kinase gene in embryonic and adult mouse tissues suggested that this kinase could be involved in the regulation of epithelial cell proliferation and differentiation. In order to get more insights into the potential role of leucine-zipper protein kinase in these cellular processes, we characterized its expression in normal human skin, both at the mRNA and protein levels. In situ hybridization, western blotting, and indirect immunofluorescence studies were conducted to localize leucine-zipper protein kinase on various human skin tissues. This is one of the first reports that leucine-zipper protein kinase has a very precise pattern of expression in human skin epithelia, as both mRNA and protein are restricted to the granular layer of the epidermis and inner root sheath of hair follicles. Detection of leucine-zipper protein kinase protein on skin from various body sites, donors of different ages as well as on reconstructed human skin always reveals that leucine-zipper protein kinase is present only in the very differentiated keratinocytes of epidermis and hair follicles. To determine directly whether leucine-zipper protein kinase exhibits any effect on cell growth and differentiation, keratinocytes were transfected with an expression vector harboring the leucine-zipper protein kinase cDNA. The presence of this construct in keratinocytes results in growth arrest together with a concomitant increase in filaggrin expression. Collectively, our results indicate that leucine-zipper protein kinase plays an active part in cellular processes related to terminal differentiation of epidermal keratinocytes.

Trichuris muris: Host Intestinal Epithelial Cell Hyperproliferation during Chronic Infection Is Regulated by Interferon-γ

Artis, D., Potten, C. S., Else, K. J., Finkelman, F. D., and Grencis, R. K. 1999. Trichuris muris: Host intestinal epithelial cell hyperproliferation during chronic infection is regulated by interferon-γ. Experimental Parasitology92, 144–153. Chronic infection with the intestinal nematode Trichuris muris is associated with an inappropriate type 1 cytokine response (production of predominantly IFN-γ), whereas resistance to infection requires the induction of a protective type 2 response with the production of interleukin (IL)-4, IL-5, IL-9, and IL-13. T. muris inhabits an intracellular niche within murine intestinal epithelial cells of the caecum and in common with other intestinal helminth infections is associated with gross morphological changes in gut architecture. The purpose of this study was to characterise cytokine production during chronic infection in AKR and severe-combined-immunodeficient (SCID) mice and investigate what effect the anti-parasite response had on epithelial cell proliferation and so regulation of intestinal pathology. Pulse labeling with tritiated thymidine is employed to generate a sensitive cell position-linked proliferation index of the intestinal epithelium at various times postinfection. Infection in AKR mice is characterized by a marked elevation in antigen specific IFN-γ production from restimulated mesenteric lymph node cells and a significant increase in proliferation of pluripotent epithelial stem cells and transit cells within the crypts. Similarly, elevated IFN-γ production was observed in the mesenteric lymph nodes and intestinal mucosa of infected SCID mice, with epithelial cell hyperproliferation and the development of crypt hyperplasia in the caecum. Critically, in vivo depletion of IFN-γ during infection in SCID mice resulted in no significant increase in epithelial cell proliferation and effectively precluded the development of crypt hyperplasia without altering infection outcome. Taken together, the data provides the first detailed cell position linked analysis of epithelial dysregulation during chronic T. muris infection and identifies a critical role for IFN-γ, either directly or indirectly, in regulation of epithelial cell proliferation during the chronic intestinal inflammation associated with infection.

Ontogeny of EGF receptors in the human gut.

Epidermal growth factor and related substances mediate their effects on epithelial cells through binding to high-affinity receptors (EGF-R) at their basolateral surface and it is hypothesized that this growth factor system play a major role in gut morphogenesis and maintenance. The current review emphasizes on analyzing the expression and the biochemical characteristics of EGF-R in human fetal gut segments and correlating the biological actions of EGF-R ligands. They appear to be primarily involved in the local regulation of epithelial cell proliferation in which EGF-R are abundant. Alternatively, EGF-R ligands exert some precocious maturative effects by increasing intestinal lactase activity and decreasing brush border hydrolases in colon while they down modulate the expression of segment-specific markers of terminal differentiation such as sucrase, trehalase and glucoamylase in the intestine and chief cell lipase in the stomach. Such effects are consistent with the identification of receptors at the surface of all epithelial cell types, illustrating the modulatory role of EGF on differentiated gut epithelial cells. Comparison with animal models illustrates similar biochemical properties of receptors and underlines physiological aspects specific to human gut development. The relevance for ligand heterogeneity is also discussed and tentatively associated with different delivery pathways or physiological responses.

Immunohistochemical Evidence of Rapid Extracellular Matrix Remodeling after Iron-Particle Irradiation of Mouse Mammary Gland

High-LET radiation has unique physical and biological properties compared to sparsely ionizing radiation. Recent studies demonstrate that sparsely ionizing radiation rapidly alters the pattern of extracellular matrix expression in several tissues, but little is known about the effect of heavy-ion radiation. This study investigates densely ionizing radiation-induced changes in extracellular matrix localization in the mammary glands of adult female BALB/c mice after whole-body irradiation with 0.8 Gy 600 MeV iron particles. The basement membrane and interstitial extracellular matrix proteins of the mammary gland stroma were mapped with respect to time postirradiation using immunofluorescence. Collagen III was induced in the adipose stroma within 1 day, continued to increase through day 9 and was resolved by day 14. Immunoreactive tenascin was induced in the epithelium by day 1, was evident at the epithelial-stromal interface by day 5-9 and persisted as a condensed layer beneath the basement membrane through day 14. These findings parallel similar changes induced by gamma irradiation but demonstrate different onset and chronicity. In contrast, the integrity of epithelial basement membrane, which was unaffected by sparsely ionizing radiation, was disrupted by iron-particle irradiation. Laminin immunoreactivity was mildly irregular at 1 h postirradiation and showed discontinuities and thickening from days 1 to 9. Continuity was restored by day 14. Thus high-LET radiation, like sparsely ionizing radiation, induces rapid-remodeling of the stromal extracellular matrix but also appears to alter the integrity of the epithelial basement membrane, which is an important regulator of epithelial cell proliferation and differentiation.

Differential expression of the VLA family of integrins along the crypt-villus axis in the human small intestine.

Regulation of epithelial cell proliferation, migration and differentiation under physiological conditions remains poorly understood. Interaction of the cells with their underlying basement membrane through integrins, a specific subset of cell surface binding proteins, is one potential mechanism. In the present work, I examined this hypothesis by investigating the distribution of a variety of epithelial basement membrane proteins and the expression of the members of the VLA family of integrins in the adult intestinal epithelium. Indeed, this rapidly renewing simple epithelium contains within its functional unit, the crypt-villus axis, essentially two distinct cell populations: the proliferative and undifferentiated crypt cells and the mature enterocytes on the villus. Although immunolocalization of basement membrane molecules revealed that laminin, type IV collagen and heparan sulfate proteoglycan are distributed homogeneously all along the crypt-villus axis, other non-exclusive basement membrane components were found differentially expressed. Tenascin was concentrated at the base of both villus and lower crypt cells while cellular fibronectin was mostly detected in association with the crypt cells. Moreover, VLA beta 1 as well as 5 of the 6 VLA alpha subunits tested were expressed by intestinal epithelial cells under specific patterns of staining. The beta 1 and alpha 6 subunits were strongly detected at the base of all enterocytes while alpha 5, also detected all along the crypt-villus axis, was weaker and consistently appeared with a punctated/interrupted pattern. On the other hand, the VLA alpha 1, alpha 2 and alpha 3 were expressed at the basolateral domains of enterocytes under distinctive crypt-villus gradients. The alpha 1 subunit was detected at the base of all epithelial cells but lateral staining was only observed in differentiating cells (middle and upper crypt). Finally, in most specimens, alpha 2 and alpha 3 displayed strictly complementary staining patterns for the lower crypt region (alpha 2+, alpha 3-) and the upper crypt-to-villus region (alpha 2-, alpha 3+). Taken together, these data emphasize that proliferation, migration and differentiation in the normal state are susceptible to various influences including compositional changes in the basement membrane and differential expression of receptors for these components.

TGF-beta regulation of epithelial cell proliferation.

The predominant effect of TGF-beta 1 on cell proliferation is inhibition. Earlier studies demonstrated that TGF-beta 1 inhibition of skin keratinocyte proliferation involves suppression of c-myc transcription and indirect evidence suggested that the protein product of the retinoblastoma gene (pRB) may be involved in this process. Skin keratinocytes transformed by SV40 and human papilloma virus-16 (HPV-16) or HPV-18 resisted growth inhibition and suppression of c-myc mRNA by TGF-beta. Transient expression of HPV-16 E7 gene, adenovirus E1A, and SV40 large T antigen (TAg) blocked the TGF-beta 1 suppression of c-myc transcription. Studies with transformation-defective mutants of E1A and TAg suggested that a cellular protein(s) that interacts with a conserved domain of the DNA tumor virus oncoproteins mediates TGF-beta 1 suppression of c-myc transcription and keratinocyte growth. Transient expression of pRB in skin keratinocytes repressed human c-myc promoter/CAT transcription as effectively as TGF-beta 1. The same c-myc promoter region, termed the TGF-beta Control Element (TCE), was required for regulation by both TGF-beta 1 and pRB. TCE bound a cellular protein of approximately 106 kDa and this binding was decreased by TGF-beta 1 treatment. Our data indicate that pRB can inhibit c-myc transcription and suggest the involvement of cellular factor(s) in addition to pRB in the TGF-beta 1 pathway for the suppression of c-myc transcription and growth inhibition.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)