Hormi K, Lehy T
Unité de Gastroentérologie, INSERM U10, Hôpital Bichat, Paris, France.
Cell Tissue Res. 1994 Dec;278(3):439-50. doi: 10.1007/BF00331362.
This study was designed to localize transforming growth factor alpha (TGF-alpha) and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) expression in the developing human gastrointestinal tract and pancreas. Immunohistochemical techniques using specific antibodies against human TGF-alpha and EGFR were performed on digestive tissues of fetuses from 9 to 10 to 24 weeks of gestation, children and adults. In fetuses, TGF-alpha and EGFR proteins were expressed in all epithelial tissues studied with a good correlation and from an age as early as 9 to 10 weeks of gestation, except for TGF-alpha in the esophagus. The strongest TGF-alpha immunostaining was noted in the stomach and the proximal colon. Unexpectedly, immunoreactive gut endocrine cells were observed with the two antibodies used. Relatively numerous in fetuses, they decreased in number with age and were rare in adults particularly along the colon. Enteroglucagonsecreting cells were shown to express TGF-alpha, while some gastrin, somatostatin and pancreatic glucagon cells were immunostained with EGFR antibodies. The presence of TGF-alpha and its receptor in digestive tract epithelium and pancreatic tissues early in fetal life suggests a functional role for TGF-alpha during the developmental process of the digestive system. We demonstrate that TGF-alpha is also produced by endocrine cells and might have an additional mode of action other than paracrine, at least during fetal life.
本研究旨在定位转化生长因子α（TGF-α）和表皮生长因子受体（EGFR）在发育中的人类胃肠道和胰腺中的表达。使用针对人类TGF-α和EGFR的特异性抗体的免疫组织化学技术，对妊娠9至10周、10至24周的胎儿以及儿童和成人的消化组织进行检测。在胎儿中，TGF-α和EGFR蛋白在所有研究的上皮组织中均有表达，且具有良好的相关性，早在妊娠9至10周时就有表达，但食管中的TGF-α除外。TGF-α免疫染色最强的部位是胃和近端结肠。出乎意料的是，使用的两种抗体均观察到免疫反应性肠道内分泌细胞。这些细胞在胎儿中相对较多，随着年龄增长数量减少，在成人中很少见，尤其是在结肠。已证实分泌肠高血糖素的细胞表达TGF-α，而一些胃泌素、生长抑素和胰高血糖素细胞则被EGFR抗体免疫染色。胎儿期早期消化道上皮和胰腺组织中存在TGF-α及其受体，提示TGF-α在消化系统发育过程中具有功能作用。我们证明TGF-α也由内分泌细胞产生，并且至少在胎儿期可能具有旁分泌以外的其他作用方式。
