Changes of colon epithelium proliferation due to individual aging with cyclin proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA/cyclin) immunostaining compared to [3H]-thymidine radioautography.

We report a change in the proliferative activity of mouse colonic epithelium due to development and aging. In order to measure the proliferative activity, colonic epithelium was immunostained for cyclin proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA/cyclin), which appears from the Gl to the S phase of the cell cycle, and compared with labeling obtained by [3H]-thymidine radioautography. Litter mice of six age groups from the fetal period (embryonic day 19), newborn period (postnatal day 1), suckling period (postnatal day 5), weaning period (postnatal dy 21), adult period (2 month old) to the senescent period (11 month old) were examined by immunohistochemistry. The descending colons were fixed in methacarn (method-Carnoy) and embedded in paraffin. Sections were stained for PCNA/cyclin activity using 19A2 monoclonal antibody and the avidin-biotin peroxidase complex (ABC) technique. For radioautography, litter mice of nine age groups using in vivo intraperitoneal administration of [3H]-thymidine. The labeling indices of colonic epithelial cells in the proliferative zone were then analyzed and compared between the two investigative methods. Our results show that the proliferative activity of mice colon was high in the fetal and newborn periods and almost constant from the suckling period to senescence, as demonstrated by both PCNA/cyclin immunohistochemistry and [3H]-thymidine radioautography. The labeling index seen by PCNA/cyclin immunohistochemistry was, however, higher than that seen by [3H]-thymidine radioautography.