Immunolocalization of transforming growth factor-alpha, epidermal growth factor (EGF), and EGF-receptor in normal and injured developing human lung.

The family of growth factors that includes epidermal growth factor (EGF) and transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF-alpha) are thought to play a role in the regulation of fetal lung development and epithelial repair after injury. To further elucidate the potential role of these growth factors and their receptor in normal human lung development and in response to injury, their distribution was determined by immunohistochemistry in normal fetal lung, as well as both normal and injured postnatal human lung. We studied 14 specimens of human lung tissue: from three fetuses, four normal infants, two preterm infants with hyaline membrane disease, and five infants with late bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). EGF, TGF-alpha, and EGF receptor (EGF-R) colocalized in airway epithelium in normal fetal and in postnatal human lung. They were also colocalized in scattered alveolar epithelial cells in postnatal lung. Large numbers of alveolar macrophages immunostained for EGF, TGF-alpha, and EGF-R in lungs with late stages of BPD. The colocalization of these growth factors suggests parallel expression of EGF family members. Moreover, the colocalization of these growth factors with their receptor in developing lung suggests that they may act through an autocrine mechanism. The prominent expression of these growth factors in alveolar macrophages in BPD suggests they may be involved with the pathogenesis of this disease.