CELLULAR FIBRONECTIN EXPRESSION IS DOWN-REGULATED AT THE MESSENGER-RNA LEVEL IN DIFFERENTIATING HUMAN INTESTINAL EPITHELIAL-CELLS

The expression of human cellular fibronectin (HFN) was analyzed in rel ation to the differentiation process of the human enterocyte-like cell line Caco-2. A single approximate to 290-kDa form of HFN, correspondi ng to a 10.0-kb mRNA species, was observed in Caco-2 cells. The expres sion levels of both protein and mRNA were found to decrease to undetec table levels concomitantly to the differentiation process of these cel ls. This decline in HFN expression was correlated with the expression of sucrase-isomaltase (a specific marker of intestinal cell differenti ation). These results indicate that intestinal epithelial expression o f HFN is down-regulated through its mRNA levels and is correlated with the acquisition of the differentiated enterocytic phenotype. (C) 1995 Academic Press, Inc.