DISTRIBUTION OF IMMUNOREACTIVE TRANSFORMING GROWTH-FACTOR-ALPHA IN NONNEOPLASTIC HUMAN SALIVARY-GLANDS

The distribution of immunoreactive transforming growth factor-alpha (T GF-alpha) was studied in non-neoplastic human major and minor salivary glands using an immunoperoxidase assay in conjuction with an antiseru m to human TGF-alpha. The ductal cell components of all major and mino r salivary glands were found to contain significant amounts of TGF-alp ha immunoreactivity. In contrast, acinar and myoepithelial cells consi stently lacked immune reaction product in both types of glands. Occasi onally, an asynchronous pattern of TGF-alpha ductal cell immunoreactiv ity was observed in specific ducts within a section, Also, intraductal secretions, when present, were found to contain TGF-alpha immunoreact ive material, Ductal cells and connective tissue from salivary glands samples showing significant lymphocytic infiltration and loss of acina r cells exhibited higher levels of TCF-alpha immunoreactivity than nor mal salivary gland samples. These observations demonstrate, for the fi rst time, the presence of TGF-alpha immunoreactivity in specific struc tural components of non-neoplastic human major and minor salivary glan ds. It will be important in future studies to determine whether altera tions in TGF-alpha expression are detectable in diverse types of saliv ary gland tumors.