GENE-EXPRESSION OF KERATINOCYTE AND HEPATOCYTE GROWTH-FACTORS DURING THE HEALING OF RAT GASTRIC-MUCOSAL LESIONS

Background & Aims: The factors that stimulate the growth of gastric mu cosal cells during gastric mucosal healing are not completely understo od. This study was designed to investigate the gene expression of kera tinocyte growth factor (KGF) and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) in the healing of gastric mucosal lesions. Methods: Northern blot analysis a nd reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction were used to show H GF and KGF messenger RNA. Results: Transcripts of HGF and KGF were not shown in rat gastric mucosal epithelium but were found in submucosal and muscular layers under normal conditions. When acute gastric mucosa l lesions were induced by indomethacin treatment, expression of HGF me ssenger RNA was augmented in submucosal, muscular, or serosal layers, whereas the transcript of KGF was not influenced. When rat gastric muc osal epithelial cell line RGM1 and rat gastric mucosal primary culture cells were incubated with HGF or KGF, their proliferation was enhance d. Conclusions: The results showed increased gene expression of HGF to gether with constant production of KGF during gastric mucosal healing.