A. Mata et al., THE COLON IN INTESTINAL ADAPTATION MONITO RED BY CHANGES IN THE PROLIFERATING CELL NUCLEAR ANTIGEN, Revista espanola de enfermedades digestivas, 84(3), 1993, pp. 149-152
Proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) is an auxiliary protein to D
NA poymerase partial derivative necessary for tissue cellular prolifer
ation. The colon releases several peptides or hormones which are proba
bly related to intestinal proliferation. Colonic resection determines
adaptive changes in the remnant bowel. In the present study, prolifera
tive changes after colectomy were studied by means of the murine monoc
lonal PC10 antibody. A control group (n=10 rats) and a 75% proximal co
lon resection group (n=10 rats) were studied. 14 days after resection,
jejunal, ileal and colon samples were taken and assayed for PCNA. Rel
ationship between immunostained nuclei and the total number of nuclei
was determined. The three intestinal segments showed statisticaly sign
ificant increases (p < 0,001) in the number of immunostained nuclei. P
CNA proliferative index was greater in the remnant large bowel.