HEPATOCYTE GROWTH-FACTOR SCATTER FACTOR MODULATES INTESTINAL EPITHELIAL-CELL PROLIFERATION AND MIGRATION

Various peptide growth factors have been found to regulate epithelial cell function within the mucosal epithelium of the gastrointestinal tr act. In this study hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor (HGF/SF) wa s found to stimulate intestinal epithelial cell proliferation: 2.5-fol d in the non-transformed rat small intestinal epithelial cell line IEC -6 and 1.9-fold in the human colon cancer-derived HT-29 cell line. In addition, HGF/SF enhanced epithelial cell restitution, the initial ste p involved in gastrointestinal wound healing, in an in vitro model. Mi gration of IEC-6 in wounded monolayers was enhanced up to 7-fold. Enha ncement of restitution by HGF could be completely abrogated by additio n of immunoneutralizing anti-TGF beta 1, indicating that this process is mediated through a TGF beta-dependent pathway. These findings sugge st that HGF exerts functional effects on intestinal epithelial cell po pulations and may play a role in the morphogenesis tract and its remod eling following injury. (C) 1994 Academic Press, Inc.