Yr. Mahida et al., ADULT HUMAN COLONIC SUBEPITHELIAL MYOFIBROBLASTS EXPRESS EXTRACELLULAR-MATRIX PROTEINS AND CYCLOOXYGENASE-1 AND CYCLOOXYGENASE-2, American journal of physiology: Gastrointestinal and liver physiology, 36(6), 1997, pp. 1341-1348
Interactions between epithelial cells and subepithelial myofibroblasts
are increasingly recognized as important in the regulation of epithel
ial cell function. We have established primary cultures of subepitheli
al myofibroblasts from adult human colonic mucosal samples denuded of
epithelial cells and maintained in culture. During culture of mucosal
tissue, subepithelial myofibroblasts migrated out via basement membran
e pores before establishment in culture. Despite prolonged culture and
passage, the myofibroblasts maintained their phenotype, as demonstrat
ed by expression of alpha-smooth muscle actin and vimentin. The cells
expressed transcripts and protein for cyclooxygenase (COX)-1 and -2 en
zymes, and their release of prostaglandin E-2 (PGE(2)) was inhibited b
y selective COX-1 and -2 inhibitors. The myofibroblasts also expressed
the extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins collagen type IV, laminin-bet
a(1) and -gamma(1), and fibronectin. Adult human colonic subepithelial
myofibroblasts may influence epithelial cell function via products of
COX-1 and -2 enzymes, such as PGE(2) and secreted ECM proteins.