K. Hormi et al., Transforming growth factor-alpha and epidermal growth factor receptor in colonic mucosa in active and inactive inflammatory bowel disease, GROW FACTOR, 18(2), 2000, pp. 79
Transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF-alpha) is overexpressed in colonic ca
rcinomas and promotes mucosal wound healing. It may be implicated in chroni
c inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), We analyzed the expression of TGF-alpha
and its receptor, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGF-r), in the colonic
mucosa of patients with Crohn's disease (CD) or ulcerative colitis (UC), i
n active or inactive stages, as compared with controls. Proteins and mRNA w
ere detected in biopsies from the right and left colon and in surgical colo
nic specimens. Immunoblot analysis revealed TGF-alpha protein as a 29kDa ba
nd. This band was normally expressed in uninvolved colonic mucosa of patien
ts with CD or UC whether in active or inactive stages, but decreased or abs
ent in involved mucosa of active IBD, even when TGF-alpha mRNA and EGF-r pr
otein were detected. In the unaffected mucosa of CD, the intensity of TGF-a
lpha immunoreactivity was similar to that of controls in the right colon bu
t stronger (P = 0.05) in the left colon. There was no TGF-alpha overexpress
ion in dysplastic regions. In conclusion, in active IBD disease, the decrea
sed TGF-alpha protein amount seems not only related to epithelial cell loss
but reflects a down-regulation at least at the protein level. We speculate
that TGF-alpha does not play a role within the active stage but may be imp
licated later in the repair process.