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L Corriveau

Publications and source records attributed to L Corriveau.

8 recordsLinked to original sources

Differential expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) in the developing human fetal digestive tract.

We investigated the spatiotemporal distributions of the different peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) isotypes (alpha, beta, and gamma) during development (Week 7 to Week 22 of gestation) of the human fetal digestive tract by immunohistochemistry using specific polyclonal antibodies. The PPAR subtypes, including PPARgamma, are expressed as early as 7 weeks of development in cell types of endodermal and mesodermal origin. The presence of PPARgamma was also found by Western blotting and nuclease-S1 protection assay, confirming that this subtype is not adipocyte-specific. PPARalpha, PPARbeta, and PPARgamma exhibit different patterns of expression during morphogenesis of the digestive tract. Whatever the stage and the gut region (except the stomach) examined, PPARgamma is expressed at a high level, suggesting some fundamental role for this receptor in development and/or physiology of the human digestive tract.

Antibody Specificity↗

Functional characterization of the keratinocyte growth factor system in human fetal gastrointestinal tract.

Keratinocyte growth factor (KGF) is a paracrine growth factor whose mRNA has been detected in human adult and rodent gut tissues together with its associated receptor. Our objectives were to assess the presence of immunoreactive KGF ligand and receptor proteins in human fetal gastrointestinal (GI) tract segments and to evaluate the role of exogenous KGF on cell proliferation and intestinal digestive functions. KGF (26-28 kD doublet) was identified in esophagus, stomach, small intestine, and colon by Western blot. Its receptor (135 kD) was ubiquitously detected in proliferative and differentiated epithelial cells of each GI segment by use of indirect immunofluorescence (anti-bek, anti-K-sam). The addition of KGF to explants cultured in serum-free conditions greatly stimulated DNA synthesis in all GI tract tissues. The growth factor up-regulated intestinal sucrase-isomaltase and gamma-glutamyl-transpeptidase activities in jejunal explants, whereas it down-regulated these activities in colon explants. It is suggested that the KGF system likely represents an important paracrine pathway that is able to stimulate cell proliferation in all segments of the human fetal GI tract and to differentially regulate intestinal digestive functions.

Blotting, Western↗

Insulin modulates cellular proliferation in developing human jejunum and colon.

Several lines of evidence suggest an important role for insulin in the regulatory mechanism of rodent small intestinal development. To investigate its potential implication in human gut, the immunofluorescent localization of insulin receptors (IR) and the influence of insulin (30 microU or 3 mU/ml) on [3H]-thymidine incorporation and on lactase and alkaline phosphatase activities were studied in fetal jejunum and colon (14-19 weeks). We demonstrate the early presence of IR, mainly detected in the basolateral portion of enterocytes and colonocytes along the crypt-villus axis. Insulin increased [3H]-thymidine incorporation as well as epithelial labeling indices in cultured explants from jejunum and colon without affecting enzymic activities. This study establishes, for the first time, that insulin stimulates proliferation of epithelial cells expressing IR in both segments without affecting brush border hydrolases in the developing human gut.

Alkaline Phosphatase↗

Differential effects of epidermal growth factor and hydrocortisone in human fetal colon.

The influence of epidermal growth factor (EGF) and hydrocortisone on the functional development of human fetal colon was studied in organ cultures. Fetal colon (14 to 17 weeks gestation) was cultured for 5 days at 37 degrees C in serum-free Leibovitz L-15 medium alone or supplemented with 1, 10, and 100 ng of EGF/ml or with 50 ng of hydrocortisone/ml of culture medium. The overall morphology of the colonic explants was not altered by the hormonal addition. In the continuous presence of EGF (1, 10, and 100 ng/ml) for 5 days, a significant decrease of [3H]thymidine incorporation into DNA was observed. At the brush border level, the addition of EGF induced a significant drop in sucrase, maltase, and alkaline phosphatase activities. These enzymic modifications occurred between the third and fifth day of culture, whereas variation in DNA synthesis was already evident within 24 h. The addition of hydrocortisone at a dose affecting the small intestine (50 ng/ml) did not significantly influence colonic DNA synthesis nor the digestive enzymic activities. These observations show for the first time that EGF, but not hydrocortisone, influences the proliferation and differentiation of human fetal colonic mucosa.

Cell Division↗