The effects of gastrin, epidermal growth factor, and somatostatin on DNA synthesis in a small intestinal crypt cell line (IEC-6).

Exposure of IEC-6 cells for 24 hr to either gastrin (50-500 ng/ml) or EGF (100-500 ng/ml) significantly stimulated (100-165%) the rate of [3H]thymidine incorporation into DNA (referred to as DNA synthesis) when compared with the corresponding basal levels. Somatostatin (10-500 ng/ml) produced no apparent change in DNA synthesis in IEC cells. On the other hand, somatostatin completely inhibited the EGF-induced rise in DNA synthesis. The gastrin-mediated stimulation in DNA synthesis was not affected by somatostatin. The rate of DNA synthesis in IEC cells in the presence of both gastrin and EGF was found to be greater (additive) than that caused by either of the peptides alone. A similar but less dramatic change in the actual number of cells (assessment of cell replication) was observed when the IEC cells were exposed for 24 hr to gastrin, EGF, and somatostatin, either alone or in combination. Whereas gastrin (250 ng/ml) and EGF (250 ng/ml) by themselves increased the number of cells significantly by 29 and 37%, respectively, together they caused a 72% stimulation, when compared with the basal levels. Somatostatin by itself caused no apparent change in IEC cell population, but it significantly inhibited the EGF- but not the gastrin-induced stimulation in IEC cell replication. It is concluded that both gastrin and EGF exert a direct proliferative effect on IEC cells, and the EGF action is regulated by somatostatin.