Regional distribution of transforming growth factor-alpha and epidermal growth factor in normal and portal hypertensive gastric mucosa in humans.

This study was designed to evaluate the concentration and the regional distribution of TGF-alpha and EGF in normal and portal hypertensive human gastric mucosa. To this end we measured by RIA the gastric and duodenal concentration of TGF-alpha and EGF in subjects with chronic hepatitis, who had normal gastric endoscopic appearance, and in patients with liver cirrhosis with and without congestive gastropathy. Our results show that TGF-alpha concentration is significantly higher than EGF concentration in both the stomach and duodenum. No significant regional differences in the distribution of the two peptides were found. Moreover, the gastroduodenal tissue levels of TGF-alpha were comparable in subjects with and without hypertensive gastropathy. EGF gastric concentration was not altered in patients with congestive gastropathy. However, EGF duodenal tissue levels were significantly lower in patients with liver cirrhosis than in noncirrhotic subjects. We speculate that the higher level of TGF-alpha in the gastroduodenal mucosa may support the hypothesis that TGF-alpha and not EGF is the major physiological ligand for TGF-alpha/EGF receptor in the intact gut. Furthermore, the lower duodenal concentration of EGF in cirrhotics might partially explain the increased susceptibility of cirrhotic patients to duodenal ulcer.