Growth factor-induced epidermal invasion of the dermis in human skin organ culture: dermal invasion correlated with epithelial cell motility.

We have developed a model of human squamous epithelial cell invasion in human skin organ culture. Epidermal invasion of the dermis occurs in this model when the tissue is exposed to an exogenous source of epithelial cell growth factor. In the present study we sought to determine to what extent growth factor-induced invasion correlates with the ability of the growth factor to induce epithelial cell motility. Histological examination of tissue treated with epidermal growth factor (EGF), hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) or keratinocyte growth factor (KGF) showed that only HGF and EGF were inducers of invasion while KGF- and IGF-1-treated tissues were histologically similar to untreated controls. In parallel studies, HGF and EGF were found to be potent stimulators of epidermal keratinocyte motility while IGF-1 was less effective and KGF was even less so. None of the growth factors stimulated dermal fibroblast motility while HGF and to a lesser extent IGF-1 (but not EGF or KGF) stimulated motility of dermal vascular endothelial cells. Thus, there is a strong correlation between growth factor capacity to induce epidermal keratinocytes to invade the underlying dermal tissue and to induce motility in the invasive population of cells.