Abstract
To determine if intestinal stromal cells secrete diffusible factors such as insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) capable of regulating epithelial cell growth in vitro, stromal cells were isolated by enzymatic digestion of rat intestine. Incorporation of [3H]thymidine into DNA and [14C]leucine into protein of IEC-6 cells, a model intestinal epithelial cell line, was significantly increased (two- to threefold) when the IEC-6 cells were co-cultured with stromal cells, relative to IEC-6 cells grown alone. Medium conditioned by stromal cells stimulated DNA synthesis of IEC-6 cells in a dose-dependent manner. Analysis of the conditioned medium revealed that intestinal stromal cells secreted IGF-I, but little IGF-II, in addition to an M r 32,000 IGF-binding protein (IGFBP-2) and an IGFBP having M r∼ 24,000. We conclude that rat intestinal stromal cells secrete one or more diffusible factors, which may include IGF-I and IGFBPs, capable of stimulating proliferation of IEC-6 cells in vitro.
Similar content being viewed by others
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Received 25 August 1997; received after revision 7 November 1997; accepted 20 November 1997
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
MacDonald, R., McCusker, R., Blackwood, D. et al. Production of insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) and IGF-binding proteins by rat intestinal stromal cells in vitro. CMLS, Cell. Mol. Life Sci. 54, 158–166 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1007/s000180050137
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s000180050137