Epidermal growth factor as a regulatory hormone maintaining a low pH microclimate in the rat small intestine

Trefoil factor 2 activation of CXCR4 requires calcium mobilization to drive epithelial repair in gastric organoids

KEY POINTS

Determining the signalling cascade of epithelial repair, using murine gastric organoids, allows definition of regulatory processes intrinsic to epithelial cells, at the same time as validating and dissecting the signalling cascade with more precision than is possible in vivo Following single cell damage, intracellular calcium selectively increases within cells adjacent to the damage site and is essential for promoting repair. Trefoil factor 2 (TFF2) acts via chemokine C-X-C receptor 4 and epidermal growth factor receptor signalling, including extracellular signal-regulated kinase activation, to drive calcium mobilization and promote gastric repair. Sodium hydrogen exchanger 2, although essential for repair, acts downstream of TFF2 and calcium mobilization.

ABSTRACT

The gastric mucosa of the stomach is continually exposed to environmental and physiological stress factors that can cause local epithelial damage. Although much is known about the complex nature of gastric wound repair, the stepwise process that characterizes epithelial restitution remains poorly defined. The present study aimed to determine the effectors that drive gastric epithelial repair using a reductionist culture model. To determine the role of trefoil factor 2 (TFF2) and intracellular calcium (Ca2+ ) mobilization in gastric restitution, gastric organoids were derived from TFF2 knockout (KO) mice and yellow Cameleon-Nano15 (fluorescent calcium reporter) transgenic mice, respectively. Inhibitors and recombinant protein were used to determine the upstream and downstream effectors of gastric restitution following photodamage (PD) to single cells within the gastric organoids. Single cell PD resulted in parallel events of dead cell exfoliation and migration of intact neighbouring cells to restore a continuous epithelium in the damage site. Under normal conditions following PD, Ca2+ levels increased within neighbour migrating cells, peaking at ∼1 min, suggesting localized Ca2+ mobilization at the site of cell protrusion/migration. TFF2 KO organoids exhibit delayed repair; however, this delay can be rescued by the addition of exogenous TFF2. Inhibition of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)1/2 or a TFF2 receptor, chemokine C-X-C receptor 4 (CXCR4), resulted in significant delay and dampened Ca2+ mobilization. Inhibition of sodium hydrogen exchanger 2 (NHE2) caused significant delay but did not affect Ca2+ mobilization. A similar delay was observed in NHE2 KO organoids. In TFF2 KO gastric organoids, the addition of exogenous TFF2 in the presence of EGFR or CXCR4 inhibition was unable to rescue repair. The present study demonstrates that intracellular Ca2+ mobilization occurs within gastric epithelial cells adjacent to the damage site to promote repair by mechanisms that involve TFF2 signalling via CXCR4, as well as activation of EGFR and ERK1/2. Furthermore NHE2 is shown to be important for efficient repair and to operate via a mechanism either downstream or independent of calcium mobilization.

Effect of buffer media composition on the solubility and effective permeability coefficient of ibuprofen

The effect of perfusion medium composition on the two important biopharmaceutical parameters drug solubility and permeability was determined for ibuprofen. Eight commonly used buffers were examined. Equilibrium solubility, buffer capacity profiles and permeability coefficients, using the in situ rat gut perfusion model, were determined for each medium at 37 degrees C. The solubility of ibuprofen differed sixfold over the range of buffer systems studied. The differences in solubility were associated with different pHs of the buffers when saturated with drug and also the presence of micelles and divalent ions. The solubility of ibuprofen in FeSSIF was significantly higher than predicted from the pH due to micellisation, while that in Krebs was significantly lower due to ibuprofen-calcium salt formation. Buffer capacities varied over a 40-fold range. The pK(a) values of the buffer components were determined from the buffer capacity versus pH profiles and were in good agreement with the thermodynamic values when corrected for temperature and ionic strength. Smaller, but statistically significant differences in P(app) values for ibuprofen were also observed between some of the buffers. During perfusion, pHs of the perfusate samples gradually changed over time towards a median value of approximately 6.5. HBSS gave a P(app) approximately 50% greater than that observed in PBS 7.4. Physicochemical factors such as medium pH, buffer capacity and osmolarity should be considered when determining the P(app) values of ionisable compounds. Care needs to be exercised when comparing P(app) values from different laboratories as buffer composition can have a significant effect on both solubility and permeability of a drug, whose ionisation is substantially changed over the pH range of the buffers. Despite the high amount ionised, ibuprofen appears to be well absorbed and it can be classified as a highly permeable drug.

Epidermal growth factor regulation of rat NHE2 gene expression

Epidermal growth factor (EGF) is involved in acute regulation of Na(+)/H(+) exchangers (NHEs), but the effect of chronic EGF administration on NHE gene expression is unknown. The present studies showed that EGF treatment increased NHE2-mediated intestinal brush-border membrane vesicle Na(+) absorption and NHE2 mRNA abundance by nearly twofold in 19-day-old rats. However, no changes were observed in renal NHE2 mRNA or intestinal and renal NHE3 mRNA abundance. To understand the mechanism of this regulation, we developed the rat intestinal epithelial (RIE) cell as an in vitro model to study the effect of EGF on NHE2 gene expression. EGF increased functional NHE2 activity and mRNA abundance in cultured RIE cells, and this stimulation could be blocked by actinomycin D (a transcriptional inhibitor). Additionally, NHE2 promoter reporter gene assays in transiently transfected RIE cells showed an almost twofold increase in promoter activity after EGF treatment. We conclude that rat NHE2 activity can be stimulated by chronic EGF treatment and that this response is at least partially mediated by gene transcription.

Epidermal growth factor delays gastric emptying and small intestinal transit in suckling rats

Suckling (12-d-old) rats that were fasted for 15 h received epidermal growth factor (EGF) s.c. (0.5 and 1.0 microgram per rat, i.e. approximately 2 and 4 micrograms/100 g of body weight), together with motility markers 51Cr-EDTA or Poly R-478, and were killed 45 min later. Counts were measured separately in the stomach and the small intestine, which was divided into 12 segments. Administration of EGF delayed gastric emptying. In controls, the stomach contained 26.1 +/- 1.6% (mean +/- SEM); in EGF-treated rats the stomach contained 75.9 +/- 10.2% and 75.7 +/- 2.5% of the total 51Cr-EDTA counts given. EGF had the maximum effect (1.0 microgram) when given simultaneously with 51Cr-EDTA. Significant, but lower, effects of EGF were seen with the administration of EGF preceded by 10 min or followed by 10 and 20 min with the administration of 51Cr-EDTA (65.8 +/- 5.8%, 60.0 +/- 6.4%, and 54.1 +/- 4.2%, respectively). Small intestinal transit was also delayed. Administration of anti-EGF antiserum did not affect gastric emptying, but accelerated small intestinal transit as determined 30 min after administration of 51Cr-EDTA. These studies are the first to demonstrate the effect of EGF on gastrointestinal motility in vivo in suckling mammals.

Oleic acid uptake into rat and rabbit jejunal brush border membrane

Oleic acid uptake was studied using adult rabbit and rat jejunal brush border membrane vesicles. There was a reduction of oleic acid uptake following trypsin-treatment. Opposing Na+/H+ gradients (inward Na+ and outward H+ gradients) increased oleic acid uptake by about 40%, as compared with only an inward Na+ gradient, only an outward H+ gradient, or the absence of either Na+ or H+ gradients. The addition of mucin further increased the enhanced uptake of oleic acid observed in the presence of opposing Na+/H+ gradients. Amiloride, an inhibitor of the Na+/H+ exchanger, reduced by about 40% the uptake of oleic acid into sheets of rat jejunum, and this inhibitory effect was observed over a range of rates of stirring of the bulk phase. In rabbit jejunal brush border membrane vesicles, amiloride reduced oleic acid uptake in the presence but not in the absence of opposing Na+/H+ gradients, with a Ki of approx. 36 microM. Thus, oleic acid uptake occurs largely by partitioning of the lipid into the brush border membrane, influenced by a process which involves the activation of the brush border membrane Na+/H+ exchanger.