Localisation of mRNA and co-expression and molecular forms of GRP gene products in endocrine cells of fetal human lung

Summary The presence of bombesin (gastrin-releasing peptide, GRP)-like immunoreactivity in mucosal endocrine cells of human fetal lung is well established. In this study we have investigated the localisation of pro-GRP mRNA and GRP gene products and compared the distribution and levels of extractable GRP-and C-terminal flanking peptide of human pro-GRP-like immunoreactivity in order to verify synthesis and to investigate their coexistence and molecular forms. Human fetal lungs (14 to 23 weeks gestation) were immunostained, and extracts were assayed using regionspecific antisera to pro-GRP. Additional antisera to chromogranin and protein gene product 9.5 (PGP 9.5) were used for immunostaining by the peroxidase anti-peroxidase technique and for double immunofluorescence staining using antisera raised in two species. Immunoreactivity for both bombesin (GRP) and flanking peptide was seen mainly in the same endocrine cells, but more cells were stained with antisera to flanking peptide than with antiserum to bombesin (GRP). In situ hybridisation showed that pro-GRP mRNA was present and thus synthesis of the peptides was taking place. Endocrine cells and nerve fibres were PGP 9.5-immunoreactive, and a subset of cells was immunoreactive for bombesin gene products. Radioimmunoassay and chromatography show that pro-GRP is present in both the uncleaved and cleaved forms, and, in agreement with immunocytochemistry results, that an excess of C-terminal peptide of pro-GRP is detectable. It is therefore concluded that GRP-like peptides and flanking peptide are co-local-ised in human pulmonary endocrine cells, but the latter is found in larger concentrations than free GRP. Thus GRP-like peptides may be secreted separately from the flanking peptide(s) of pro-GRP. Furthermore PGP 9.5 appears to be a useful marker for endocrine cells in the respiratory epithelium of human fetal lung.     

Plasmodium falciparum: mRNA co-expression and protein co-localisation of two gene products upregulated in early gametocytes

Genes encoding Plasmodium falciparum proteins Pfs16 and Pfpeg3/mdv1, specifically appearing in the parasitophorous vacuole of the early gametocytes, are upregulated at the onset of sexual differentiation. Analysis of asexual development in gametocyte producing and non-producing clones of P. falciparum indicated that these genes are also transcribed at a low level in asexual parasites, although their protein products are not detectable in these stages by immunofluorescence. Immunoelectron microscopic analysis of stage II gametocytes indicated that Pfs16 and Pfpeg3/mdv1 proteins co-localise in the parasitophorous vacuole membrane and in all derived membranous structures (such as the multi-laminate membrane whorls of the circular clefts in the infected erythrocyte cytoplasm and the membranes of the gametocyte food vacuoles). In this analysis both proteins were also observed for the first time in the membrane and in the lumen of distinct cleft-like structures in the erythrocyte cytoplasm.     

Localisation of carcinoembryonic antigen in embryonic and fetal human tissues

Summary Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) was localized in various embryonic and fetal human tissues between 8 and 16 weeks of gestation as well as in the colorectal mucosa of older fetuses, newborns and adults. Among the embryonic tissues, CEA was always present in the esophagus, the gastric antrum, the duodenum and the rectum. CEA positive staining of bile cannaliculi of the liver was inconstant. All other embryonic tissues were CEA negative. During early fetal development CEA positive staining of the esophagus, antrum and duodenum was inconstant. However, the whole colon became intensively stained. An inconstant CEA specific staining was found in parts of the midgut and in the bile cannaliculi of the liver. The other organs remained CEA negative. Between the 17th week of gestation and birth, CEA staining pattern of the colorectal mucosa did not change. The staining intensity of late fetal colonic mucosa was similar to that of adult colonic mucosa.Deceased 20th August 1982     

Localisation of carcinoembryonic antigen in embryonic and fetal human tissues

Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) was localized in various embryonic and fetal human tissues between 8 and 16 weeks of gestation as well as in the colorectal mucosa of older fetuses, newborns and adults. Among the embryonic tissues, CEA was always present in the esophagus, the gastric antrum, the duodenum and the rectum. CEA positive staining of bile canaliculi of the liver was inconstant. All other embryonic tissues were CEA negative. During early fetal development, CEA positive staining of the esophagus, antrum and duodenum was inconstant. However, the whole colon became intensively stained. An inconstant CEA specific staining was found in parts of the midgut and in the bile canaliculi of the liver. The other organs remained CEA negative. Between the 17th week of gestation and birth, CEA staining pattern of the colorectal mucosa did not change. The staining intensity of late fetal colonic mucosa was similar to that of adult colonic mucosa.     

On argyrophil reactions of endocrine cells in the human fetal pancreas

Summary The endocrine cells in the pancreas of five human fetuses with gestational ages of 18–20 weeks were examined by light and electron microscopy with special regard to argyrophil reactions. B-cells and typical A and D-cells were easily identified electron microscopically on the basis of their typical secretory granules. In the Grimelius argyrophil silver stain, a concentration of silver grains over the less electron dense peripheral mantle of the A-cell secretory granules was observed by electron microscopy. In the Hellerström and Hellman modification of the argyrophil Davenport alcoholic silver stain, silver grains were concentrated over the internal structures of the D-cell secretory granules. With this stain an accumulation of silver grains was also seen at the surface of the A-cell secretory granules. The argyrophil reaction of the A-granules was less pronounced than in the D-cells. In addition to B-cells and A- and D-cells, two other types of endocrine cell were observed by electron microscopy. These cells were argyrophil with the silver impregnation method of Grimelius. The electron microscopic findings at least partly explain the frequent overlapping between the two staining methods observed at the light microscope level.This study was supported by the Swedish Medical Research Council (Project No. 102)     

Ontogeny and distribution of certain endocrine cells in the human fetal large intestine

Summary In 9 fetuses, 9 to 24 weeks-old, the occurrence and relative distribution of argentaffin cells, as well as of cells immunoreactive to somatostatin (SRIF), glucagon-like polypeptide (GLI), pancreatic polypeptide (PP) and substance P (SP) were studied in five segments of the colon (appendix, cecum, ascending colon, descending colon, and rectosigmoid). For each colonic segment, data concerned with the occurrence of endocrine cells were expressed either as mean absolute numbers of specific cells per entire mucosal section, or as cell densities per mm³ of mucosa after calculation of the mucosal volume of the sections. Argentaffin, GLI, SRIF and PP immunoreactive cells are all present in relatively large numbers, scattered along the entire length of the colonic mucosa as early as the 9th–10th week of gestation, whereas substance P-containing cells occur sporadically and first appear during the 14th–17th week. Until the 20th week, with progressing embryonic development, an increase was determined in absolute numbers per section of all types of endocrine cells in all segments of the colon. This observation is clearly related to the general growth of the colonic mucosa, since cell densities per mm³ of mucosa do not greatly change or even decrease during gestation. However, it is possible that densities of argentaffin, GLI and BPP cells increase in the appendix around the 14th–17th week of gestation. Between the 20th and 24th week, absolute numbers of cells per section remain stable or slightly increase, while cell densities tend rather to decrease in all segments. These data demonstrate that some endocrine cells are present very early in the human fetal colon, but their functional significance remains to be elucidated.This work was supported by the Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM)     

Polyhormonal aspect of the endocrine cells of the human fetal pancreas

Histological studies were performed on 30 pancreases obtained from normal human fetuses aged between the 9th and 38th week. For immunocytochemistry, the avidin-biotin-peroxidase method was used to identify and colocalise insulin, glucagon, somatostatin, pancreatic polypeptide and proliferating cell nuclear antigen. In the 9th week, cells containing all investigated peptides were present. During the fetal period, two populations of endocrine cells have been distinguished, Langerhans islets and freely dispersed cells. The free cells were polyhormonal, containing insulin, glucagon, somatostatin and pancreatic polypeptide, and were localised in the walls of pancreatic ducts throughout the whole gland. During the development of the islets we have observed four stages: (1) the scattered polyhormonal cell stage (9th–10th week), (2) the immature polyhormonal islet stage (11th–15th week), (3) the insulin monohormonal core islet stage (16th–29th week), in which zonular and mantle islets are observed, and (4) the polymorphic islet stage (from the 30th week onwards), which is characterised by the presence of monohormonal cells expressing glucagon or somatostatin. Bigeminal and polar islets also appeared during this last stage. The islets consisted of an insulin core surrounded by a thick (in the part developing from the dorsal primordium) or thin rim (part of the pancreas concerned with the ventral primordium) of intermingled mono- or dihormonal glucagon-positive or somatostatin-positive cells. The most externally located polyhormonal cells exhibited a reaction for glucagon, somatostatin and pancreatic polypeptide. Apart from the above-mentioned types of islets, all arrangements observed in earlier stages were present. Proliferating cell nuclear antigen-positive cells (single in the large islets and more numerous in the smaller ones) were predominantly observed in the outermost layer. Taken together our data indicate that, during the human prenatal development of the islet, endocrine cells are able to synthesise several different hormones. Maturation of these cells involved or depended on a change from a polyhormonal to a monohormonal state and is concerned with decreasing proliferative capacity. This supports the concept of a common precursor stem cell for the hormone-producing cells of the fetal human pancreas. Accepted: 1 June 1999     

The duration of hormone synthesis by cultures of human fetal endocrine cells

It is stated as possible to cultivate and accumulate endocrine cells by regular passages in vitro over a long period of time. In this case endocrine cells of human fetus don't loose the ability to synthesize hormone. Such cultures can be used to study some general-biological problems out of influence of the neurohumoral organism factors.     

Translation of beta-tubulin mRNA in vitro generates multiple molecular forms

We describe the in vitro expression and characterization of the isolated beta-tubulin subunit in rabbit reticulocyte lysates and compare its assembly and chromatographic properties with that of the isolated alpha-subunit and the tubulin heterodimer. The beta-tubulin polypeptides, derived from a single chicken beta-tubulin cDNA, were found in three distinct molecular forms: a multimeric or lysate-associated form, beta I (Mr approximately 180,000); the free beta-subunit beta II (Mr approximately 55,000); and the hybrid heterodimer alpha(rabbit) beta(chick), beta III (Mr approximately 80,000-100,000). The hybrid heterodimers were 100% assembly competent, whereas beta-tubulin in the "associated" beta I and the monomeric beta II forms displayed only approximately 70 +/- 15 and 25 +/- 10% competence, respectively, in coassembly assays with bovine brain tubulin. This reduced functionality was not a consequence of diminished beta-subunit stability or protein denaturation. By comparing the elution positions of the three beta forms, the monomeric alpha-subunit, and tubulin dimer purified from bovine brain, we demonstrate that anion-exchange columns (Mono-Q) interact preferentially with the alpha-subunit and chromatograph tubulin dimer on the basis of alpha-subunit isotype. The rate of exchange of the free beta-subunit into bovine tubulin dimer was followed chromatographically. The exchange was slow at 4 degrees C and rapid at 37 degrees C where it is essentially complete in 40 min in the presence of 2.5 mg/ml bovine microtubule protein. Exogenous GTP, a potent effector of microtubule assembly, binds exchangeably to beta II and enhances the recovery of this form from the Mono-Q column, suggesting that GTP binding may occur at identical sites in the isolated beta-subunit and in the tubulin heterodimer.     

Ultrastructural colocalization of the bioactive mediators 5-hydroxytryptamine and bombesin in endocrine cells of human fetal airways

Summary Endocrine cells in the airway epithelium of human fetal lungs are known to contain an amine, 5-hydroxytryptamine (5HT), and a peptide, bombesin (BOM). These mediators may be involved in regulating smooth muscle and secretory activity in the airways as well as in development of the fetal lung. However, the exact endocrine cell type that contains 5HT and BOM has not been described at the ultrastructural level. This investigation provides immunocytochemical evidence that 5HT and BOM are stored in a single cell type, the P1 cell. Thin sections of airways from human fetal lungs were incubated either in anti-5HT antiserum (diluted 13000) or in anti-BOM antiserum (diluted 1600) and then labeled with affinity purified goat anti-rabbit IgG coupled to 16 nm gold particles. For colocalization, thin sections were incubated on one side to demonstrate 5HT and on the other side to demonstrate BOM. Two different sizes of gold particles (10 and 30 nm) were coupled to IgGs and used for the labeled second antibodies. Controls consisted of absorbing of the primary antiserum with an excess of either 5HT or BOM. 5HT-and BOM-like immunoreactivities were observed in the dense-core vesicles (DCV) of P1 cells, and it was apparent from serial sections that 5HT and BOM labeling was sometimes present in the same P1 cells. Sections labeled for 5HT on one side with large gold particles and for BOM on the other side with small gold particles revealed that 5HT-and BOM-like immunoreactivities were located in the same DCV. Labeling did not occur when the anti-5HT antiserum was absorbed with 5HT or when the anti-BOM antiserum was absorbed with BOM. These results demonstrate that 5HT-and BOM-like immunoreactivity is present in P1 endocrine cells of human fetal lung. Furthermore, a single DCV contains both 5HT and BOM.     

Global similarity and local divergence in human and mouse gene co-expression networks

Background  

A genome-wide comparative analysis of human and mouse gene expression patterns was performed in order to evaluate the evolutionary divergence of mammalian gene expression. Tissue-specific expression profiles were analyzed for 9,105 human-mouse orthologous gene pairs across 28 tissues. Expression profiles were resolved into species-specific coexpression networks, and the topological properties of the networks were compared between species.     

The growth promoting effect of cortisol on human fetal lung cells

The addition of cortisol (5.5 × 10^?6 M) to the culture media of monolayer cultures of midgestation human fetal lung cells resulted in marked enhancement of growth as monitored by DNA accumulation. In contrast, the same molar concentration of cortisol led to growth inhibition of cultures of fetal larynx, trachea and esophagus (LTE) and of skin fibroblasts. Cortisone also promoted growth, but to a lesser extent than cortisol. The lung cells were capable of forming cortisol from cortisone, the magnitude of this conversion increasing with the length of time the cells were maintained in culture and being greater in cells which had previously been exposed to cortisol. These findings are interpreted as suggesting a role for cortisol and cortisone in human fetal lung growth.     

Transdifferentiation of mesenchymal stem cells derived from human fetal lung to hepatocyte-like cells

The great shortage of human hepatic cells makes it desirable to generate extrahepatic stem or precursor cells. In recent years, it has been reported that human multipotential mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) differentiate into hepatocyte-like cells. The fetal lung is one of the largest organs containing many MSCs that can be easily obtained. Whether MSCs from fetal lung can differentiate into hepatocytes or bile duct cells is an important issue in basic medicine and clinical application. We isolated fetal lung cells, and expanded and analyzed them. At passage 4, their morphologic, immunophenotyping and cytokine secretions were similar to adult bone marrow-derived MSCs. We conclude that these cells from fetal lung are MSCs, indicating that human fetal lung is an ideal source of hMSCs. hMSCs from fetal lung induced in special differentiation medium showed homogeneous and small polygonal endothelial-like morphology, expressing weak mRNA, as well as Alb and AFP. This implies that hMSCs from fetal lung can differentiate into hepatocyte-like cells.     

Characterization of CD34+ cells isolated from human fetal lung

The large capillary mass of the newborn lung demands the presence of endothelial cell precursors in lung tissue before development of the pulmonary capillary bed. The objective of this investigation was to isolate and characterize putative endothelial cell precursors from developing human lung. CD34, a cell surface marker for hematopoietic progenitor cells, endothelial precursor cells, and small vessel endothelial cells, was employed as an immunological "handle" for the selection of the desired cells. When CD34+ cells were isolated from midtrimester human fetal lung tissue, then maintained in culture, the isolated cells expressed immunoreactivity for the endothelial cell marker von Willebrand factor and the vascular endothelial growth factor receptors KDR and Flt-1. However, only 5% or fewer of the cells expressed PECAM, an important factor in cell-cell interactions and a marker for endothelial cells associated with vessels. The CD34+ cells endocytosed acetylated low-density lipoprotein and formed capillary-like structures when incubated in a cushion of Matrigel. RT-PCR analysis of mRNA for endothelial cell-related proteins Flt-1, Tie-2, and endothelial nitric oxide synthase demonstrated expression of these mRNAs by the isolated cells for at least 16 cell passages. These observations demonstrate that capillary endothelial cell precursors can be isolated from developing human lung and maintained in cell culture. These cells represent a potentially important tool for investigating the regulation of mechanisms governing development of the air-blood barrier in the human lung.     

Developmental regulation of DUOX1 expression and function in human fetal lung epithelial cells

The purpose of this study was to determine the expression and cellular functions of the epithelial NADPH oxidase DUOX1 during alveolar type II cell development. When human fetal lung cells (gestational age 11-22 wk) were cultured to confluency on permeable filters, exposure of cells to a hormone mixture (dexamethasone, 8-Br-cAMP, and IBMX, together referred to as DCI) resulted in differentiation of cells into a mature type II phenotype as assessed by expression of lamellar bodies, surfactant proteins, and transepithelial electrical parameters. After 6 days in culture in presence of DCI, transepithelial resistance (2,616 +/- 529 Omega.cm(2)) and potential (-8.5 +/- 0.6 mV) indicated epithelial polarization. At the same time, treatment with DCI significantly increased the mRNA expression of DUOX1 ( approximately 21-fold), its maturation factor DUOXA1 ( approximately 12-fold), as well as DUOX protein ( approximately 12-fold), which was localized near the apical cell pole in confluent cultures. For comparison, in fetal lung specimens, DUOX protein was not detectable at up to 27 wk of gestational age but was strongly upregulated after 32 wk. Function of DUOX1 was assessed by measuring H(2)O(2) and acid production. Rates of H(2)O(2) production were increased by DCI treatment and blocked by small interfering RNA directed against DUOX1 or by diphenylene iodonium. DCI-treated cultures also showed increased intracellular acid production and acid release into the mucosal medium, and acid production was largely blocked by knockdown of DUOX1 mRNA. These data establish the regulated expression of DUOX1 during alveolar maturation, and indicate DUOX1 in alveolar H(2)O(2) and acid secretion by differentiated type II cells.