High impact information on KGF

• In vitro studies have shown that keratinocyte growth factor (KGF, also known as FGF-7) is secreted by fibroblasts and is mitogenic specifically for epithelial cells [1].
• Progesterone-dependent expression of keratinocyte growth factor mRNA in stromal cells of the primate endometrium: keratinocyte growth factor as a progestomedin [1].
• KGF had dramatic proliferative effects on the bladder and salivary glands, known targets of KGF, but did not affect cell proliferation in the endometrium or block menstrual sloughing and bleeding [2].
• Because KGF levels fall so dramatically during the LFT, we hypothesized that replacement with exogenous KGF during the LFT would prevent some of the endometrial changes seen after P withdrawal [2].
• Because its expression rises coincident with the time of implantation and because spiral arteries are essential to successful establishment of pregnancy, the role of KGF in the fertile menstrual cycle deserves further study [2].

Biological context of KGF

• However, KGF strongly inhibited apoptosis in the basalis zone, increased glandular sacculation and folding in this zone, and had a marked trophic effect on the spiral arteries [2].
• In-situ hybridization revealed that during early gestation, KGF mRNA was strongly expressed in placental mesenchymal cells [3].
• In vivo, KGF and KGFR comprise a mesenchymal-epithelial cell paracrine system that can mediate epithelial cell mitosis [3].

Anatomical context of KGF

• We concluded that although KGF is mitogenic for many epithelial cell types, it does not play this role in the primate endometrium [2].
• We conclude that the KGF/KGFR system may be important in proliferation of the placental trophoblast during early- to mid-pregnancy in rhesus monkeys [3].
• Effects of keratinocyte growth factor in the endometrium of rhesus macaques during the luteal-follicular transition [2].
• Keratinocyte growth factor causes proliferation of urothelium in vivo [4].

Associations of KGF with chemical compounds

• At the end of the menstrual cycle, P levels fall, and the abundance of endometrial KGF transcripts decreases approximately 9-fold [2].
• Interestingly, one gene that we studied, keratinocyte growth factor, that was up-regulated by P (peak E levels vs. PcDNA) was more highly expressed in IcDNA [5].

Analytical, diagnostic and therapeutic context of KGF

• Northern blot analysis indicated also that the KGF MRNA signal was strongest in early gestation samples and weakest by late gestation [3].

References