Expression patterns of transforming growth factor-beta and its receptors in gastric mucosa of patients with refractory gastric ulcer

Figure 1 RT-PCR analysis of expression of transforming growth factor (TGF)-β and TGF-β receptor II mRNA in gastric mucosa from patients with gastric ulcer. RNA was extracted from gastric mucosa. β-actin primers were used as a positive control. TGF-β transcripts were not detected in patients 6 and 13, and the expression level was low in patients 5 and 15. TGF-β receptor II transcripts were not detected in patients 6, 13 and 15 and expression was low in patient 5.

Figure 2 In situ hybridization localization of TGF-β and TGF-β receptor II in the gastric mucosa from patients 1 (A, B and C) and 2 (D, E and F). Serial sections were hybridized with antisense cRNA probes of TGF-β (A and D) and TGF-β receptor II (B and E), and stained with hematoxylin (C and F). TGF-β transcripts were detected in patients 1 and 2; expression in the lamina propria was higher than that in the gastric epithelium (A and D). TGF-β receptor II was also detected in both patients (B and E).

Figure 3 In situ hybridization localization of TGF-β and TGF-β receptor II in the gastric mucosa from patients 3 (A, B and C) and 4 (D, E and F). Serial sections were hybridized as for patients 1 and 2. TGF-β transcripts were present in the lamina propria as well as in the epithelial cells (A and D). Expression of TGF-β receptor II mRNA could also be detected in the same area (B and F, arrowheads).

Figure 4 In situ hybridization localization of TGF-β and TGF-β receptor II in the gastric mucosa from patients 5 (A, B and C) and 6 (D, E and F). Serial sections were hybridized as for patients 1 to 4. Slight TGF-β mRNA was seen in the gastric epithelium and lamina propria of patient 5 (A); very few signals could be detected in patient 6 (D). Expression of TGF-β receptor II mRNA was only minimally detected in the same region (B, arrowhead). No expression of TGF-β receptor II could be found in patient 6 (E).

Figure 5 In situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry localization of TGF-β and TGF-β receptor II in the gastric mucosa from patient 7. Serial sections were hybridized with antisense cRNA probes of TGF-β (A) and TGF-β receptor II (B), and stained with antibodies against TGF-β (C) and TGF-β receptor II (D). TGF-β mRNA was detected in the gastric epithelium and in the lamina propria (A). Expression of TGF-β mRNA was seen in the same region (B, arrowhead). Expression of TGF-β receptor II mRNA and TGF-β receptor II protein was also observed (C and D).