Endogenous IGF-I and alpha v beta3 integrin ligands regulate increased smooth muscle growth in TNBS-induced colitis

Endogenous insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) regulates intestinal smooth muscle growth by concomitantly stimulating proliferation and inhibiting apoptosis. IGF-I-stimulated growth is augmented by the alpha(v)beta(3) integrin ligands vitronectin and fibronectin. IGF-I expression in smooth muscle is increased in both TNBS-induced colitis and Crohn's disease. We hypothesized that intestinal inflammation increased vitronectin and fibronectin expression by smooth muscle and, along with IGF-I upregulation, increased intestinal muscle growth. Intestinal smooth muscle cells were examined 7 days following the induction of TNBS-induced colitis. Although alpha(v)beta(3) integrin expression was not altered by TNBS-induced colitis, vitronectin and fibronectin levels were increased by 80 +/- 10% and 90 +/- 15%, above control levels, respectively. Basal IGF-I receptor phosphorylation in inflamed muscle from TNBS-treated rats was increased by 86 +/- 8% over vehicle-treated controls. Basal ERK1/2, p70S6 kinase, and GSK-3beta phosphorylation in muscle cells of TNBS-treated rats were also increased by 140-180%. TNBS treatment increased basal muscle cell proliferation by 130 +/- 15% and decreased apoptosis by 20 +/- 2% compared with that in vehicle-treated controls. The changes in proliferation and apoptosis were reversed by an IGF-I receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor or an alpha(v)beta(3) integrin antagonist. The results suggest that smooth muscle hyperplasia in TNBS-induced colitis partly results from the upregulation of endogenous IGF-I and ligands of alpha(v)beta(3) integrin that mediate increased smooth muscle cell proliferation and decreased apoptosis. This paper has identified one mechanism regulating smooth muscle hyperplasia, a feature of stricture formation that occurs in the chronically inflamed intestine of TNBS-induced colitis and potentially Crohn's disease.