Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 18, 2026
Establishment of Human Epithelial Enteroids and Colonoids from Whole Tissue and Biopsy
Published on: March 6, 2015
Intestinal phenotype in mice overexpressing a heparin-binding EGF-like growth factor transgene in enterocytes
Chun-Liang Chen1, Veela B Mehta, Hong-Yi Zhang
1Department of Pediatric Surgery, The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Center for Perinatal Research, Nationwide Children's Hospital, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, OH, USA.
Primary Objective:
Heparin-binding EGF-like growth factor (HB-EGF) protects the intestine from damage in animals. Future clinical trials of HB-EGF may involve administration of repeated doses of HB-EGF. Since HB-EGF activates EGF receptors which have been implicated in tumor development, we examined the effects of HB-EGF overexpression in the intestine.
Research Design:
We generated transgenic (TG) mice in which the human HB-EGF gene is driven by the villin promoter to overexpress HB-EGF along the crypt-villous axis from the duodenum to the colon.
Results:
HB-EGF TG mice have increased enterocyte proliferation balanced by increased enterocyte apoptosis. Despite prolonged overexpression of HB-EGF, no evidence of intestinal hyperplasia or tumor formation occurs. Although HB-EGF TG mice have no significant phenotypic alterations under basal conditions, they have increased resistance to intestinal injury.
Conclusions:
Prolonged intestinal HB-EGF overexpression results in no significant phenotypic alterations under basal conditions, but confers protection against intestinal injury.
