Table 2.

Quantitative RT-PCR for expression of genes affected by long-term treatment of mice with exogenous HA or PEP-1

	Distal Jejunum				Distal Colon
	HA		PEP-1		HA		PEP-1
Gene	Fold Δ	P value	Fold Δ	P value	Fold Δ	P value	Fold Δ	P value
IGF1	NSD		−1.8	0.035	+2.6	0.038	NSD
IGFBP5	NSD		−2.5	0.028	+1.4	0.039	NSD
FGF2	NSD		NSD		+2.1	0.047	NSD
FGF4	+1.5	0.045	NSD		NSD		NSD
FGF8	NSD		NSD		+2.4	0.025	NSD
EGF	+3.2	0.022	NSD		NSD		NSD
Epiregulin	NSD		NSD		NSD		−1.5	0.040
HAS1	+6.3	0.004	NSD		+6.0	0.002	NSD
HYAL3	+1.4	0.025	NSD		+2.0	0.042	NSD

Values are means ± SE; n = 4 mice for all genes. Mice were given hyaluronic acid (HA) or PEP-1 intraperitoneally twice a week for 5 wk starting at weaning. mRNA was extracted from distal jejunums and distal colons and used in RT-PCR. In HA-treated mice, there was increased gene expression for growth factors in intestine (FGF4 and FGF8) and colon [IGF1 (IGF-I), IGFBP5, and FGF2]; there was also increased expression of genes for HA synthesis (HAS1) and HA degradation (HYAL3) in intestine and colon. In mice treated with PEP-1, there was decreased gene expression for growth factors in intestine (IGF-I and IGFBP5) and colon (epiregulin), but there was no change in HAS or HYAL genes. NSD, no significant difference.