Platelet Epidermal Growth Factor and Liver Regeneration

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

1. Establishing of assay methds of rat epidermal growth factor (rEGF): A radioimmunoassay was developed for rEGF, which was purified from rat male submaxillary glands. The iodinated peptide required further purification with a immunoaffinity column for the sensitive assay. So, two sensitive and simple two-site enzyme immunoassays were developed using anti-rEGF Fab'antibody-linked peroxidase or -D-galactosidase, whose activities were stable at 4゜C for 6 months. No interference was observed by addition of human plasma. TherEGF was detectable at a concentration of 0.5 pg/tube.2. Tissue distribution of rEGF: Submaxillary gland, seminal vesicle, prostate, pacreas, and kidney were rich in rEGF. Duodenum showed higher content compared to other segments of digestive tract. Portal or systemic blood specimens of several conditions (treated with several secretagogues or at several time points of liver regeneration) revealed no detectable levels of rERF. Higher radioactivities of iodinated rEGF injected to portal vein were accumulated in the nuclei of the hepatocytes at the early phase of liver regeneration compared to those of controls. Direct effect of rEGF to liver regeneration was suggested. Further study was needed to elucidate the role(s) of platelet EGF on liver regeneration.