AJP - Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology, Vol 249, Issue 6 674-G678, Copyright © 1985 by American Physiological Society
Effect of epidermal growth factor on ontogeny of the gastrointestinal tract
E. V. O'Loughlin, M. Chung, M. Hollenberg, J. Hayden, I. Zahavi and D. G. Gall
The effect of epidermal growth factor (EGF) on the ontogeny of the
gastrointestinal tract was examined in New Zealand White rabbits. EGF, 40
micrograms X kg-1 X day-1, was administered to suckling animals from 3-18
days of age either intraperitoneally or orogastrically. Controls received
saline. Animals were killed at 17-18 days of age. Body weight and wet
weight of stomach, pancreas, and 10-cm segments of proximal, mid, and
distal small intestine were measured. The total pancreas was homogenized
for determination of protein, DNA, and amylase, and the intestinal mucosa
was scraped, weighed, and homogenized for estimation of protein, DNA,
sucrase, and lactase. While body weights were similar wet weight of stomach
and pancreas were increased by intraperitoneal and orogastric EGF. Small
intestinal wet weights were increased in all segments by intraperitoneal
but not orogastric EGF, and both routes significantly increased mucosal DNA
in the distal segment. EGF administered orogastrically induced precocious
maturation of intestinal brush-border disaccharidase activities but had no
effect on pancreatic amylase, whereas EGF administered intraperitoneally
induced precocious maturation of pancreatic amylase but had no effect on
brush-border disaccharidase activities. These findings suggest that both
systemic and oral EGF play a role in regulating growth and postnatal
maturation of the gastrointestinal tract.
