Gastrointestinal absorption of epidermal growth factor in suckling rats

Thornburg, W.; Matrisian, L.; Magun, B.; Koldovský, O.; Thornburg, W; Matrisian, L; Magun, B; Koldovský, O

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Gastrointestinal absorption of epidermal growth factor in suckling rats

Thornburg, W.; Matrisian, L.; Magun, B.; Koldovský, O.

American Journal of Physiology 246(1 Pt 1): G80-G85

1984

ISSN/ISBN: 0002-9513

PMID: 6607683

Document Number: 240949

Epidermal growth factor (EGF) was detected in milk of adult lactating Sprague-Dawley rats at 38.85 ng/ml and in the stomach (37.25 ng/g content) and plasma (32.36 ng/ml) of 13-day-old suckling offspring. 60-ng (0.12 mCi/ml) doses of 125I-labelled EGF were administered orally to sucklings in 200 micro l of buffer for 0, 0.5, 1.0 and 3.0 h. Lung, liver, kidney, brain and blood each contained 1% of administered radioactivity. Stomach wall and content, intestinal wall and flushing, and skin contained larger amounts, reaching maxima at 0, 0.5, and 3.0 h, resp. Except for skin, a substantial amount of radioactivity from all tissues represented intact and immunoreactive EGF. 30-55% of radioactivity from wall (gastric or small intestinal) or lumina was also capable of binding to A-431 cell surface receptors. Isoelectric points of major species found in stomach (4.2), intestine (4.1) and other tissues differed from that of administered EGF (4.5). Results indicate that EGF is present in rat milk and that maternal EGF ingested by pups could have a direct effect on the gastrointestinal tract.