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Chronic treatment with epidermal growth factor causes esophageal epithelial hyperplasia in pigs and rats

  • Esophageal, Gastric, and Duodenal Disorders
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Abstract

Epidermal growth factor (EGF) is an important factor for maintaining the esophageal functional integrity. Goettingen minipigs were treated with either placebo or subcutaneous EGF (30 μg/kg/day) for four weeks. Wistar rats were treated with either placebo or subcutaneous EGF (150 μg/kg/day) for four weeks. At sacrifice, esophageal samples were obtained for histology, immunochemistry, and lectin characterization. In pigs, the thickness of the esophageal epithelium was almost doubled in the EGF-treated animals. Characterization with lectins revealed a normal pattern of differentiation. Subcutaneously administered EGF was visualized on cells located basally in the esophageal epithelium. In rats EGF-treatment increased the esophageal volume of the epithelium, the lamina propria of the mucosa, and the subnucosa. In conclusion, systemic EGF challenge induces growth of the esophageal epithelium with an unaltered pattern of differentiation. This supports previous studies demonstrating a beneficial effects of systemic EGF-treatment on sclerotherapyp-induced esophageal damage.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Experimental Clinical Research, University of Aarhus, Skejby Sygehus, DK-8200, Aarhus N, Denmark

    Claus Orloff Juhl MD, Lars Vinter-Jensen MD, Steen Seier Poulsen MD, Torben Falk Ørntoft MD, Dr Med Sci & Esam Zapher Dajani PhD

  2. Department of Clinical Biochemistry, University Hospital of Aarhus, Denmark

    Claus Orloff Juhl MD, Lars Vinter-Jensen MD, Steen Seier Poulsen MD, Torben Falk Ørntoft MD, Dr Med Sci & Esam Zapher Dajani PhD

  3. Department of Pathology, Aalborg Hospital, Denmark

    Claus Orloff Juhl MD, Lars Vinter-Jensen MD, Steen Seier Poulsen MD, Torben Falk Ørntoft MD, Dr Med Sci & Esam Zapher Dajani PhD

  4. Institute of Medical Anatomy, Department B, The Panum Institute, University of Copenhagen, Denmark

    Claus Orloff Juhl MD, Lars Vinter-Jensen MD, Steen Seier Poulsen MD, Torben Falk Ørntoft MD, Dr Med Sci & Esam Zapher Dajani PhD

  5. International Drug Development Consultants, a Division of Mid Gulf U.S.A., Inc., Chicago, Illinois

    Claus Orloff Juhl MD, Lars Vinter-Jensen MD, Steen Seier Poulsen MD, Torben Falk Ørntoft MD, Dr Med Sci & Esam Zapher Dajani PhD

Authors
  1. Claus Orloff Juhl MD
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  2. Lars Vinter-Jensen MD
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  3. Steen Seier Poulsen MD
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  4. Torben Falk Ørntoft MD, Dr Med Sci
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  5. Esam Zapher Dajani PhD
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Additional information

This study was supported in part by the Danish Medical Research Council (12–1317) and by Gastrone Inc., Menlo Park, California.

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Orloff Juhl, C., Vinter-Jensen, L., Seier Poulsen, S. et al. Chronic treatment with epidermal growth factor causes esophageal epithelial hyperplasia in pigs and rats. Digest Dis Sci 40, 2717–2723 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02220465

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02220465

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