Nelson K G, Takahashi T, Bossert N L, Walmer D K, McLachlan J A
Laboratory of Reproductive and Developmental Toxicology, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1991 Jan 1;88(1):21-5. doi: 10.1073/pnas.88.1.21.
The in vivo studies presented here demonstrate that epidermal growth factor (EGF) is an important autocrine and/or paracrine mediator of estrogen-induced growth and differentiation in mouse uterus and vagina. An antibody specific for EGF significantly inhibited estrogen-induced uterine and vaginal growth, thereby implicating EGF involvement in estrogen action. Furthermore, EGF administered via slow-release pellets in ovariectomized mice acted as a potent uterine and vaginal mitogen as well as an inducer of vaginal keratinization. Experiments with ovariectomized, adrenalectomized, hypophysectomized mice indicated that EGF mitogenesis does not require pituitary or adrenal hormones. Treatment with EGF also mimicked estrogen in the induction of uterine lactoferrin (a major estrogen-inducible secretory protein) mRNA and protein. These data suggest that EGF has estrogen-like effects in the promotion of cell growth in the reproductive tract and that EGF may serve as an important mediator of estrogen action in vivo.
本文所呈现的体内研究表明，表皮生长因子（EGF）是雌激素诱导小鼠子宫和阴道生长及分化的重要自分泌和/或旁分泌介质。一种针对EGF的特异性抗体显著抑制了雌激素诱导的子宫和阴道生长，从而表明EGF参与了雌激素作用。此外，通过缓释微丸给予去卵巢小鼠的EGF可作为一种强效的子宫和阴道有丝分裂原以及阴道角化诱导剂。对去卵巢、肾上腺切除、垂体切除小鼠的实验表明，EGF的有丝分裂作用并不需要垂体或肾上腺激素。用EGF处理还能在诱导子宫乳铁蛋白（一种主要的雌激素诱导分泌蛋白）mRNA和蛋白质方面模拟雌激素。这些数据表明，EGF在促进生殖道细胞生长方面具有类似雌激素的作用，并且EGF可能在体内作为雌激素作用的重要介质。
