Epidermal growth factor in serum, urine, submandibular glands and kidneys of diabetic mice.
Levels of epidermal growth factor (EGF) in serum were significantly decreased in streptozotocin (STZ)-diabetic mice (446 +/- 168 pg/ml after 1 week and 423 +/- 52 after 4 weeks vs 766 +/- 162 pg/ml in controls, P.002 and less than .001. respectively) and in genetically diabetic ob/ob mice (455 +/- 285 vs 962 +/- 453 pg/ml in nondiabetic ob/+ controls, P.043). The urinary excretion of EGF was significantly increased in STZ mice (104 +/- 53 vs 51 +/- 23 ng/h, P.013) but unchanged in ob/ob mice (33 +/- 9 vs 45 +/- 16 ng/h, P.134). However, when expressed per mg creatinine it was decreased in both cases: in STZ mice to 680 +/- 250 ng/mg at 1 week and 684 +/- 211 at 4 weeks vs 1250 +/- 303 ng/mg in controls (P less than .01); and in the ob/ob mice to 552 +/- 117 vs 1237 +/- 300 ng/mg in ob/+ controls (P less than .01). EGF content of the submandibular glands of STZ mice remained unchanged at 1 week (13.1 +/- 2.9 vs 11.0 +/- 1.8 micrograms/mg protein, P.170) but dropped by 4 weeks (4.7 +/- 1.2 micrograms/mg, P less than .001); in the ob/ob mice it was less than 20% that of controls (2.1 +/- 0.8 vs 12.2 +/- 3.6 micrograms/mg protein). In kidneys, the EGF content was not altered in either ob/ob (524 +/- 50 vs 571 +/- 33 pg/mg protein) or STZ mice (652 +/- 183 vs 665 +/- 80 pg/mg). The preproEGF mRNA level in STZ-treated mice was reduced after 4 weeks in submandibular glands but not in kidneys. The results show that diabetes affects EGF production, utilization and/or excretion in mice and that kidneys are spared from suppression of EGF synthesis that is pronounced in the submandibular glands.
Department of Diabetes, City of Hope National Medical Center Duarte, California.
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Lev-Ran
D000818:Animals; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000652:urine; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000652:urine; D006946:Hyperinsulinism / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism / Q000652:urine; D007668:Kidney / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008820:Mice, Obese; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D013363:Submandibular Gland / Q000378:metabolism*
D011498:Protein Precursors; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C042652:epidermal growth factor precursor; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor