title: Radioimmunoassay of human epidermal growth factor--hEGF levels in human body fluids.
abstract: By immunizing rabbits with purified human epidermal growth factor (hEGF), which was synthesized by Escherichia coli constructed by a genetic engineering technique, high titer antiserum for hEGF was obtained. The antiserum has an excellent specificity to hEGFs (hEGF, hEGF [1-51], hEGF [1-47] and [Leu21] hEGF) and has almost no cross-reactivity with other biological peptides, such as mouse EGF and human platelet derived growth factor. Using radioiodinated hEGF, a radioimmunoassay (RIA) for hEGF was established by a double antibody-polyethylene glycol method. As little as 10 pg/tube of hEGF was successfully determined by the present RIA methods. The intra- and inter-assay coefficients of variation for hEGF in human plasma or serum were 2.4-4.9% and 3.7-6.2%, respectively. The hEGF levels in human body fluids determined by the present method were as follows: urine (11-100 ng/ml), serum (1.0-1.8 ng/ml), plasma (0.2-0.8 ng/ml), sperm (17-47 ng/ml), saliva (0.9-3.0 ng/ml) and tears (9.5-27 ng/ml).
authors.affiliation: Central Research Laboratories, Wakunaga Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Hiroshima, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hayashi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sakamoto
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001826:Body Fluids / Q000032:analysis; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D008297:Male; D011863:Radioimmunoassay
chemical_list: D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor