Basic fibroblast growth factor and epidermal growth factor reverse impaired ulcer healing of the rabbit oral mucosa.
BACKGROUND
The therapies for refractory ulcers on the oral mucosa are symptomatic and very unsatisfactory. We hypothesized that application of growth factors might be able to achieve successful remission of the lesion. We evaluated the effects of systemic administration and topical application of epidermal growth factor (EGF) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) on impaired wound healing of ulcers in the rabbit gingiva.


METHODS
Almost uniform round ulcers could be created on the gingiva of the rabbits by chemical injury with acetic acid. When the submandibular glands were removed or i.v. injection of cisplatin (CDDP) and peplomycin sulfate was performed before ulcer formation, healing of the ulcers took longer than in untreated rabbits. To ascertain whether or not human EGF and bFGF affect rabbit cells, we first examined the effects of EGF and bFGF on the proliferation of the cells derived from rabbit gingiva. We then applied EGF or bFGF in these impaired healing models.


RESULTS
EGF and bFGF promoted proliferation of the fibroblasts, and EGF also promoted proliferation of the keratinocytes isolated from gingival tissue of rabbits in vitro. Systemic injections of EGF and bFGF in rabbits, which had their submandibular glands removed, and topical application of bFGF accelerated healing of ulcers created in rabbits injected with CDDP and peplomycin sulfate. The ability of bFGF to promote the healing of ulcers was much greater than that of EGF.


CONCLUSIONS
Basic FGF may be effective for refractory oral mucosal lesions.
Fujisawa
Kenji
K
First Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, School of Dentistry, The University of Tokushima, 18-15, 3 Kuramoto-cho, Tokushima, 770-8504, Japan. fujisawa@dent.tokushima-u.ac.jp
Miyamoto
Youji
Y
Nagayama
Masaru
M
D000287:Administration, Topical; D000818:Animals; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002945:Cisplatin; D004247:DNA / Q000096:biosynthesis; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005881:Gingiva / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000187:drug effects; D019226:Oral Ulcer / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy*; D017663:Peplomycin; D011817:Rabbits; D013363:Submandibular Gland / Q000502:physiology / Q000601:surgery; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000187:drug effects*
D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2; D017663:Peplomycin; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor; D004247:DNA; D002945:Cisplatin