Abstract Objective Neonatal asphyxia may induce acute gastrointestinal injuries such as erosion, ulcer, bleeding and so on. Recent investigations have shown that epidermal growth factor (EGF) and its receptor (EGFR) play an important role while participating in the reparation of acute gastrointestinal injury in adult animals. This paper aims at studying the expressions of EGF and EGFR in gastric mucosa of neonatal rats with intrauterine asphyxia as well as their roles in the reparation of gastric mucosa lesions. Methods Wistar rats, 21 days pregnant, were used to establish animal models of intrauterine asphyxia. The surviring pups of the Asphyxia group and the pups without asphyxia (Control group) were sacrificed by decapitation at 0, 24, 48, 72 hrs after birth and gaster specimens were collected. The expressions of EGF, EGFR and EGFR mRNA in the gastric mucosas were assayed by immunohistochemistry and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT PCR) and the histology of gastric mucosas were observed. Results (1) The gastric mucosa lesions of neonatal rats were found in the Asphyxia group and became more and more serious untill a peak was reached 48 hrs after birth. (2) Low expressions of EGF and EGFR could be detected in the gastric mucosas of rats in the Control group, and there were no differences among various time points. (3) The expressions of EGF and EGFR in the gastric mucosas of neonatal rats in the Asphyxia group increased with time and reached the peak 48 hrs after birth. The EGFR expressions at 24, 48 and 72 hrs in the Asphyxia group were significantly higher than those of the Control group (P< 0.01 or 0.05 ). (4) The expression of EGFR mRNA in the gastric mucosa of neonatal rats in the Asphyxia group reached a peak 24 hrs after birth and was higher than that of the Control group (P< 0.01 ). Conclusions EGF and EGFR may play an important role in the reparation of gastric mucosa lesions of neonatal rats with intrauterine asphyxia.
SUN Hong-Wei,SUN Mei,XU Ling-Fen. Expression of epidermal growth factor and its receptor in the gastric mucosa of neonatal rats with intrauterine asphyxia[J]. 中国当代儿科杂志, 2004, 6(1): 7-10.
SUN Hong-Wei,SUN Mei,XU Ling-Fen. Expression of epidermal growth factor and its receptor in the gastric mucosa of neonatal rats with intrauterine asphyxia[J]. CJCP, 2004, 6(1): 7-10.
