The Effect of Epidermal Growth Factor on Intracellular Cyclic Nucleotide Levels
Abstract
The purpose of my experimentation is twofold: (1) To isolate Epidermal Growth Factor(EGF) (2) To determine the effect of EGF on intracellular cyclic nucleotide levels. Epidermal growth factor stimulates the differentiation and growth of epithelial cells. Although the medical applications of EGF are in a very preliminary stage of development, it is currently being studied for its use in burn and wound healing on the skin, psoriasis, and the healing of eye trauma. The mechanisms that EGF utilizes to accomplish this stimulation are not known. Although EGF does not enter the cell, it does cause many intracellular changes. The 'messenger' which transduces the binding of EGF to intracellular alterations may be the cyclic nucleotide system which has been well-documented in other hormone-induced cellular changes (e.g., epinephrine effect on glucose metabolism). Very recent research indicates that nerve growth factor (NGF) may raise intracellular cyclic AMF levels in ganglia. The exact mechanism of transduction for the three mentioned growth factors, in addition to insulin, remains unknown.
The importance of understanding the details by which EGF influences epithelial cells is twofold. Firstly, the delineation of how ligand-membrane interactions alter cellular function is currently one of the most important areas of biochemistry, pharmacology, immunology, and developmental biology. Secondly, EGF research has potential usefulness in several medical problems; the most important is psoriasis, since it afflicts approximately 3% of the population of the USA (5-6 million people). Psoriasis is manifested by the proliferation of epidermal cells that is propagated through an unknown mechanism. The potential for EGF in the treatment of burns and non-perforating eye wounds is also very significant. Therefore, investigating the role of cyclic nucleotides in EGF-stimulation of epithelial cell differentiation and growth will be research not only into a dynamic area of biochemistry but also into the biomedical alleviation of human suffering.
Description
Program year: 1976/1977Digitized from print original stored in HDR
Citation
DuBois, Raymond N., Jr (1977). The Effect of Epidermal Growth Factor on Intracellular Cyclic Nucleotide Levels. University Undergraduate Fellow. Available electronically from https : / /hdl .handle .net /1969 .1 /CAPSTONE -McLemoreS _1998.