epidermal-growth-factor and Birth-Weight

Improvement in litter traits is the key to profitable pig farming that directly enhances the economic standing of the farmers in developing countries. The present study aimed to explore oestrogen receptor (ESR), epidermal growth factor (EGF), follicle-stimulating hormone beta subunit (FSHβ), prolactin receptor (PRLR) and retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4) genes as possible candidate genetic markers for litter traits in indigenous pigs of India. The breeds included in the study were Ghungroo, Mali, Niang Megha and Tenyi Vo, and the reproductive traits considered were litter size at birth (LSB), number born alive (NBA), litter weight at birth (LWB), litter size at weaning (LSW) and litter weight at weaning (LWW) at their first parity. PCR-RFLP and primer-based mutation detection methods were used to identify polymorphism, and associations between the genotypes and the traits were analysed using a general linear model. The Ghungroo pigs recorded the best litter performances among the breeds (p < .05, LWB p < .01). Different alleles and genotypes of the genes under study were detected. Short interspersed nuclear element (SINE) -/- genotype of FSHβ revealed significantly higher litter traits (p < .05, LSB p < .01). The LWW was also found to be significantly influenced by ESR BB and AB, EGF AB and BB, and PRLR CC genotypes (p < .05). Although we did not find statistically significant and consistently superior litter traits with respect to different genotypes of other studied genes than genotype SINE -/- of the FSHβ, PRLR CC genotype demonstrated superior performances for all the litter traits. Our study revealed the FSHβ as a potential candidate genetic marker for litter traits in indigenous pig breeds of India.

Topics: Animals; Birth Weight; Body Weight; Breeding; Epidermal Growth Factor; Female; Follicle Stimulating Hormone, beta Subunit; Genotype; Litter Size; Polymorphism, Genetic; Receptors, Estrogen; Receptors, Prolactin; Retinol-Binding Proteins, Plasma; Sus scrofa; Weaning

Lactational programming, through which milk-borne bioactives influence both neonatal and long-term biological development, is well established. However, almost no research has investigated how developmental stimuli during a mother's early life may influence her milk bioactives in adulthood. Here, we investigated the association between maternal birth weight and milk epidermal growth factor (EGF) and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGF-R) in later life. We predicted there would be a decrease in both milk EGF and EGF-R in the milk produced by mothers who were themselves born low birth weight.. Study participants are from the Cebu Longitudinal Health and Nutrition Survey. Mothers (n = 69) were followed longitudinally since birth with prospective data collection. Anthropometrics, health, and dietary recalls were collected with early morning milk samples when mothers were 24 to 25 years of age. Milk samples were analyzed for EGF and its receptor (EGF-R). Analysis of variance was used to test for differences in milk EGF and EGF-R between low and average birthweight mothers after adjustment for parity, age, and maternal dietary energy intake.. Mothers who were low birth weight produced milk with significantly less EGF and more EGF-R which resulted in a lower ratio of EGF to EGF-R. These associations persisted after adjustment for infant age, maternal adiposity, and dietary energy.. While this is a small sample size, these preliminary findings suggest that maternal early life characteristics, such as birth weight, may be important contributors to variation in milk bioactives. Future work is necessary to understand how variation in maternal early life may influence milk composition in adulthood.

Topics: Adult; Birth Weight; Body Size; Epidermal Growth Factor; ErbB Receptors; Female; Humans; Infant; Infant, Low Birth Weight; Infant, Newborn; Longitudinal Studies; Milk, Human; Mothers; Philippines; Prospective Studies; Young Adult

Cord blood serum (CBS)-based eye drops are successfully used in corneal epithelial wound healing and are prepared to supply a known amount of epidermal growth factor (EGF). Product standardisation includes expensive EGF dosage in all cord blood (CB) units. The influence of donor obstetric and haematological characteristics on EGF content was evaluated, to exclude unsuitable CBS and pre-select those CB units able to provide the correct EGF supply for healing corneal wounds.. Data were retrospectively collected from 135 donors included in the Emilia Romagna Cord Blood Bank records. Obstetric characteristics, parity and gestational age of the mother, sex, birth weight and Apgar score of the neonate, placental weight, duration of labour and mode of delivery were considered. Haematological characteristics, CD34+ cell number, and total nucleated cell, white blood cell and platelet counts were recorded. EGF content in CB units was estimated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Statistical evaluation was performed by Mann-Whitney unpaired and Student's t tests. Correlations between variables were evaluated by using Pearson's (r) or Spearman's (ρ) correlation coefficients.. EGF content was significantly higher in CBS from donors aged <30 years and after vaginal deliveries as compared with scheduled Caesarean sections (1,386±580 vs 1,106±391 pg/mL; P=0.002). EGF content was significantly correlated with duration of labour (r=0.45; P=0.0001), number of CD34+ cells/mL (r=0.3; P=0.002) particularly in vaginal deliveries (r=0.36; P=0.003), mother's age (-0.25; P=0.005), neonate's birth weight (r=0.27; P=0.005), and total nucleated cell (r=0.25; P=0.006), white cell (r=0.29; P=0.001) and platelet (r=0.24; P=0.009) counts. No significant correlations were found between EGF content and parity, gestational age, placental weight, neonate's sex or Apgar scores.. EGF levels are higher in CB units from younger mothers (<30 years), with longer labour duration (>6 hours), and higher CD34+ cell content (>0.05×10(6)/mL). In order to optimise the preparation and costs of CBS-based eye drops, pre-selection of CB units is recommended.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Apgar Score; Birth Weight; Blood Cell Count; Delivery, Obstetric; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Epidermal Growth Factor; Female; Fetal Blood; Gestational Age; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Labor, Obstetric; Male; Maternal Age; Ophthalmic Solutions; Parity; Placenta; Pregnancy; Retrospective Studies; Young Adult

Birthweight predicts health later in life and is influenced by inherited factors. We investigated the association of the c.61G > A, and c.2566G > A polymorphisms in the epidermal growth factor (EGF) gene [GenBank NM_001963] with birthweight in three groups of healthy pregnant women, and in women with pregnancies affected by fetal growth restriction (FGR). Subjects comprised 171 Sinhalese women with normal pregnancies (Group A), 64 white Western European women with normal pregnancies (Group B), 101 white Western European women with normal pregnancies and their babies (Group C) and 107 women with pregnancies affected by FGR, their partners and their babies (Group D). Maternal EGF genotypes were associated with birthweight of healthy babies of women in Groups A (P = 0.03), B (P = 0.001) and C (P = 0.01). The association persisted following adjustment for confounding by gestational age, sex, maternal weight, parity and smoking habit. The trend from heaviest to lightest birthweights in all these groups was c.61AA > c.61GA > c.61GG and c.2566GG > c.2566GA > c.2566AA. The EGF haplotype associated with lower birthweight (c.61G, c.2566A) was transmitted at increased frequency from heterozygous parents to babies affected by FGR in Group D (P = 0.02). These findings support the hypothesis that growth factors expressed by the feto-maternal unit affect birthweight, and implicates polymorphism in the EGF gene in the aetiology of birthweight variability.

Topics: Adult; Birth Weight; Case-Control Studies; Epidermal Growth Factor; Europe; Female; Fetal Growth Retardation; Gene Frequency; Haplotypes; Humans; Polymorphism, Genetic; Pregnancy; Sri Lanka; White People

The aim of the study was to compare epidermal growth factor (EGF) concentration in 81 colostrum samples collected from mothers of newborns in the following growth categories: preterm appropriate for gestational age (AGA), preterm small for gestational age (SGA), and full term (FT).. Significantly higher concentrations of EGF were found in the colostrum of mothers who delivered premature AGA infants at less than 32 weeks of gestation compared with mothers who delivered premature SGA babies at the same gestational age.. We concluded that the maternal compensatory mechanism accelerating the development of immature breast-fed infants may be disturbed when gestation is complicated by intrauterine growth retardation.

Topics: Birth Weight; Colostrum; Epidermal Growth Factor; Female; Fetal Growth Retardation; Gestational Age; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Infant, Small for Gestational Age; Milk, Human; Pregnancy; Premature Birth; Term Birth

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the traditional Chinese medicine tetrandrine (Tet) and to determine its possible mechanism on expression of endothelin-1 (ET-1) and epidermal growth factor (EGF) in the lung of a rat model of nitrofen-induced congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH).. A single oral dose (115 mg/kg) of nitrofen on day 9.5 of pregnancy was maternally administered to induce CDH. Pregnant rats were divided into 4 groups on day 18.5: control (n = 5), CDH (n = 5), CDH+dexamethasone (Dex) (n = 5), and CDH+Tet (n = 5). All fetuses were delivered by cesarean delivery on day 21.5. Accordingly, there were 4 groups of fetuses: control (n = 38), CDH (n = 25), CDH+Dex (n = 21), and CDH+Tet (n = 22). Lung tissue weight (LW) and body weight (BW) of each fetus were recorded, lung histologic evaluations and ET-1 and EGF immunohistochemistry staining were performed, and image analysis was performed after lung processing.. Five female rats in the control group produced 38 fetuses without CDH. CDH was observed in 68 of the 128 rat fetuses (53.1%) among the other 3 groups. The LW/BW ratio of the CDH group was significantly lower than those of the Dex and EGF groups (P < .05). The lungs of fetuses with CDH showed marked abnormal structure such as pulmonary hypoplasia and vascular remodeling, in contrast to improved pulmonary structure in lungs of fetuses in the CDH+Dex and CDH+Tet groups. Statistical differences in morphologic parameters (radial alveolar counts, percentage of alveoli, percentage of medial wall thickness, and vascular volume) were found (P < .05). The immunoreactivity of EGF and ET-1 in the CDH group was markedly stronger than that in the control, CDH+Dex, and CDH+Tet groups (P < .01). In addition, EGF and ET-1 expression in the CDH+Dex and CDH+Tet groups was stronger than that in the control group (P < .05). There was no difference in lung EGF and ET-1 immunoreactivity between CDH+Dex and CDH+Tet groups (P > .05).. Antenatal treatment with Tet may improve lung growth and vascular remodeling, and its mechanism seems to be involved in decreasing EGF and ET-1 expression. Tet administered maternally may be a hopeful new therapeutic option in the treatment of CDH and may be effective in helping to avoid the side effects of Dex.

Topics: Abnormalities, Drug-Induced; Alkaloids; Animals; Benzylisoquinolines; Birth Weight; Dexamethasone; Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; Drugs, Chinese Herbal; Endothelin-1; Epidermal Growth Factor; Female; Fetal Organ Maturity; Hernia, Diaphragmatic; Lung; Organ Size; Phenyl Ethers; Pregnancy; Pulmonary Artery; Random Allocation; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

To study the levels of inhibin (INH) and epidermal growth factor (EGF) in maternal plasma and umbilical cord plasma of patients with hypertensive disorder complicating pregnancy, and to explore their influence on the disease and fetal growth.. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to detect maternal and umbilical cord plasma INH and EGF levels in 65 patients with hypertensive disorder complicating pregnancy (test groups) and 21 normal pregnant women (control group).. Plasma level of INH in test groups (499 +/- 52) ng/L was significantly higher than that (421 +/- 36) ng/L in control group (P < 0.01); however, the umbilical cord plasma level of INH had no significant difference (P > 0.05). Plasma level of EGF in test groups (408 +/- 60) ng/L was significantly lower than that (463 +/- 87) ng/L in control group (P < 0.05), also there was significant difference in umbilical cord plasma level of two groups (232 +/- 99) ng/L vs (380 +/- 97) ng/L (P < 0.01). The level of EGF in umbilical cord blood was positively correlated with newborn's body weight and placental weight.. Plasma levels of INH and EGF in pregnancy women are related with hypertensive disorder complicating pregnancy. EGF level of umbilical cord blood affects the growth of fetus and placenta.

Topics: Adult; Biomarkers; Birth Weight; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Epidermal Growth Factor; Female; Fetal Blood; Gestational Age; Humans; Hypertension, Pregnancy-Induced; Infant, Newborn; Inhibins; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications

Intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) infants have impaired gastrointestinal function with resultant feeding difficulties and predisposition to necrotizing enterocolitis. Supplemented amniotic fluid swallowed by the developing fetus is a potential prenatal treatment for IUGR. Rabbits have naturally occurring IUGR fetuses based on uterine position. To determine intestinal response to epidermal growth factor (EGF) infusion, this rabbit model of IUGR was studied.. Eight pregnant rabbits underwent placement of intraamniotic catheters into 2 normal and 2 IUGR fetuses per mother on gestational day 24 of a 31-day gestation. Miniosmotic pumps infused either EGF (about 300 microg/kg/d) or control solution forming 4 study groups (EGF-Favored [Fav] v. Cont-Fav; EGF-IUGR v. Cont-IUGR). On gestational day 31, the fetal gastrointestinal tracts were harvested for analysis. Intestinal epithelial cell proliferation was studied by 5-bromo-2-deoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation, villus heights were measured, and EGF mRNA was measured by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Statistical analysis was performed using Students' t test.. Fetal survival rate was 87%. EGF-IUGR fetal weights were increased compared with Cont-IUGR fetuses. EGF infusion significantly increased IUGR fetal small intestinal villus height and BrdU-positive small intestinal (SI) crypt cells, all approaching Cont-Fav levels. EGF mRNA was expressed throughout the gastrointestinal tract.. Supplemental amniotic EGF normalizes fetal weight and intestinal proliferation in the IUGR fetal rabbit. The inclusion of EGF in supplemental amniotic feeding solutions is supported.

Topics: Amniotic Fluid; Animals; Birth Weight; Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; Epidermal Growth Factor; Female; Fetal Growth Retardation; Humans; Infusion Pumps, Implantable; Intestine, Small; Pregnancy; Rabbits; Recombinant Proteins; RNA, Messenger

To investigate the relationship of epidermal growth factor (EGF) and its receptor (EGFR) with fetal birth weight.. Using enzyme linked immunoabsorbent assay (ELISA) method the EGF concentrations of materal sera, cord blood sera and amniotic fluids were determined in 40 cases with IUGR, 40 cases with term normal birth weight, 25 cases with fetal macrosomias and 15 cases with normal non-pregnant women. Simultaneously using the immunohistochemical method EGFR in placentas and fetal membrance was determined in all groups of pregnancy.. The EGF levels in normal non-pregnant women were lower than that in all groups of pregnancy. The EGF concentrations of materal sera, cord blood sera and amniotic fluid in IUGR group were lower than that in normal birth weight group. EGF levels were no difference between fetal macrosomias group and normal birth weight group. There is a positive correlation between the fetal birth weight and EGF concentrations in maternal sera, cord blood sera and amniotic fluids. In IUGR group the number of EGFR in placent and fetal membrane was less than that in normal birth weight group. In macrosomia group placental EGFR number was more than that in normal birth weight group.. EGF and its receptor levels are related with IUGR, EGF concentrations in maternal sera and amniotic fluids in the third trimester may be a valuable index for assessing the fetal growth.

Topics: Adult; Amniotic Fluid; Birth Weight; Epidermal Growth Factor; ErbB Receptors; Female; Fetal Blood; Fetal Growth Retardation; Fetal Macrosomia; Humans; Pregnancy

We have used rats with epidermal growth factor (EGF) autoantibodies to study the role of EGF deficiency during perinatal development. The study was focused on organs known to contain EGF or its receptor. Compared with controls, the offspring of autoimmune rats had a higher perinatal mortality and a lower birth weight. The weight of the lungs was particularly low in the offspring of EGF-immunized rats, and morphologically the lungs from the surviving pups seemed atelectatic and had alveolar duct dilatation, which indicates mild respiratory distress syndrome. Judged from immunohistochemical studies, the amount of surfactant protein-A was decreased, suggesting a delayed lung maturation. The offspring of EGF-immunized rats had dry and wrinkled skin. The skin was thin and the hair follicles were immature. This suggests a role for EGF in the growth and development of the skin. The liver/body weight ratio was lower in pups from EGF-immunized rats. This difference was, however, not significant (p = 0.07), but flow cytometric analyses showed a significantly lower proportion of the liver cells from newborn EGF-deficient pups to be in S-phase and indicated that these cells were larger than liver cells from controls. To study possible alterations in EGF binding, 125I-EGF was injected i.v. in newborn rats. 125I-EGF bound in all the organs investigated. The binding is listed in decreasing order: liver, gut, skin, kidney, and lungs. In the pups from EGF-immunized rats, the lungs and the skin bound a significantly higher amount than the controls.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Topics: Abnormalities, Multiple; Animals; Autoantibodies; Birth Weight; Digestive System; Embryonic and Fetal Development; Epidermal Growth Factor; Female; Immunization; Liver; Lung; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications; Pulmonary Atelectasis; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Skin

The plasma concentration of epidermal growth factor (EGF) in female mice increases during pregnancy. Sialoadenectomy (surgical removal of the submandibular glands) on day 13 of gestation attenuates the rise in plasma EGF and significantly reduces the percent of live pups on day 19 of pregnancy to 80% compared with 95% for the control animals. EGF replacement therapy given to the sialoadenectomized mice successfully prevented this reduction in the percent of live pups on day 19. The average weight of the live fetuses from sialoadenectomized mothers was significantly lower than those from the control mothers, i.e., 1.00 +/- 0.14 (SD) g vs. 1.13 +/- 0.07 g. The administration of anti-EGF antiserum to the sialoadenectomized mice further affected fetal viability; only 70% of the pups were alive on day 19, with a mean weight of 0.93 +/- 0.15 g. The mean weight of the fetal body and that of the liver caused by sialoadenectomy were similarly reduced, but the brain was not affected, which shows that the growth retardation was asymmetrical. These findings suggest that EGF plays a physiological role in fetal growth and that EGF deficiency may be a cause of asymmetrical intrauterine growth retardation, which might be due to uteroplacental dysfunction.

Topics: Animals; Birth Weight; Epidermal Growth Factor; Female; Fetal Death; Fetal Growth Retardation; Immunization, Passive; Mice; Mice, Inbred C3H; Organ Size; Pregnancy; Submandibular Gland

Epidermal growth factor (EGF) concentrations in urine and plasma samples collected from pregnant women and neonates were measured by RIA. The EGF concentration of the first voided urine was higher in appropriate-for-date (AFD) neonates (33.9 +/- 23.0 ng/mg creatinine) than in those with intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR; 23.5 +/- 7.7 ng/mg creatinine, p less than 0.05) and heavy-for-date (19.8 +/- 5.2 ng/mg creatinine, p less than 0.05) neonates. The urinary EGF concentration of pregnant women showed no marked changes throughout pregnancy. Urinary EGF concentrations of women with AFD fetuses (45.9 +/- 31.2 ng/mg creatinine) did not differ significantly from those of women with diabetes (39.9 +/- 26.8 ng/mg creatinine) or women with multiple fetuses (44.6 +/- 30.6 ng/mg creatinine). However, women with IUGR fetuses showed lower urinary EGF concentrations (13.8 +/- 7.4 ng/mg creatinine, p less than 0.05) than women with AFD fetuses. Maternal and fetal platelet-poor plasma EGF concentrations at delivery were lower in the IUGR group (mother: 2.62 +/- 0.38 ng/ml, fetus: 2.16 +/- 0.07 ng/ml, respectively, p less than 0.05 and p less than 0.005) than in the AFD group (mother: 3.34 +/- 0.64 ng/ml, fetus: 3.24 +/- 0.93 ng/ml). In the IUGR group, the EGF concentration in fetal blood was always lower than that in maternal blood (p less than 0.05), although the AFD groups showed no such difference. These data suggest that EGF levels are closely related to fetal growth.

Topics: Birth Weight; Epidermal Growth Factor; Female; Fetal Growth Retardation; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Osmolar Concentration; Pregnancy

Twin-bearing ewes were treated with epidermal growth factor (EGF) to determine its effect on mammogenesis and resultant milk production and composition. The EGF was infused intravenously at a dose rate of 0.5 mg/d in 300 ml saline between days 117 and 139 of gestation; control animals received placebo infusions of saline. All animals then received continuous infusions of 300 ml/d saline on days 139-144. Following parturition 1-5 d later, ewes were milked by hand for 10 d and thereafter were machine-milked until day 16 of lactation. At this level of treatment, EGF was not detected in the circulation during infusion and feed intake was not affected. All ewes gave birth to healthy twin lambs. There were no effects of EGF on birth weights of lambs, live weights of ewes or lengths of gestation. An EGF-immunoreactive material was detected in the mammary secretions of control ewes at a mean concentration of 2 micrograms/l on day 1 of lactation. Two ewes had detectable levels on day 2, but none was found in the milk thereafter. In the EGF-infused group, concentrations of EGF in colostrum were approximately 10 times higher than in the control ewes on day 1 of lactation and EGF was detected in mammary secretions on day 2 but not in subsequent milk samples. A range of 0.3-0.5% of the EGF infused appeared in mammary secretions over the first 2 d of lactation. No other differences were observed for colostrum composition, subsequent milk yield or composition between the two groups of ewes indicating that mammary gland development and function were unaffected. The levels of EGF observed in the mammary secretions of treated and control ewes indicate that the mammary glands accumulate and store EGF in the pre partum period.

Topics: Animals; Birth Weight; Body Weight; Colostrum; Eating; Epidermal Growth Factor; Female; Infusions, Intravenous; Lactation; Male; Mammary Glands, Animal; Milk; Pregnancy; Pregnancy, Animal; Radioimmunoassay; Sheep

Biosynthetic human epidermal growth factor (EGF) was injected daily into female rats (40 micrograms/rat/day) on days 14-20 of pregnancy in two experiments. Number in litter was significantly greater in EGF- than in vehicle-treated mothers in experiment 1 but not experiment 2. Number in litter affected fetal weight. When this factor was taken into account statistically, there was no significant effect of EGF treatment on fetal weight or placental weight, DNA and protein concentrations at 21 days of gestation; nor was birth weight affected by treatment. However, growth in body weight postnatally from 4 to 115 days was slightly but significantly depressed in the offspring of the EGF-treated mothers. A negative effect of additional EGF in pregnancy on subsequent milk production is postulated. The timing of attainment of developmental milestones in the offspring was not affected.

Topics: Analysis of Variance; Animals; Animals, Newborn; Birth Weight; Embryonic and Fetal Development; Epidermal Growth Factor; Female; Fetus; Male; Maternal-Fetal Exchange; Organ Size; Placenta; Pregnancy; Rats

In order to clarify the characteristics of urinary human epidermal growth factor (hEGF) excretion in the newborn period, we examined hEGF in the 41 newborn infants; 12 healthy preterm infants (group A), 10 healthy full-term infants (group B), 12 full-term infants with neonatal asphyxia (group C), 7 full-term infants treated with tobramycin (group D) during the first week of life. Renal function tests, i.e. creatinine clearance (Ccr), and N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase (NAG) as a parameter of renal tubular damage, were examined in 29 full-term infants. Urinary hEGF excretion showed a linear increase with gestational age. During the first week of life, urinary hEGF excretion in group B increased with age. However, urinary hEGF excretion in group A remained at the constant level through the study period. Ccr in group C was significantly decreased through the study period when compared with that in group B. NAG indices in group C during the first week of life and those in group D on days 5-7 of life were more elevated than those in group B. Urinary hEGF excretion in group C on days 4-7 of life and that in group D on day 7 of life were significantly decreased when compared with that in group B. These results suggest that urinary hEGF excretion is related to the maturation and that the source of urinary hEGF may be renal tubular cells.

Topics: Age Factors; Asphyxia Neonatorum; Birth Weight; Epidermal Growth Factor; Female; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Infant, Premature; Kidney Function Tests; Male; Tobramycin