TY - JOUR
T1 - Interaction of epidermal growth factor with the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis
T2 - Potential physiologic relevance
AU - Luger, Anton
AU - Calogero, Aldo E.
AU - Kalogeras, Konstantine
AU - Gallucci, William T.
AU - Gold, Philip W.
AU - Loriaux, D. Lynn
AU - Chrousos, George P.
PY - 1988/2
Y1 - 1988/2
N2 - Epidermal growth factor (EGF), a polypeptide mitogen that participates in wound healing, has ACTH-like activity in ewes. We examined its effects on the primate hypothalamic- pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis by administering mouse EGF (mEGF) iv (0-100 µg/kg) to rhesus monkeys. mEGF caused dose-dependent elevations of plasma ACTH and cortisol in these animals. To define whether the locus of stimulation was the hypothalamus and/or the pituitary gland we examined the capacity of mEGF to directly stimulate hypothalamic CRH or pituitary ACTH secretion in a rat hypothalamic organ culture system and a rat pituitary cell system, respectively. mEGF stimulated hypothalamic CRH release in a dose-dependent manner, but failed to cause pituitary ACTH release. We conclude that EGF is a stimulator of the HPA axis in primates. Thus, EGF, and/or one of its naturally occurring analogs, may participate in the physiological activation of the HPA axis at times during which the concentrations of these factors are raised in the systemic circulation and/or locally in the hypothalamus. Such states may include trauma, surgery, and possibly emotional stress.
AB - Epidermal growth factor (EGF), a polypeptide mitogen that participates in wound healing, has ACTH-like activity in ewes. We examined its effects on the primate hypothalamic- pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis by administering mouse EGF (mEGF) iv (0-100 µg/kg) to rhesus monkeys. mEGF caused dose-dependent elevations of plasma ACTH and cortisol in these animals. To define whether the locus of stimulation was the hypothalamus and/or the pituitary gland we examined the capacity of mEGF to directly stimulate hypothalamic CRH or pituitary ACTH secretion in a rat hypothalamic organ culture system and a rat pituitary cell system, respectively. mEGF stimulated hypothalamic CRH release in a dose-dependent manner, but failed to cause pituitary ACTH release. We conclude that EGF is a stimulator of the HPA axis in primates. Thus, EGF, and/or one of its naturally occurring analogs, may participate in the physiological activation of the HPA axis at times during which the concentrations of these factors are raised in the systemic circulation and/or locally in the hypothalamus. Such states may include trauma, surgery, and possibly emotional stress.
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U2 - 10.1210/jcem-66-2-334
DO - 10.1210/jcem-66-2-334
M3 - Article
C2 - 2828409
AN - SCOPUS:0023832750
SN - 0021-972X
VL - 66
SP - 334
EP - 337
JO - Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism
JF - Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism
IS - 2
ER -