EFFECTS OF EPIDERMAL GROWTH-FACTOR ON MATERNAL AND PETAL SERUM AMINO-ACID LEVELS IN RATS

Pregnant rats were subcutaneously administered with mouse epidermal gr owth factor (EGF) at the concentration of 0, 100, or 200 mu g/kg body weight/day from day 18 to 21 of gestation. The amino acid analysis by high-performance liquid chromatography demonstrated that the umbilical venous/maternal and fetal/maternal ratio of serum proline concentrati on increased in EGF dose-dependent manner accompanied by the increase in the ratios of total fetal weight and placental weight to maternal b ody weight gain. These results suggested that EGF regulates fetal grow th by, as one of its possible mechanism, promoting placental proline s upply from mother to fetus.