Effects of epidermal growth factor on placental amino acids uptake in pregnant rats

• Published in: Journal of Veterinary Medical Science Vol. 64; no. 8; pp. 689 - 692
• Main Authors: "Bonkobara, M. (Tokyo Univ. (Japan)), Thongsong, B, Ohmori, T, Matsuki, N, Inaba, M, Ono, K.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Japan JAPANESE SOCIETY OF VETERINARY SCIENCE 01.08.2002; Japan Science and Technology Agency
• Subjects: Alanine - pharmacokinetics; AMINO ACIDS; Amino Acids - pharmacokinetics; amino acids uptake; Animals; Biological Transport, Active - drug effects; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Embryonic and Fetal Development - drug effects; Embryonic and Fetal Development - physiology; EPIDERMAL GROWTH FACTOR; Epidermal Growth Factor - pharmacology; Female; Leucine - pharmacokinetics; Microvilli - metabolism; PLACENTA; Placenta - drug effects; Placenta - metabolism; Pregnancy; Proline - pharmacokinetics; Random Allocation; rat; RATS; Rats, Wistar; Sodium - physiology; Up-Regulation - drug effects
• ISSN: 0916-7250; 1347-7439
• DOI: 10.1292/jvms.64.689

"To evaluate the effects of epidermal growth factor (EOF) on placental amino acids uptake, transport activities for L-proline,L-leucine, and L-alanine were kinetically examined in placental microvillous vesicles(PMV) obtained from pregnant rats administered with EGF(100 and 200 micro g/kg/day) from day 18 to 21 of pregnancy. The Vmax of Na**+ -dependent proline uptake remarkably increased with a dose-dependent manner of EGF, while Km did not change. In contrast, Vmax and Km values of Na**+ -dependent and ?independenl alanine, and Na**+ -independent leucine uptake were not affected. These results suggested that EGF enhanced proline transport activity in placental microvillous membranes, resulting in an increase of proline concentration in the fetal blood. The selective up-regulation olproline uptake was considered to contribute to fetal growth by EGF."