[The effect of epidermal growth factor on protein phosphorylation in normal and transformed hepatocytes]

Qualitative differences in the content of tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins in normal and transformed hepatocytes have been found using the method of two-dimensional electrophoresis. Epidermal growth factor (EGF) has induced quantitative changes in the spectra of phosphotyrosine-containing proteins in normal cells and qualitative changes in the transformed ones. Results of immunoprecipitation with antibodies against phosphotyrosine permit revealing a protein with Mm 50 kDa which is subjected to EGF-dependent tyrosine-phosphorylation in normal hepatocytes. The intensity of protein phosphorylation is 10 times higher in the transformed cells but the dependence of this process on the EGF is not exhibited. The role of protein-tyrosine-kinases in the transmission of a mitogenic signal and in liver carcinogenesis is discussed.