Effects of growth hormone on rat renal epidermal growth factor expression

The kidney is a site of synthesis for several polypeptide growth factors including epidermal growth factor (EGF) and insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I). Interactions between growth hormone (GH) and growth factors have been described that regulate renal growth factor expression. For example, GH and EGF each enhances the expression of IGF-I in kidney. To further define interrelationships in this renal GH-growth factor axis, we characterized the effect of GH on renal EGF expression in hypophysectomized, pituitary-intact (normal) rats, and hypersomatotropic rats. Levels of extractable immunoreactive mature EGF, levels of a 142-kDa EGF-precursor present in renal membrane fractions, and levels of EGF mRNA were significantly reduced in kidneys from hypophysectomized rats compared with levels in normal rats. Each was increased significantly after the administration of GH to hypophysectomized rats. In contrast, induction of hypersomatotropism in normal rats by injection of GH for 17 days did not affect levels of extractable mature EGF or EGF mRNA measured in kidneys. We conclude that GH enhances the renal synthesis of EGF in hypopituitary, but not in hypersomatotropic states.