Seminars in Pediatric Surgery
Volume 14, Issue 3 , Pages 175-180, August 2005

Role of epidermal growth factor in the pathogenesis of neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis

  • Brad W. Warner, MD

      Affiliations

    • Division of Pediatric and Thoracic Surgery, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Department of Surgery, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio
    • Corresponding Author InformationAddress reprint requests and correspondence: Brad W. Warner, MD, Division of Pediatric and Thoracic Surgery, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Ave., Cincinnati OH 45229-3039
    • ,
  • Barbara B. Warner, MD

      Affiliations

    • Division of Pediatric and Thoracic Surgery, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Department of Surgery, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio
    • Division of Neonatology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Department of Surgery, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio

Neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is an increasingly frequent condition encountered in premature infants for which the etiology is not well understood. Epidermal growth factor (EGF) is abundant in many fluids bathing the fetal and neonatal gastrointestinal tract, including amniotic fluid, saliva, and breast milk. EGF is acknowledged to be important for normal intestinal development as well as repair following injury to the gastrointestinal mucosa. There appears to be mounting evidence to support a possible link between deficient EGF production and the development of NEC. The relevant evidence for the role of EGF in intestinal development and mucosal repair, as well as its potential involvement in the genesis of NEC will be reviewed.

Index words:  Necrotizing enterocolitis , Growth factors, Epidermal growth factor , Enterocyte , Saliva , Intestinal injury , Breast milk

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PII: S1055-8586(05)00034-X

doi:10.1053/j.sempedsurg.2005.05.006

Seminars in Pediatric Surgery
Volume 14, Issue 3 , Pages 175-180, August 2005

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