• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.177-184
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• 1995

In order to formulate an aqueous topical preparation of epidermal growth factor(EGF) for the treatment of open wound and bum, the stability of EGF in aqueous vehicles containing various stabilizers was evaluated and the pharmacological activity of gel preparations formulated with poloxamer 407 was determined with wound model. Various additives, which are known as potent stabilizers for proteins and polypeptides so far, were used to increase the stability of EGF in aqueous vehicles. The contents of EGF in the vehicles containing stabilizers were determined with an HPLC method after the storage at $37^{\circ}C$. EGF was more stable in ultrapure water than RO water or saline. All the additives studied resulted in deleterious effects on EGF stability. Therefore, it was speculated that any additives or impurities in the vehicle made EGF unstable. However, nitrogen purge of solution increased the stability of EGF in aqueous vehicles. The aqueous topical preparations of EGF were formulated with poloxamer 407 as a gel base in saline. Gelatin or amastatin was employed as a protease inhibitor. The pharmacological effect of EGF gel was studied with open wound model in mice. EGF preparations, made of oleaginous base or poloxamer gel base, showed significant healing effect compared to the control group(p<0.05). The addition of protease inhibitor in poloxamer 407 gel resulted in significant healing effect compared to the gel without it(p<0.05). Body weights of mice treated with EGF preparation were increased at the first day after the formation of open wound, while those of the control group were decreased. The EGF gel made of poloxamer 407 containing a pretense inhibitor would be a promising aqueous topical preparation for EGF.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.139-143
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• 1997

Epidermal growth factor (EGF) is a mitogen which activate the proliferation of basal cells in skin, which implicate the wound healing in severe skin damage such as burn. To carry out the preclinical test for the pharmacological action of EGF, EGF in transdermal delivery system must be stable. Since EGF is a protein susceptible to proteolysis and unstable in aqueous solution, in vitro stabilization of EGF is prerequisite for the formulation. In this study, effect of additives on the stability of EGF is investigated in vitro. The stability of EGF in aqueous solution was enhanced with the various water-soluble polysaccharides such as HPMC, sorbitol, mannitol and dextrin. EGF was successfully extracted from the ointment with 5% HPMC solution, and EGF in aqueous solution and ointment was also successfully stabilized with 5% HPMC. The ointments prepared with different amount of EGF were applied on the damaged dorsal skin of rats for the determination of optimal concentration of EGF. The ointment with EGF $(10\;{\mu}g/g)$ showed good wound healing action on the damaged skin of rats.

• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2002.10a
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• pp.415.3-416
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• 2002

To improve the stability of recombinant human epidermal growth factor (rhEGF) as therapeutic agent. the N-terminal PEGylated rhEGF (N-PEG-rhEGF) was prepared by site-specific bioconjugation and the stability was investigated in rat skin wound homogenates. Two different N-PEG-rhGEFs (N-PEG5K- and N-PEG20K-rhEGF) were successfully prepared with the yields of above 70%. The PEGylation site was directly confirmed by determining the molecular mass of Lys-C digested samples using MALDI- TOF MS. (omitted)

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.330-337
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• 2003

The effect of sixteen excipients on the transport of recombinant human epidermal growth factor (rhEGF) across Caco-2 cell monolayers was examined at $37^{\circ}C$. The apparent apical to basolateral (A-B) permeability ($P_{app}$) of 30 $\mu$ M rhEGF was $8.15\times 10^{-7}$ cm/sec, indicative of a poor level of absorption in the GI tract. The Papp was 1.7- and 6.3-fold greater than the $P_{app}$ in the basolateral to apical (B-A) direction and the A-B permeability of mannitol, respectively, and decreased dramatically to a negligible level at $4^{\circ}C$, consistent with a receptor mediated transcytosis of rhEGF. The stability of rhEGF was very poor, undergoing more than 85% degradation in 2 h in the transport medium at $37^{\circ}C$. A significant increase in the $P_{app}$ could be achieved by the addition of certain excipients, as exemplified by 23, 21, 20 and 16-fold increases, in the presence of sodium taurochenodeoxycholate (NaTCDC), sodium taurodeoxycholate (NaTDC), sodium glycodeoxycholate (NaGDC) and sodium laurylsulfate (SLS) (all at a concentration of 1 % w/v), respectively. A significant increase in stability could also be achieved by the addition of some of the excipients, as represented by 1 % SLS, which nearly completely stabilized the rhEGF. Unfortunately, however, an increase in the $P_{app}$ of rhEGF could not be achieved without a simultaneous and extensive decrease in the integrity of the cell membranes. Thus, more efficient excipients, that specifically enhance the permeation of rhEGF and do not alter the membrane integrity, should be pursued in order to safely enhance the permeation of rhEGF.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.35 no.8
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• pp.2290-2294
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• 2014

For the present study, rhEGF was encapsulated into solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs). The SLNs were prepared by the $W_1/O/W_2$ double emulsification method combined with the high pressure homogenization method and the physical properties such as particle size, zeta-potential and encapsulation efficiency were measured. The overall particle morphology of SLNs was investigated using a transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The percutaneous skin permeation and accumulation property of rhEGF was evaluated using Franz diffusion cell system along with confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). The mean particle size of rhEGF-loaded SLNs was $104.00{\pm}3.99nm$ and the zeta-potential value was in the range of -$36.99{\pm}0.54mV$, providing a good colloidal stability. The TEM image revealed a spherical shape of SLNs about 100 nm and the encapsulation efficiency was $18.47{\pm}0.22%$. The skin accumulation of rhEGF was enhanced by SLNs. CLSM image analysis provided that the rhEGF rat skin accumulation is facilitated by an entry of SLNs through the pores of skin.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.16 no.12
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• pp.1822-1829
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• 2003

Porcine colostrum and milk were separated into the acid-soluble and casein fractions by acidification followed by centrifuge. The acid-soluble fraction of porcine colostrum was further separated by liquid chromatography and anisotropic membrane filtration. Trypsin and chymotrypsin inhibitory capacity in porcine colostrum, milk and their components was determined by incubating bovine trypsin or chymotrypsin in a medium containing their corresponding substrates with or without addition of various amounts of porcine colostrum, porcine milk or their components. The inhibition of insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) and epidermal growth factor (EGF) degradation in pig small intestinal contents by porcine colostrum was measured by incubating iodinated IGF-I or EGF with the intestinal contents with or without addition of porcine colostrum. Degradation of labeled IGF-I or EGF was determined by monitoring the generation of radioactivity soluble in 30% trichloroacetic acid (TCA). The results showed that porcine colostrum had high levels of trypsin and chymotrypsin inhibitory activity and increased the stability of IGF-I and EGF in pig intestinal contents. The inhibitory activity declined rapidly during lactation. It was also found that trypsin and chymotrypsin inhibitory activity and the inhibition on IGF-I and EGF degradation in the acid-soluble fraction were higher than that in the casein fraction. Heat-resistance study indicated that trypsin inhibitors in porcine colostrum survived heat treatments of $100^{\circ}C$ water bath for up to 10 min, but exposure to boiling water bath for 30 min significantly decreased the inhibitory activity. Compared with the trypsin inhibitors, the chymotrypsin inhibitors were more heatsensitive. Separation of the acid-soluble fraction of porcine colostrum by liquid chromatography and anisotropic membrane filtration revealed that the trypsin and chymotrypsin inhibitory capacity was mainly due to a group of small proteins with molecular weight of 10,000-50,000. In conclusion, the present study confirmed the existence of high levels of protease inhibitors in porcine colostrum, and the inhibition of porcine colostrum on degradation of milk-borne growth factors in the pig small intestinal tract was demonstrated for the first time.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.1597-1604
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• 2020

In this study, a synthesized poly(amino acid) self-assembly grafted with valine molecules was investigated on the skin activity of skin growth factors. The amphiphilic grafted poly(amino acid) derivatives were successfully synthesized by varying of degree of substitution(DS) and polymerization (DP) with valine molecules forming a β-sheet structure. Then, the pro-collagen biosynthesis of EGF(epidermal growth factor) was improved by 20%, and the inhibitory ability of tyrosinase activity was increased by 6.5 times by self-assembling of EGF with the poly(amino acid)s having β-sheet structures. This strategy of preparing protein self-assembly with poly(amino acid) derivatives will help improve the stability of protein growth factors and use it in medicals as well as cosmeceuticals through skin improvement.