Abstract: AIM: To explore the protective effect of epidermal growth factor(EGF)on the atrophic gastric mucosa in rats.METHODS: The rats of established models of atrophic gastric mucosa were divided into 3 groups.There were treated by EGF subcutaneous injection, sucralfate by mouth and saline subcutaneous injection respectively.12 weeks later rats were executed with aether and the stomachs were removed.The gastric streak-like samples for histological examination were cut and attained with hematoxylin and eosin(HE) and with immunohistochemistry for proliferation cell nuclear antigen(PCNA)to observe a series of indexes as follows :Ratios of the thickness of gastric mucosal glands and muscularis mucosa(L1 L2);The number of gastric glands in 1 mm lengths of mucosal layer in longitudinal sections;The length of the proliferation zone represented with the length from top to bottom of PCNA positive cells.RESULTS: In the therapy groups, the gastric glands were rearranged in order and without sings of malignant proliferation.The means of L1 L2 in three groups were 8.6 ±1.2, 6.6 ±1.6 and 5.0 ±0.9 respectively.EGF significantly increased the ratios of L1 L2 than other groups(P <0.05, P <0.01).The number of gastric glands in 1 mm length of mucosal layer were 52.0 ±5.8, 34.8 ±4.3, 27.1 ±2.2 respectively.There were more number of gastric glands in EGF group and sucralfate group than that in model group (P <0.01).The means of the length from top to bottom of PCNA-positive cells were (84.5 ±2.9) μm, (76.8 ±1.7)μm and (63.3 ±9.2)μm respectively.There were more length in EGF group and sucralfate group than that in model group(P <0.05, P <0.01).CONCLUSION: EGF plays an important role in improving the gastric mucosal lesions of the rats with CAG and its effect is better than sucralfate.

Key words: epidermal growth factor, gastritis, atrophic, gastric mucosa, proliferating cell nuclear antigen