• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.190-204
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• 2001

This study was conducted to investigate for its effects on reproductive and developmental toxicity of recombinant human epidermal growth factor (rhEGF) in Sprague-Dawley rats. Male rats were administered rhEGF at doses of 1, 10, 100, and 1000$\mu$g/kg/day, respective1y, by subcutaneous injection from 63 days before and throughout to mating period until the day before sacrifice. Female rats were administered rhEGF at the same doses from 14 days before mating to day 20 of gestation or to day 21 of lactation. We examined the male and female fertility indices and maternal toxicity of F0 parental animals. Also, we examined the external, visceral, or skeletal malformation of fetuses, growth and development, behavior, and/or reproductive performance of F1 animals. At the highest dose (1,000 $\mu$g/kg), the mean body weights of F0 animals were significantly increased in males and females at 3 or 2 weeks after treatment, respective1y. No clinical signs and food intakes were observed at any time during the experimental period by rhEGF treatment. In autopsy examination, the relative and absolute liver weights significantly increased in both sexes of 1,000 $\mu$g/kg. At the highest dose (1,000 $\mu$g/kg), there was a statistically significant increase of pregnancy period and the number of dead fetuses. Moreover, significant increase of mean fetal body weight and decrease of number of live fetuses, which related to the difficult dilivery were observed in highest dose group. In Fl examination, no adverse effects on external, visceral, and skeletal malformation, physical and functional development, behavior or reproductive ability of Fl animals were observed in any group. Also, there was no significant difference between control and treated groups in copulation or fertility indices of Fl animals. These results indicate that rhEGF had no adverse effect on fertility and reproductive ability of Sprague-Dawley rats.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.42 no.5
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• pp.534-539
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• 1998

Effect of recombinant human epidermal growth factor (rhEGF, DWP401) on fetal external, visceral and skeletal malformation during organogenesis was examined. Pregnant Sprauge-Daw ley rats were administered with 0.2, 1 and 5mg/kg/day subcutaneously on gestation day 6 through 16. Dams were sacrified at 20th day of gestation. Materal body weight, food consumption and clinical observation were not changed. Significant dose-dependent increase of relative and absolute liver weight were observed in the treatment group, whereas other organ weights were not changed. Placental weight of 1 and 5mg/kg/day group and number of resorption in 5mg/kg/day treatment group were significantly increased. External and visceral malformation of fetuses were not observed with treatment. However, skeletal variations(increase of asymmetry sternebrae, decrease of dumb-bell and asymmetry sternbrae at 5mg/kg/day, and fused stemebrae at 5mg/kg/day) were observed. These results showed that rhEGF (DWP401) may not have embryo and/or fetal developmental toxicity effect in rats.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.39 no.5
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• pp.471-479
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• 1995

The recombinant human epidermal growth factor(DWP 401) was investigated on the pharrnacological actions. DWP 401 had no effects on the hexobarbital-induced sleeping time, locomotor activity, rotarod test, body temperature, analgesic action and anticonvulsant action in mice. It also had no influences on the isolated tracheal muscle and ileum of guinea-pig, isolated uterus and fundus strip of rats. Slight hypotensive action with effect on respiration was revealed at a dose of 8 g/kg i.v. of DWP 401 in rabbits. DWP 401 exhibited a weak inhibitory action of glucose tolerance in normal rats, significantly lowered the blood glucose contents in adrenalectomized rats at .a concentration of 160 g,/kg, and produced a significant inhibitory effect on leucocyte migration in CMC-pouch of rats at a concentration of 32 g/rat. Furthermore, DWP 401 showed a significant decrease on gastric juice volume and acidity. However. DWP 401 had no intestinal propulsion rate and influence on urine excretion.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.138-147
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• 1996

DWP401, a recombinant human epidermal growth factor, was subcutaneously administered to ICR mice at the dose levels of 0, 0.04, 0.2 and 1.0 mg/kg/day (15rats/sex/group) in order to evaluate the subchronic toxicity. General observations, examinations for food and water consumption, ophthalmoscopy and urinalysis were carried out during the study. For the complete gross and microscopic examinations, 10 mice/ sex/group were sacrificed at the ends of the dosing period, and the remaining animals were sacrificed with a 5 week recovery period. Examinations for hematology and blood biochemistry were also carried out at the time of recovery period. Based on the results, it was thought that the target tissue or organs were mesothelial cell, injection site, spleen, adrenal gland, ovary and transitional epithelial cell of urinary tract, and no observed toxic level of DWP401 was 0.04 mg/kg while definite toxic dose level might be 0.2 mg/kg.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.40 no.5
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• pp.491-500
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• 1996

The organ distribution and pharmacokinetics of DWP401, a recombinant human epidermal growth factor (rhEGF), were compared after single and repeated subcutaneous administration ( 50${\mu}$/kg, 10${\mu}g$Ci/kg of $^{125}I$-DWP401, twice a day for 7 consecutive days) to rats. The pharmacokinetic parameters such as AUC and terminal half-life were similar between two different administration. During repeated administration, the plasma concentration of DWP401 seemed to be constant when the plasma was collected at 15 min after each dosing. The TCA-precipitated radioactivities in thyroid, liver, kidney, and stomach were higher than those of other organs studied after both single and repeated administration. The TCA-precipitated radioactivities after repeated administration in several organs, such as thyroid, stomach, prostate, adrenal, eye ball, and testis were higher than those after single administration. But, according to the observations using gel filtration chromatography and antibody binding assay, the radioactivities in thyroid and stomach were not primarily due to the intact DWP401 or its metabolites but due to the $^{125}I$-thyroxine binding protein. In conclusion, it can be suggested that DWP401 is metabolized to each amino acid or small polypeptides, and there was no significant changes in pharmacokinetics or any indications for accumulation of DWP401 in rat plasma and organs after repeated treatment.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.328-334
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• 1997

Pharmacokinetics of DWP401, a recombinant human epidermal growth factor (rhEGF), was studied using radioimmunoassay (RIA) and $^{125}I$-DWP401 in rats. When DWP401 was adm inistered i.v. at doses of 50 and 500 mcg/kg, the plasma DWP401 disappeared biiexponentially with terminal half life of 4.7 and 92.8 min. The $C_{max}$ and $T_{max}$ after s.c. administration of ti at doses of 50 and 500 ${\mu}g$/kg were determined to be 23.6 and 17.5 ng/ml at 50 ${\mu}g$/kg, and 261.4 ng/ml and 36.8 min, respectively. Both the total urinary and biliary recoveries of intact DWP401 2343 very low (<0.4%), probably due to its extensive degradation in the body. the concentration ratio of DWP401 between the organ and plasma decreased especially in the liver and kidney as the dose and time after the dose increased. For example, the liver/plasma and kidney/plasma concentration ratio of DWP401 at 2.5 min after i.v. doses of 50 ${\mu}g$/kg were comparable and much larger than unity. But, the ratio at 2.5 min after i.v. doses of 500${\mu}g$/kg was much larger in the kidney that in than in the liver. These results suggest that the systemic administration of DWP401 might be subject to rapid and extensive clearance from circulation within several hour after main distrbution to liver and kidney.