Epidermal growth factor from deer (Cervus elaphus) submaxillary gland and velvet antler.

Epidermal growth factor (EGF)-like activity was isolated for the first time from the submaxillary gland (SMG) and the velvet antler of red deer (Cervus elaphus) by a combination of Sephadex gel or DEAE-Sephacel and IMAC columns in succession. The semipurified cervine EGF-like activity (cEGF), with specific activity of 4.7 ng/micrograms protein from the velvet tissues, can generate a completely parallel competitive binding curve against mouse EGF in both radioreceptor assay (RRA) and radioimmunoassay (RIA). Mitogenic activity of EGF from both tissues was demonstrated by stimulating the incorporation of [3H]thymidine in two different cell lines of fibroblast culture in a dose-dependent manner. The velvet layer may be the site of EGF synthesis outside the SMG.