3.1 Effects of Epidermal Growth Factor EGF

3.1 Effects of Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF)

EGF is a potent cell division-promoting factor that plays an important regulatory role in physiological and pathological processes such as human cell growth, tissue repair, cell regeneration, and malignancy, and is closely related to tumor development [26–27]. Hepatocytes are one of the main target cells for EGF action; in vitro studies have shown that EGF can promote the growth of liver cancer cells [28]. The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a membrane surface sensor with tyrosine kinase activity, whose amino acid sequence and composition are highly homologous to the product of the C-erbB-1 oncogene, capable of promoting tumor cell proliferation, angiogenesis, adhesion, invasion, and metastasis, while inhibiting tumor cell apoptosis [29]. After EGF binds to EGFR, it can promote DNA synthesis in liver cancer cells through ion channels, signal transduction, and gene expression mechanisms, thereby promoting the occurrence and development of liver cancer [29].

In this experiment, ELISA was used to measure the concentration of EGF in the serum of tumor-bearing mice, and the results showed that the EGF concentrations in the serum of all PG dose groups were lower than those in the model group, with the medium-dose group at 6.377±2.414ng/ml, significantly lower than the model group (P<0.05). This suggests that Pei’s Shengxue Granules can inhibit the production of EGF, thereby regulating the body’s immune function through its effects on cytokines and achieving the goal of anti-tumor activity.