Figure 7.

rHB-EGF induces fibroblast migration with little impact on proliferation or matrix gene expression. (A) Fibroblasts treated with rHB-EGF (25 and 50 ng/ml) do not have increased proliferation as measured by MTT. (B) qPCR fold change of key profibrotic genes collagen1, collagen3, and fibronectin is not induced in fibroblasts after rHB-EGF (50 ng/ml) administration. (C and D) rHB-EGF promotes fibroblast migration. Representative data shown of at least three experiments, n = 3–6. In (C), all doses of HB-EGF from 6.25 to 100 ng/ml are significantly different from SFM control starting at 12 hours. P values are given for HB-EGF (25 ng/ml), HB-EGF (50 ng/ml), and HB-EGF (100 ng/ml) and represent differences between treatment group and SFM at final time point (68 h). ***P < 0.001 and ****P < 0.0001. SFM = serum-free medium.