OBJECTIVETo examine the change of epidermal growth factor (EGF) concentration in saliva of recurrent aphthous ulcer (RAU) patients during the ulcerous and interval period and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in ulcer biopsy samples.

METHODSECF data of the samples, which were 27 saliva samples from RAU gained not only in the ulcerous period but also in interval period and 33 ones from normal persons, were acquired through enzyme linked immunosorhent assay (ELISA) and EGF standard curve. ECFR-RNA date of RAU biopsies, which were 31 biopsy samples from RAU got during the ulcerous period and 35 ones from normal persons, were surveyed by QF-RT-PCR. All RAU samples were obtained under the same level, which were the whole patients were minor aphthous ulcers and their ulcers occurred not over the first four days. All patients and normal persons were selected seriously under the rule of physical situations without any other diseases and histories of using medicines.

RESULTSThe EGF concentration of saliva in RAU group at ulcer occurrence was higher than that in the interval period and the normal control with a significant test (F = 3.24, P < 0.05). The EGF concentration of saliva in RAU group during the interval period was lower than that in the control, which was significant on statistics (t = 2.73, P < 0.05). The EGFR-RNA in RAU group at ulcer occurrence was higher than the normal control with a significant test (t = 3.15, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONIt was suggested that the ulcer occasion of RAU patients could be related with the decreasing of EGF in saliva during interval period, and that the ulcer sell-cure of RAU patients would be contributed to