EGF and metabolic syndrome: Using a model of metabolic syndrome with hereditary hypertriglyceridemia in rats, Markova et al. [94] reported renal cortical accumulation of neutral lipids and triglycerides, but not of cholesterol, associated with increased urinary excretion of inflammatory mediators (MCP-1, IL-6 and IL-8) and decreased urinary secretion of epidermal growth factor (EGF) that preceded the appearance of microalbuminuria.