The effect of intragastric administration of sulglycotide, a cytoprotective sulfated glycopeptide, on the expression of gastric mucosal epidermal growth factor receptor was investigated. The experiments were conducted with groups of rats, one receiving twice daily for 5 consecutive days a dose of 200mg/kg sulglycotide, and the other only vehicle. Mucosal cell membranes were isolated from the stomachs at 16, 40 and 88h after the last dose, and used for EGF receptor assays. The binding assays revealed a marked increase in mucosal EGF receptor expression with sulglycotide. Compared to the controls, the sulglycotide-treated group showed a 4-fold increase in the EGF receptor expression at 16h after the last dose of sulglycotide, a 4.7-fold increase in the EGF receptor was observed by the 40h, and a 4.2-fold increase was still evident at 88h following the treatment. The results demonstrate that sulglycotide exhibits remarkable ability to enhance the gastric mucosal expression of EGF receptor.