Pleiotrophin (PTN) expression and function and in the mouse mammary gland and mammary epithelial cells.

Expression of the heparin-binding growth factor, pleiotrophin (PTN) in the mammary gland has been reported but its function during mammary gland development is not known. We examined the expression of PTN and its receptor ALK (Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase) at various stages of mouse mammary gland development and found that their expression in epithelial cells is regulated in parallel during pregnancy. A 30-fold downregulation of PTN mRNA expression was observed during mid-pregnancy when the mammary gland undergoes lobular-alveolar differentiation.

Impact of fibroblast growth factor-binding protein-1 expression on angiogenesis and wound healing.

Fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) participate in embryonic development, in maintenance of tissue homeostasis in the adult, and in various diseases. FGF-binding proteins (FGFBP) are secreted proteins that chaperone FGFs stored in the extracellular matrix to their receptor, and can thus modulate FGF signaling. FGFBP1 (alias BP1, FGF-BP1, or HBp17) expression is required for embryonic survival, can modulate FGF-dependent vascular permeability in embryos, and is an angiogenic switch in human cancers.

A distinct role for secreted fibroblast growth factor-binding proteins in development.

FGFs modulate diverse biological processes including embryonic development. Secreted FGF-binding proteins (BPs) can release FGFs from their local extracellular matrix storage, chaperone them to their cognate receptors, and thus modulate FGF signaling. Here we describe 2 chicken BP homologs (chBP) that show distinct expression peaks at embryonic days E7.

Effect of FGF-binding protein 3 on vascular permeability.

Fibroblast growth factor-binding protein 1 (FGF-BP1 is BP1) is involved in the regulation of embryonic development, tumor growth, and angiogenesis by mobilizing endogenous FGFs from their extracellular matrix storage. Here we describe a new member of the FGF-BP family, human BP3. We show that the hBP3 protein is secreted from cells, binds to FGF2 in vitro and in intact cells, and inhibits FGF2 binding to heparin.

Comparison of Gd DTPA-BMA (Omniscan) versus Gd HP-DO3A (ProHance) retention in human bone tissue by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy.

Rationale And Objectives: Human bone tissue was collected following administration of a clinical dose of gadolinium chelate (0.1 mmol per kg) to patients undergoing hip joint replacement surgery to determine if measurable differences in Gd deposition occur between 2 widely available magnetic resonance contrast agents.

Materials And Methods: Gd HP-DO3A (ProHance), Gd DTPA-BMA (Omniscan), and an age-matched control population without history of gadolinium chelate administration were compared.