Evidence for transforming growth factor-beta expression in human leptomeningeal cells and transforming growth factor-beta-like activity in human cerebrospinal fluid.

Background: Little is known about the factors regulating growth and maintenance of human leptomeningeal cells. The influence of cerebrospinal fluid on these functions is also unknown. Possible mediators include the transforming growth factor-beta (TGF beta) family, three closely related peptides that regulate proliferation and numerous other physiologic processes in most mesenchymal cells.

Transforming growth factor-beta and transforming growth factor beta-receptor expression in human meningioma cells.

The transforming growth factor-beta (TGF beta) family in mammals includes three closely related peptides that influence proliferation and numerous physiologic processes in most mesenchymal cells. In this study, Northern blots, immunohistochemistry, TGF beta radioreceptor assays, TGF beta receptor affinity labeling and [3H] thymidine incorporation were used to evaluate whether primary cell cultures of human meningiomas synthesize the three TGF beta isoforms, bear TGF beta receptors, and respond to TGF beta. Transcripts for TGF beta 1 and 2 were detected in the three cases analyzed.

Six-year survival after coronary thrombolysis and early revascularization for acute myocardial infarction.

Six-year follow-up was conducted in a consecutive series of 192 patients receiving thrombolytic therapy for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) with ST-segment elevation. Cardiac catheterization was performed within a day, and patients with an open infarct artery routinely had early revascularization: 99 (67%) underwent coronary bypass surgery and 18 (12%) coronary angioplasty. With this treatment strategy, 6-year cardiac mortality was 14.

TGF-beta regulation of epithelial cell proliferation.

The predominant effect of TGF-beta 1 on cell proliferation is inhibition. Earlier studies demonstrated that TGF-beta 1 inhibition of skin keratinocyte proliferation involves suppression of c-myc transcription and indirect evidence suggested that the protein product of the retinoblastoma gene (pRB) may be involved in this process. Skin keratinocytes transformed by SV40 and human papilloma virus-16 (HPV-16) or HPV-18 resisted growth inhibition and suppression of c-myc mRNA by TGF-beta.

Usage of primary cells to delineate IFN-gamma-responsive DNA elements in the HLA-DRA promoter and to identify a novel IFN-gamma-enhanced nuclear factor.

The IFN-gamma regulation of the HLA-DRA gene was examined in a primary cell type, the astrocyte. Site-specific mutagenesis of the DRA promoter reveals that three known sequences, S, X, and Y, are required for an optimal IFN-gamma response. Specifically for the X sequence, the X1, but not the X2, site is involved in IFN-gamma regulation of HLA-DRA in the astrocyte.

Transforming growth factor beta 1 regulation of c-myc expression, pRB phosphorylation, and cell cycle progression in keratinocytes.

Transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-beta 1) is a potent inhibitor of cellular proliferation in a variety of cell types, including skin keratinocytes. TGF-beta 1 suppression of c-myc transcription has been implicated in the mechanism of TGF-beta 1 inhibition of keratinocytes, and evidence suggests that the protein product of the retinoblastoma gene (pRB) is a necessary component in this pathway. Following growth factor stimulation of quiescent keratinocytes, TGF-beta 1 can inhibit cell cycle progression into S phase at any point prior to the G1-S transition but does not inhibit progression through the S phase of the cell cycle.

Phenotypic alterations in fibroblasts and fibrosarcoma cells that overexpress latent transforming growth factor-beta 1.

Mouse embryo-derived AKR-2B fibroblasts and murine fibrosarcoma cells (the 1591 cell line) were transfected with a murine transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF beta 1) cDNA under the transcriptional control of either the simian virus-40 early promoter or the cytomegalovirus promoter/enhancer. Selected clones secreted 2- to 4-fold more TGF beta-competing activity into their media than the parental cell line or neomycin-transfected controls. The TGF beta 1 released into the cell-conditioned medium was latent.

Expression of transforming growth factor-beta 1, -beta 2, and -beta 3 mRNA and protein in the murine lung.

Evidence has accumulated suggesting that the various isoforms of beta-type transforming growth factors (TGF-beta s) regulate important functions in the lung; however, the cellular source of these proteins is not well defined. Northern blot analysis of murine lung tissue demonstrates that mRNA transcripts for all three TGF-beta isoforms are found from birth through adulthood. Although the level of expression for each TGF-beta is variable during the first 2 wk post partum, all three isoforms are equal in the adult lung.

Production of transforming growth factor-alpha by normal rat small intestine.

Transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF-alpha) and epidermal growth factor (EGF) are similar in structure and biological activity. In the present study, the distributions of TGF-alpha mRNA, TGF-alpha immunoreactivity, and TGF-alpha-EGF receptor mRNA were examined in epithelial and nonepithelial compartments of the jejunum, and the effect of TGF-alpha on growth of a jejunal crypt cell line (IEC-6) was determined. Epithelial cells eluted from the rat jejunal cryptvillus axis expressed TGF-alpha mRNA at twofold higher levels in the villus tip than in the crypt and EGF receptor mRNA at sevenfold higher levels in the villus tip.

Differential binding of transforming growth factor-beta 1, -beta 2, and -beta 3 by fibroblasts and epithelial cells measured by affinity cross-linking of cell surface receptors.

A murine fibroblast cell line (AKR-2B clone 84A) and an epithelial cell line (BALB/MK) were compared for their ability to bind different transforming growth factor-beta (TGF beta) species. The results of competitive binding assays indicated that the epithelial cells had a higher affinity for TGF beta than the fibroblasts. This difference may be the basis for the sensitivity of epithelial cells to much lower concentrations of TGF beta than fibroblasts.

Factor-binding element in the human c-myc promoter involved in transcriptional regulation by transforming growth factor beta 1 and by the retinoblastoma gene product.

Previous studies have shown that transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-beta 1) inhibition of keratinocyte proliferation involves suppression of c-myc transcription, and indirect evidence has suggested that the retinoblastoma gene product (pRB) may be involved in this process. In this study, transient expression of pRB in skin keratinocytes was shown to repress transcription of the human c-myc promoter as effectively as TGF-beta 1. The same c-myc promoter region was required for regulation by both TGF-beta 1 and pRB.

Immunohistochemical localization of TGF beta 1, TGF beta 2, and TGF beta 3 in the mouse embryo: expression patterns suggest multiple roles during embryonic development.

Isoform-specific antibodies to TGF beta 1, TGF beta 2, and TGF beta 3 proteins were generated and have been used to examine the expression of these factors in the developing mouse embryo from 12.5-18.5 d post coitum (d.

Telomeric associations and consistent growth factor overexpression detected in giant cell tumor of bone.

Tumor specimens from 15 patients with giant cell tumor (GCT) of bone were cytogenetically analyzed. A subset of five individuals had tumor cells harvested and polyadenylated RNA isolated. Multiple Northern blots were performed utilizing radiolabeled probes for the growth factors TGF beta 1, TGF beta 2, TGF beta 3, and TGF alpha (TGF, transforming growth factor).

Human carcinoid cell production of paracrine growth factors that can stimulate fibroblast and endothelial cell growth.

A serotonin-secreting human pancreatic carcinoid cell line (BON) is demonstrated to express transcripts for all three mammalian types of transforming growth factor beta (TGF beta 1, 2, and 3). Similarly, freshly excised carcinoid tumors from six patients were also found to express mRNA for all three of the type-beta TGFs. Medium conditioned by BON cells had detectable TGF beta activity, although most of the activity was latent as determined by radioreceptor assay with and without prior acid treatment.

TGF beta 1 and TGF beta 2 are potential growth regulators for low-grade and malignant gliomas in vitro: evidence in support of an autocrine hypothesis.

Low-grade astrocytomas, anaplastic astrocytomas and glioblastomas in vitro were found to ubiquitously produce the mRNA of transforming growth factor-beta (TGF beta). TGF beta 1 and TGF beta 2 mRNA were expressed to a lesser degree among the hyperdiploid malignant gliomas. By radioreceptor assay of conditioned medium, TGF beta was secreted predominantly in latent form, in both latent and active form, or only in active form within a panel of low-grade and malignant gliomas.

Cerebral vasculopathy associated with collateralization resembling moya moya phenomenon and with anti-Ro/SS-A and anti-La/SS-B antibodies.

We describe a 48-year-old, previously healthy, anti-Ro/SS-A and anti-La/SS-B antibody positive black woman with negative risk factors for atherosclerosis, who developed mental status and personality changes over a 6-12-month period, and progressive cortical blindness over a 2-week period. Angiographic and computed axial tomographic studies of the brain demonstrated multiple large areas of infarction correlating with stenosis and occlusions of the internal carotid and posterior cerebral arteries. Moya moya-like findings were prominent radiographically.

Biochemical and biological differences between E7 oncoproteins of the high- and low-risk human papillomavirus types are determined by amino-terminal sequences.

Differences in the biological characteristics of the high-risk human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV-16) and the low-risk HPV-6 E7 proteins were analyzed and shown to correlate with certain biochemical properties. To ascertain which region of E7 conferred these properties, chimeric E7 genes were constructed by the exchange of the amino and carboxyl coding halves of the HPV-6 and HPV-16 E7 genes. The amino-terminal half of E7 determined the affinity for binding to the retinoblastoma protein pRB, the transformation properties, and the ability to abrogate transforming growth factor beta-mediated repression of the c-myc promoter.

The yield of cholesterol screening in an urban black community.

Background: While the distribution of cholesterol levels have been well studied in the general population, little is known about cholesterol and other cardiovascular disease risk factors in screenings held in an urban Black community. This study was designed to determine the yield of cholesterol screening in this community.

Methods: Screening took place in eight community sites.

Identification of an interferon-gamma-responsive element of a class II major histocompatibility gene in rat type 1 astrocytes.

Interferon-gamma(IFN-gamma) has been shown to induce class II major histocompatibility complex (MHC) antigens on several cell types. Previous analysis of cell lines including a glioblastoma multiforme line by our laboratory has mapped an IFN-gamma-responsive element to the upstream - 141 to - 109 base pair (bp) region of the DRA promoter. Using deletion mutants, this report shows that this same general region (-135 to -109 bp) is important for IFN-gamma induction in two other human glioma lines and more importantly in primary astrocytes.

Regulation of epithelial proliferation by TGF-beta.

The closely related mammalian TGF-betas (TGF-beta 1, TGF-beta 2 and TGF-beta 3) are potent inhibitors of proliferation of many cell types in vitro. TGF-beta 1 has been demonstrated to be growth inhibitory in vivo for epithelial, endothelial, myeloid and lymphoid cells. Utilizing skin keratinocytes as a model system for studying the mechanism of TGF-beta 1-induced growth inhibition, it has been demonstrated that TGF-beta 1 rapidly inhibits transcription of the c-myc gene.

TGF beta regulation of epithelial cell proliferation: role of tumor suppressor genes.

Transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF beta 1) is the prototype of a large family of polypeptides involved in growth control, extracellular matrix production, and development. The TGF beta s have marked stimulatory effects on connective tissue formation. They are chemotactic for fibroblasts, indirect mitogens for certain mesenchymal cells and stimulators of extracellular matrix deposition.

c-myc and pRB: role in TGF-beta 1 inhibition of keratinocyte proliferation.

The TGF-beta s are potent inhibitors of proliferation of most cell types in culture and in vivo. Previous studies have demonstrated that TGF-beta inhibition of skin keratinocyte proliferation involves suppression of c-myc transcription. Evidence derived from use of expression plasmids for certain DNA viral oncoproteins has suggested that the retinoblastoma gene (RB) may be involved in this process.

The beta-type transforming growth factor. Mediators of cell regulation in the lung.

An increased interest in the role of growth factors in the regulation of processes concerning normal and pathologic lung physiology has spurred a flurry of research in this area. Peptide growth factors are known to control not only cell proliferation but other events such as differentiation, chemotaxis, and matrix deposition as well. The transforming growth factor beta (TGF beta) family of regulatory peptides serves as a prime example to illustrate the multiplicity of effects elicited by peptide growth factors in various lung-derived cell types.