The most intense endogenous transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta 1 expression was detected in osteoblasts and fibroblasts in the mid-palatal suture 24 hours after the start of palatal expansion with an immunohistochemical technique. Based on these data, local effects of transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-beta 1) in the expanding mid-palatal suture of the rat were examined. Single doses of ...

The effects of exogenously added transforming growth factor (TGF alpha and TGF beta on the growth of BALB/MK cells were examined. TGF alpha supplanted the epidermal growth factor (EGF) requirement in these cells. In contrast, TGF beta reversibly inhibited the growth of BALB/MK cells by abrogating the stimulatory actions of EGF or TGF alpha. The inhibitory effects of TGF beta appeared to be medi...

Nonneoplastic cell lines are unable to grow in soft agar. However, concomitant treatment of these cells with epidermal growth factor and transforming growth factor ßconfers upon them anchorage independence. Since articular chondrocytes are unique as normal diploid cells that do have the capability of growing in soft agar, we tested whether transforming growth factor ßand epidermal growth fact...

Lievens and colleagues report an important finding that helps to elucidate the role of transforming growth factor b (TGFb)b in atherosclerotic plaque formation. TGFb is a widely expressed cytokine produced by smooth muscle cells, endothelial cells, monocytes, macrophages, and T cells. Clinical studies suggest that TGFb is antiatherosclerotic, citing a negative correlation between plasma TGFb co...

Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta)/Smads regulate a wide variety of biological responses through transcriptional regulation of target genes. Smad3 plays a key role in TGF-beta/Smad-mediated transcriptional responses. Here, we show that the proline-rich linker region of Smad3 contains a transcriptional activation domain. When the linker region is fused to a heterologous DNA-binding domai...

Transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta is the prototype in a family of secreted proteins that act in autocrine and paracrine pathways to regulate cell development and function. Normal cells typically coexpress TGF-beta receptors and one or more isoforms of TGF-beta, thus the synthesis and secretion of TGF-beta as an inactive latent complex is considered an essential step in regula-ting the activ...

The mechanisms for "gain-of-function" phenotypes produced by mutant p53s such as enhanced proliferation, resistance to transforming growth factor-beta-mediated growth suppression, and increased tumorigenesis are not known. One theory is that these phenotypes are caused by novel transcriptional regulatory events acquired by mutant p53s. Another explanation is that these effects are a result of a...

BACKGROUND Familial sick sinus syndrome is associated with gene mutations and dysfunction of ion channels. In contrast, degenerative fibrosis of the sinus node tissue plays an important role in the pathogenesis of acquired sick sinus syndrome. There is a close relationship between transforming growth factor-β1 mediated cardiac fibrosis and acquired arrhythmia. It is of interest to examine wheth...