In cultured vascular smooth muscle cells, the baseline mRNA and protein levels of an inducible type of nitric oxide synthase were barely detectable. Interferon gamma, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and interleukin-1 beta each markedly increased mRNA and protein levels of this enzyme in parallel with the production of nitrite, a stable oxidative metabolite of nitric oxide. Actinomycin D abolished ...

For elucidation of the mechanisms by which growth factors and cytokines affect renal epithelial cells, gene array analysis of renal cells cultured in the presence of transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) was performed. Many genes that were not previously considered to be involved in renal cell biologic processes were affected, one of which was jagged-1. The jagged ligand/notch receptor f...

We have investigated the potential regulatory role of TGF-beta in the interactions of neurons and Schwann cells using an in vitro myelinating system. Purified populations of neurons and Schwann cells, grown alone or in coculture, secrete readily detectable levels of the three mammalian isoforms of TGF-beta; in each case, virtually all of the TGF-beta activity detected is latent. Expression of T...

Many types of human malignant tumor have been reported to amplify transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-beta 1) gene and overexpress its protein. However, little work has been done about the content of TGF-beta 1 protein in tissue and blood of patients with malignant tumors. TGF-beta 1 protein of tissue (n = 29) and serum TGF-beta 1 levels in patients with gastric carcinoma (n = 62) were compa...

Fibroblast differentiation to the myofibroblast phenotype is associated with alpha-smooth-muscle actin (alpha-SMA) expression and regulated by cytokines. Among these, transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta(1) and interleukin (IL)-1beta can stimulate and inhibit myofibroblast differentiation, respectively. IL-1beta inhibits alpha-SMA expression by inducing apoptosis selectively in myofibroblasts ...

Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) is a family of polypeptide growth factors with multiple functional activities. Recent studies suggest that TGF-beta is a selective inhibitor of hematopoietic cells. In this report, we study the effect of TGF-beta 1 on the proliferation of murine peritoneal exudate macrophages (PEM) in response to purified murine recombinant granulocyte-macrophage colon...

Aim: Colorectal cancer patients are treated with surgery and sometimes radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGF-β1) acts both as an inhibitor of tumor growth and as a promoter of tumor progression. The aim of this study was to determine the levels of TGF-β1 in plasma in colorectal cancer patients and relate these to the effect of clinicopathological variables. Metho...

BACKGROUND Human idiopathic membranous glomerulonephritis (MGN) has a highly variable clinical course and factors determining its outcome are poorly known. Since transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-beta 1) has an essential role in renal fibrogenesis, we studied the possibility to use urinary excretion of TGF-beta 1 in the assessment of progression of the disease in patients with MGN. METHO...