We examined the effect of the human T lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-I) Tax gene product on the human transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-beta 1) promoter. Transfection of deleted constructs of the TGF-beta 1 promoter revealed regions homologous with AP-1 binding sites that were required for Tax-induced transactivation of the TGF-beta 1 promoter. In addition, we examined the expression and ...

Transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta may play an important role in airway remodeling, and the fibrogenic effect of TGF-beta may be mediated through connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) release. We investigated the role of MAPKs and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) and the effects of inflammatory cytokines on TGF-beta-induced CTGF expression in human airway smooth muscle cells (ASMC). We ...

Our previous studies have shown that inhibition of polyamine biosynthesis increases the sensitivity of intestinal epithelial cells to growth inhibition induced by exogenous transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta). This study went further to determine whether expression of the TGF-beta receptor genes is involved in this process. Studies were conducted in the IEC-6 cell line, derived from rat ...

Osteoclast formation is dependent on the ability of TGF-beta to enable receptor activator of NF-kappaB ligand (RANKL)-induced commitment of hemopoietic precursors to the osteoclastic lineage. The mechanism by which TGF-beta enables formation is unknown. One possibility is that TGF-beta opposes Janus kinase (JAK)/STAT signals generated by inhibitory cytokines such as IFN-beta. The JAK/STAT pathw...

Transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) regulates a variety of physiologic processes, including growth inhibition, differentiation, and induction of apoptosis. Some TGF-beta-initiated signals are conveyed through Smad3; TGF-beta binding to its receptors induces phosphorylation of Smad3, which then migrates to the nucleus where it functions as a transcription factor. We describe here the asso...

Transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) is a cytokine engaged in a wide range of diverse and often contradictory functions. Its effect on the cardiovascular system is also ambiguous; on the one hand, there is a strong evidence for so-called 'protective cytokine hypothesis'considering TGF-beta to be an anti-atherogenic and plaque-stabilizing factor, but on the other hand, TGF-beta has been pr...

TGF-beta has pleiotropic effects on many cell types at different stages of their development, including mast cells. The present study examines the effects of TGF-beta on human skin mast cells of the MC(TC) type. The expression of TGF-beta receptors (TGF-R) was verified at the mRNA and protein levels for TGF-RI and TGF-RII, and at the mRNA level for accessory molecules beta-glycan and endoglin. ...

The number of proliferating cells in the rodent retina declines dramatically after birth. To determine if extrinsic factors in the retinal micro-environment are responsible for this decline in proliferation, we established cultures of retinal progenitors or Muller glia, and added dissociated retinal neurons from older retinas. The older cells inhibited proliferation of progenitor cells and Mull...

Recently, synthesis and secretion of connective tissue growth factor (CTGF)/CYR61/CTGF/NOV-family member 2 (CCN2) in cultures of hepatocytes were shown, which are sensitively up-regulated by exogenous TGF-beta. In this study TGF-beta-dependent CTGF/CCN2 expression in hepatocytes cultured under completely TGF-beta-free conditions was analysed by Western-blots, metabolic labelling, and CTGF-repor...

Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF beta) is a dimeric peptide growth factor which regulates cellular differentiation and proliferation during development. Most cells secrete TGF beta as a large latent TGF beta complex containing mature TGF beta, latency associated peptide, and latent TGF beta-binding protein (LTBP)-1. The biological role of LTBP-1 in development remains unclear. Using a polyc...