The human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) protein Tat binds to cell surface antigens and can regulate cellular responses. Tat has similar immunosuppressive effects as transforming growth factor-beta (TGF beta) and both inhibit lymphocyte proliferation. TGF beta is expressed by primary human articular chondrocytes and is their most potent growth factor. The present study analyzed the interactio...

BACKGROUND Gluteal muscle contracture (GMC) is a multi-factor human chronic fibrotic disease of the gluteal muscle. Fibrotic tissue is characterized by excessive accumulation of collagen in the muscle's extracellular matrix. Transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta1 and -beta2 are thought to play an important role in fibrogenesis, while TGF-beta3 is believed to have an anti-fibrotic function. We h...

Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) is a potent regulator of cell proliferation and modulates the interactions of cells with their extracellular matrix (ECM), in part by inducing the synthesis of various ECM proteins. Three different isoforms of TGF-beta are synthesized in a defined pattern in specific cell populations in vivo. In the specific case of TGF-beta 1, this well-defined and li...

The effects of transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-beta 1) on proliferation and hemoglobinization in K-562 cells, a human multipotential hematopoietic cell line, were studied. We found that TGF-beta 1 could induce hemoglobin accumulation in K-562 cells. Various clones were selected on the basis of the inducibility of hemoglobinization by TGF-beta 1. One high response clone (no. 1) and one lo...

Transforming growth factors beta 1 and beta 2 bind with high affinity to the core protein of a 250-350-kD cell surface proteoglycan. This proteoglycan (formerly referred to as the type III TGF-beta receptor) coexists in many cells with the receptor implicated in TGF-beta signal transduction (type I TGF-beta receptor), but its function is not known. We report here that soluble TGF-beta-binding p...

Background and Aims: Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) are a well-known source of multipotent adult stem cells. Despite using different methodologies of MSCs preparing for clinical applications, the top safest procedure to manipulate these cells, has not yet been determined. Recently, ex-vivo expansion of MSCs for their subsequent implantation, using some biological product, ...

1. Fibroblast cultures were established from biopsies of hypertrophic scar and normal dermis taken from nine patients recovering from second- and third-degree burns. The capacity of these fibroblasts to synthesize the small proteoglycan decorin was assessed by quantitative Western blot analysis of conditioned medium collected from confluent cultures. Levels of mRNA for decorin were assessed by ...

Development of skin appendages requires interactions between the epithelium and mesenchyme. Without the epithelium, dermal condensations cannot develop, and those already formed will disintegrate. Here we explored the molecular basis of this epithelial requirement and tried to identify the molecule(s) responsible by using the chick feather bud development as a model. TGF beta2 is a likely candi...