Biological activity of a transforming growth factor-alpha-Pseudomonas exotoxin fusion protein in vitro and in vivo

1991 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 203-207 ◽  
Author(s):  
David C. Heimbrook ◽  
Steven M. Stirdivant ◽  
Janet D. Ahern ◽  
Nancy L. Balishin ◽  
Denis R. Patrick ◽  
...  
1990 ◽  
Vol 87 (12) ◽  
pp. 4697-4701 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. C. Heimbrook ◽  
S. M. Stirdivant ◽  
J. D. Ahern ◽  
N. L. Balishin ◽  
D. R. Patrick ◽  
...  

1992 ◽  
Vol 262 (4) ◽  
pp. F533-F539 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. A. Rogers ◽  
G. Ryan ◽  
M. R. Hammerman

The role of transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF-alpha) in metanephric development was examined. Metanephroi were removed from 13-day-old rat embryos and grown in organ culture for up to 6 days using serum-free chemically defined media. During this time the metanephroi increased in size and morphological complexity. Messenger RNA for TGF-alpha was present in the renal anlage. Immunoreactive TGF-alpha was produced by metanephroi in vitro and released into culture media. TGF-alpha of metanephric origin coeluted with recombinant human 125I-TGF-alpha after high-performance liquid chromatography of media. In contrast, epidermal growth factor was not detectable. Levels of TGF-alpha were relatively constant during 4 days in culture and averaged approximately 10(-10) M. Growth of the metanephric anlage, arborization of the ureteric bud, and tubulogenesis within the metanephric blastema were inhibited by the addition of anti-TGF-alpha antibodies to organ cultures. These data demonstrate production of TGF-alpha by developing rat metanephroi in organ culture. The peptide is necessary for growth and development in vitro. Our findings suggest a necessary role for TGF-alpha of metanephric origin as a promoter of renal organogenesis in vivo.


1988 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 1247-1252 ◽  
Author(s):  
E Lazar ◽  
S Watanabe ◽  
S Dalton ◽  
M B Sporn

To study the relationship between the primary structure of transforming growth factor alpha (TGF-alpha) and some of its functional properties (competition with epidermal growth factor (EGF) for binding to the EGF receptor and induction of anchorage-independent growth), we introduced single amino acid mutations into the sequence for the fully processed, 50-amino-acid human TGF-alpha. The wild-type and mutant proteins were expressed in a vector by using a yeast alpha mating pheromone promoter. Mutations of two amino acids that are conserved in the family of the EGF-like peptides and are located in the carboxy-terminal part of TGF-alpha resulted in different biological effects. When aspartic acid 47 was mutated to alanine or asparagine, biological activity was retained; in contrast, substitutions of this residue with serine or glutamic acid generated mutants with reduced binding and colony-forming capacities. When leucine 48 was mutated to alanine, a complete loss of binding and colony-forming abilities resulted; mutation of leucine 48 to isoleucine or methionine resulted in very low activities. Our data suggest that these two adjacent conserved amino acids in positions 47 and 48 play different roles in defining the structure and/or biological activity of TGF-alpha and that the carboxy terminus of TGF-alpha is involved in interactions with cellular TGF-alpha receptors. The side chain of leucine 48 appears to be crucial either indirectly in determining the biologically active conformation of TGF-alpha or directly in the molecular recognition of TGF-alpha by its receptor.


1989 ◽  
Vol 9 (9) ◽  
pp. 4083-4086 ◽  
Author(s):  
D Defeo-Jones ◽  
J Y Tai ◽  
G A Vuocolo ◽  
R J Wegrzyn ◽  
T L Schofield ◽  
...  

Transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF-alpha) is a growth-promoting protein that binds to the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor. To identify critical residues that govern TGF-alpha-EGF receptor binding, we prepared site-specific substitution mutants of TGF-alpha. Mutant proteins were tested in receptor-binding and mitogenesis assays. Semiconservative substitutions at positions 4, 12, 18, and 45 decreased biological activity 2.1- to 14-fold. The conservative substitution of lysine for arginine at position 42 completely eliminated biological activity. Amino acid composition analysis of proteolytic fragments from TGF-alpha and the Lys-42 mutant indicated that these proteins contained the same disulfide bonds. These studies suggest that arginine 42 may be a contact point for TGF-alpha-EGF receptor interaction.


1989 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 860-864
Author(s):  
E Lazar ◽  
E Vicenzi ◽  
E Van Obberghen-Schilling ◽  
B Wolff ◽  
S Dalton ◽  
...  

Site-directed mutagenesis has been performed in the human transforming growth factor alpha gene. When tyrosine 38 is mutated into phenylalanine or tryptophane, biological activity is retained. In contrast, other alterations between cysteine 34 and cysteine 43 and disruption of disulfide bonds 8 to 21 and 34 to 43 resulted in loss of activities. The presence of an aromatic side chain at position 38 of transforming growth factor alpha seems to be essential for its activity.


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