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. 1992 Oct;90(4):1379–1385. doi: 10.1172/JCI116004

Spontaneous production of transforming growth factor-beta 2 by primary cultures of bronchial epithelial cells. Effects on cell behavior in vitro.

O Sacco 1, D Romberger 1, A Rizzino 1, J D Beckmann 1, S I Rennard 1, J R Spurzem 1
PMCID: PMC443183  PMID: 1401072

Abstract

The ability of airway epithelial cells to produce transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) may be an important mechanism for the control of growth, differentiation, and repair of the airway epithelium. To determine whether airway epithelial cells are capable of producing TGF-beta, we examined primary cultures of bovine bronchial epithelial cells. Using a bioassay, TGF-beta activity was detected readily in media conditioned by bovine bronchial epithelial cells. Neutralizing antisera to TGF-beta 1 and TGF-beta 2 were used to demonstrate that the majority of the activity was of the TGF-beta 2 isoform. Interestingly, some of the TGF-beta activity was present in the conditioned media as "active" TGF-beta, not requiring acid activation. The production of TGF-beta was variable, depending on cell density and the presence of retinoic acid. The presence of endogenously produced active TGF-beta in the culture media was shown to modulate the behavior of the cell cultures as evidenced by the effects of TGF-beta-neutralizing antisera on cell size and fibronectin production. Our results suggest that active TGF-beta produced by airway epithelial cells may function in an autocrine or paracrine manner to modulate epithelial cell behavior.

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Selected References

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