Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

Synthesis of biologically active rat transforming growth factor I

Nature volume 309, pages 376–378 (1984)Cite this article

Abstract

The hypothesis that some transformed cells produce endogenous transforming growth factors (TGFs) has been supported by isolation of peptide factors from transformed cells1–5. One group of TGFs, TGF-I, produced only by transformed cells, displays sequence homology with the functionally related mouse submaxillary epidermal growth factor (mEGF)5. Both TGF-I and mEGF exhibit similar activities in competition for binding to the EGF receptor, stimulation of DNA synthesis and cell growth. Another group of TGFs, TGF-II (also known as TGFβ)2, present both in normal and transformed cells, is structurally and functionally unrelated to TGF-I or EGF, and does not compete for binding to the EGF receptor or induce cell growth. However, TGF-I or EGF in the presence of TGF-II produces a synergistic effect that is responsible for the observed phenotypic transformation of NRK fibroblasts4. The complete amino acid sequence of rat TGF-I (rTGF-I) from transformed Fischer rat embryo fibroblasts, has recently been determined5. Using this proposed sequence, we have now prepared synthetic rTGF-I by the solid-phase synthesis method and find that it exhibits chemical and biological properties indistinguishable from those of natural rTGF-I. Since synthetic rTGF-I is free of any biological contaminants, our findings provide independent evidence that rTGF-I is an active principle in the transformation of cells6.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Relevant articles

Open Access articles citing this article.

Access options

Rent or buy this article

Get just this article for as long as you need it

$39.95

Learn more

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

References

  1. Delarco, J. E. & Todaro, G. J. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 75, 4001–4005 (1978).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Roberts, A. B. et al. Nature 295, 417–419 (1982).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Ozanne, B., Wheeler, T. & Kaplan, P. L. Fedn Proc. 41, 3004–3007 (1982).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Anzano, M. et al. Cancer Res. 42, 4776–4778 (1982).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Marquardt, H. et al. Science 223, 1079–1082 (1984).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Twardzik, D. R. et al. Science 216, 894–896 (1982).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Merrifield, R. B. J. Am. chem. Soc. 85, 2149–2156 (1963).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Mitchell, A. R. et al. J. Am. chem. Soc. 98, 7357–7362 (1976).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Tam, J. P., Heath, W. F. & Merrifield, R. B. Tetrahedron Lett. 23, 4435–4438 (1982).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Tam, J. P., Heath, W. F. & Merrifield, R. B. J. Am. chem. Soc. 105, 6442–6454 (1983).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Ahmed, A. K., Schaffer, S. W. & Wetlanfer, D. B. J. biol. Chem. 250, 8477–8482 (1975).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Ellman, G. L. Archs Biochem. Biophys. 82, 70–79 (1959).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Stoker, M. et al. Int. J. Cancer 3, 683–693 (1968).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Savage, C. R., Inagami, T. & Cohen, S. J. biol. Chem. 247, 7612–7617 (1971).

    Google Scholar 

  15. Scott, J. et al. Science 221, 236–240 (1983).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Reynold, F. H. Jr et al. Nature 292, 259–261 (1981).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  17. Pike, L. J. et al. J. biol. Chem. 257, 14628–14631 (1982).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Wong, T. W. & Goldberg, A. R. J. biol. Chem. 258, 1022–1025 (1983).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Kitos, P. A. et al. Expl Cell Res. 27, 307–316 (1962).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Raff, M. C. et al. Cell 15, 813–820 (1978).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Delcarco, J. E. & Todaro, G. J. J. cell. Physiol. 94, 335–342 (1978).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Rapp, et al. J. cell Biochem. 21, 29–38 (1983).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Roberts, A. B. et al. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 78, 5339–5343 (1981).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Author notes

  1. Hans Marquardt & George J. Todaro

    Present address: Oncogen, 3005 First Ave., Seattle, Washington, 98121, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, New York, 10021, USA

    James P. Tam, Daniel F. Rosberger & Tai Wai Wong

  2. Laboratory of Viral Carcinogenesis, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, Maryland, 21701, USA

    George J. Todaro

Authors
  1. James P. Tam
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Hans Marquardt
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Daniel F. Rosberger
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Tai Wai Wong
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. George J. Todaro
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Tam, J., Marquardt, H., Rosberger, D. et al. Synthesis of biologically active rat transforming growth factor I. Nature 309, 376–378 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1038/309376a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/309376a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing