Platelet-derived endothelial cell growth factor: structure and function.
Platelet-derived endothelial cell growth factor (PD-ECGF) is a 45-kDa single chain polypeptide, which stimulates the growth and chemotaxis of endothelial cells in vitro and angiogenesis in vivo. Purification from human platelets and cDNA cloning of PD-ECGF disclosed that it is a novel type of angiogenic factor without sequence similarity to hitherto known proteins. PD-ECGF is present in human platelets as well as in placenta. Amino acid sequencing of PD-ECGF from human placenta revealed that the placental form has an additional 5 amino acids at the N-terminus. In cultured cells, it is produced by normal fibroblasts as well as some transformed cell lines. PD-ECGF lacks a hydrophobic signal sequence and remains inside the producer cells. PD-ECGF may act at sites of injury as a wound hormone and thus play an important role under several physiological and pathological conditions.
Miyazono
K
K
Third Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Japan.
Takaku
F
F
D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000378:metabolism*; D002455:Cell Division; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000166:cytology; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D015394:Molecular Structure; D010920:Placenta / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy; D013939:Thymidine Phosphorylase / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*
D013939:Thymidine Phosphorylase