Immunochemical localization of transforming growth factor-alpha-related protein in the rat kidney.
Transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF-alpha) is a 50-amino acid polypeptide synthesized as part of a larger precursor of 159 amino acids. Its expression has been reported in normal and neoplastic kidney. In this report, we characterized a renal TGF-alpha-immunoreactive protein, which we named TGF-alpha-related protein (TGF-alpha-RP). It was found to be present in the final part of the collecting tubules of the normal rat kidney. Western blotting analysis of kidney samples revealed a protein of 38 kD and pI = 5.5. In nonreducing conditions immunoreaction for this protein decreased and a TGF-alpha-immunoreactive protein of 150 kD was observed. The expression of TGF-alpha-RP seems to be highly conserved in the kidney of mammals and chickens. Therefore, TGF-alpha-RP may have an important role in the normal development and function of the kidney.
Departament de Biologia Cel.lular i Anatomia Patològica, Unitat de Proliferació i Diferenciació Cel.lular, Universitat de Barcelona, L'Hospitalet (Barcelona), Spain.
C
C
Díaz-Ruiz
M
M
Asbert
R
R
Pérez-Tomás
D000818:Animals; D002645:Chickens; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007668:Kidney / Q000378:metabolism*; D008970:Molecular Weight; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D016211:Transforming Growth Factor alpha / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*
D011498:Protein Precursors; D016211:Transforming Growth Factor alpha