title: Fibroblast growth factor-2.
abstract: Fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2) is a member of a large family of proteins that bind heparin and heparan sulfate and modulate the function of a wide range of cell types. FGF-2 stimulates the growth and development of new blood vessels (angiogenesis) that contribute to the pathogenesis of several diseases (i.e. cancer, atherosclerosis), normal wound healing and tissue development. FGF-2 contains a number of basic residues (pI 9.6) and consists of 12 anti-parallel beta-sheets organized into a trigonal pyrimidal structure. FGF-2 binds to four cell surface receptors expressed as a number of splice variants. Many of the biological activities of FGF-2 have been found to depend on its receptor's intrinsic tyrosine kinase activity and second messengers such as the mitogen activated protein kinases. However, considerable evidence suggest that intracellular FGF-2 might have a direct biological role particularly within the nucleus. In addition, heparan sulfate proteoglycans have been demonstrated to enhance and inhibit FGF-2 activity. The possibility that FGF-2 activity can be manipulated through alterations in heparan sulfate-binding is currently being exploited in the development of clinical applications aimed at modulating either endogenous or administered FGF-2 activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, MA 02118, USA. nugent@biochem.bumc.bu.edu
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Nugent
authors.forename: R V
authors.initials: RV
authors.lastname: Iozzo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology*; D019812:Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycans / Q000378:metabolism; D006493:Heparin / Q000378:metabolism; D006497:Heparan Sulfate / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D008958:Models, Molecular; D011487:Protein Conformation; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2; D019812:Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycans; D006493:Heparin; D006497:Heparan Sulfate