title: TGF-beta activation by traction?
abstract: Transforming growth factor (TGF)-betas are powerful cytokines that are secreted as inactive (latent) precursors into the extracellular space. To exert their pleiotropic functions, latent TGF-betas require activation. This requisite restricts TGF-beta signaling to tissues that express TGF-beta-activating proteins such as the adhesion molecule alphavbeta6 integrin. Recent work has uncovered the molecular mechanism by which alphavbeta6 integrin activates latent TGF-beta. Latent-TGF-beta-binding protein 1 has been identified as being the major component of this process, and the integrin-interacting region has been mapped to a poorly conserved sequence stretch called the hinge region.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Virology and Pathology, the Haartman Institute, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, FIN-00014 Helsinki, Finland. jorma.keski-oja@helsinki.fi
authors.forename: Jorma
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Keski-Oja
authors.forename: Katri
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Koli
authors.forename: Harald
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: von Melchner
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D016023:Integrins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D053779:Latent TGF-beta Binding Proteins; D008954:Models, Biological; D020033:Protein Isoforms / Q000502:physiology; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D016023:Integrins; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D053779:Latent TGF-beta Binding Proteins; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; C073878:integrin alphavbeta6