title: Structural and functional specificities of PDGF-C and PDGF-D, the novel members of the platelet-derived growth factors family.
abstract: The platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) family was for more than 25 years assumed to consist of only PDGF-A and -B. The discovery of the novel family members PDGF-C and PDGF-D triggered a search for novel activities and complementary fine tuning between the members of this family of growth factors. Since the expansion of the PDGF family, more than 60 publications on the novel PDGF-C and PDGF-D have been presented, highlighting similarities and differences to the classical PDGFs. In this paper we review the published data on the PDGF family covering structural (gene and protein) similarities and differences among all four family members, with special focus on PDGF-C and PDGF-D expression and functions. Little information on the protein structures of PDGF-C and -D is currently available, but the PDGF-C protein may be structurally more similar to VEGF-A than to PDGF-B. PDGF-C contributes to normal development of the heart, ear, central nervous system (CNS), and kidney, while PDGF-D is active in the development of the kidney, eye and brain. In adults, PDGF-C is active in the kidney and the central nervous system. PDGF-D also plays a role in the lung and in periodontal mineralization. PDGF-C is expressed in Ewing family sarcoma and PDGF-D is linked to lung, prostate and ovarian cancers. Both PDGF-C and -D play a role in progressive renal disease, glioblastoma/medulloblastoma and fibrosis in several organs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology, University of Bergen, Norway.
authors.forename: Laila J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Reigstad
authors.forename: Jan E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Varhaug
authors.forename: Johan R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Lillehaug
mesh_terms: D017398:Alternative Splicing; D020816:Amino Acid Motifs; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D018387:Codon, Initiator; D018388:Codon, Terminator; D003545:Cysteine / Q000737:chemistry; D019281:Dimerization; D004220:Disulfides / Q000737:chemistry; D005091:Exons; D006801:Humans; D007438:Introns; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010982:Platelet-Derived Growth Factor / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D011485:Protein Binding; D011499:Protein Processing, Post-Translational; D021382:Protein Sorting Signals; D017433:Protein Structure, Secondary; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D017479:Receptors, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
chemical_list: D018387:Codon, Initiator; D018388:Codon, Terminator; D004220:Disulfides; D008222:Lymphokines; C427493:PDGFD protein, human; D010982:Platelet-Derived Growth Factor; D021382:Protein Sorting Signals; C411423:platelet-derived growth factor C; D017479:Receptors, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor; D003545:Cysteine