ISSN:
1365-2133
Source:
Blackwell Publishing Journal Backfiles 1879-2005
Topics:
Medicine
Notes:
Latent transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) and its binding protein-1 (LTBP-1) are components of the extracellular matrix microfibrils of cultured human fibroblasts. Using immunohistochemistry we have studied the localization of TGF-β1 and LTBP-1 and compred their distribution iwth that of elastic fibres in the interstitial connective tissue matrix of the human dermis. Prominent LTBP-1 specific fibrillar staining co-localized with the elastic fibres in normal human skin. Co-distribution was also observed in a number of pathological states of the elastic fibres such as solar elastosis, solar keratosis and pseudoxanthoma elasticum. TGF-β1 had a staining pattern similar to that of LTBP-1 in solar elastosis and solar kertosis. No staining for LTBP-1 or TGF-β1 was found in dermis devoid of elastic fibres, as in anetoderma. LTBP-1 is released from the extracellular matrix of cultured human fibroblasts, epithelial and endothelial cells by proteases. Analyogously, the immunoreactivity for LTBP-1 and TGF-β1 were also lost form the skin sections by elastase, and by trypsin, a protease pretreatment commonly used in immunohistochemistry. These results indicate that LTBP-1 is a component of the elastin-associated microfibrils of the interstitial connective tissue matrix of human skin. Furthermore, the small latent form of TGF-β1 is likely to associate with the extracellular matrix of human dermis via LTBP-1. The release of latent TGF-β1 from the matrix, as a consequence of proteolytic cleavage of LTBP-1, is a plausible extracellular mechanism for the regulation of TGF-β1 activation.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2133.1997.17671859.x
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