Cellular origin and distribution of transforming growth factor-?1 in the normal rat myocardium

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Abstract
Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) is a biologically active polypeptide present in normal tissues as well as transformed cells. Two structurally related forms of this peptide are TGF-β 1 and TGF-β 2. Using freshly isolated cardiomyocytes and non-myocyte heart cells, and a [32P]-labelled cDNA probe to human TGF-β 1, we demonstrated that mRNA for TGF-β 1 could be detected only in the nonmyocyte fraction of heart cells. In the present study, the distribution of TGF-β 1 in the heart was determined by immunofluorescence staining by use of a polyclonal antibody to porcine TGF-β 1 in cryostat sections of rat heart. Immunofluorescence staining was intense around the blood vessels and radially diffuse in the surrounding myocardium.