[Activation of latent TGF-beta. A required mechanism for vascular integrity]

Recent molecular genetics studies in humans and mice showed that transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) is involved in vasculogenesis and maintenance of blood vessel integrity. These results confirm earlier in vitro studies demonstrating generation of active TGF-beta when endothelial cells are cocultured with smooth muscle cells or pericytes. TGF-beta is secreted as a latent, inactive complex and becomes active only when released. Latent TGF-beta binds covalently to proteins (LTBP) that target it to the extracellular matrix. Thus, the latency of TGF-beta is essential to the regulation of the bioavailability and activity of this cytokine. The development of methods for measuring activation of latent TGF-beta in cell cultures and identification of the proteins contained in the latent TGF-beta complex have shed new light on the mechanism of activation of latent TGF-beta possibly involved in vasculogenesis, angiogenesis, and other processes.