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Updated: Sep 14, 2026

Analysis of Cell Cycle Position in Mammalian Cells
Published on: January 21, 2012
CTGF modulates cell cycle progression in cAMP-arrested NRK fibroblasts
D Kothapalli1, G R Grotendorst
1Department of Cell Biology, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA.
Abstract:
Connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) is a 38-kDa cysteine-rich peptide, whose synthesis and secretion are selectively induced by transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) in connective tissue cells. Previous studies have demonstrated that CTGF functions as a downstream mediator of TGF-beta mitogenic activity, where it controls cell cycle progression through late G1 and S-phase entry of NRK fibroblast suspension cultures. Here we report that CTGF induces this S-phase entry by upregulating cyclin A levels. The molecular mechanism for cyclin A induction appears to be via reduction of p27(Kip1) levels, which results in hyperphosphorylation of pRb and release of E2F, a known modulator of cyclin A gene transcription. These data indicate that CTGF acts as a mediator of TGF-beta-induced fibroblast proliferation in suspension cultures by regulating cdk activities.
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