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Abundant retention and release of connective tissue growth factor (CTGF/CCN2) by platelets
Satoshi Kubota1, Kazumi Kawata, Takeshi Yanagita
1Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Dentistry, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine and Dentistry, Okayama 700-8525, Japan.
Abstract:
Wound healing and tissue regeneration are usually initiated by coagulation followed by fibrous tissue formation. In the present study, we discovered an abundance of connective tissue growth factor (CTGF/CCN2) in human platelets, which was released along with the coagulation process. The CTGF/CCN2 content in platelets was 10-fold higher than that in arterial tissue. Furthermore, the CTGF/CCN2 content in a single platelet was computed to be more than 20-fold higher than that of any other growth factor reported. Considering that CTGF/CCN2 promotes angiogenesis, cartilage regeneration, fibrosis and platelet adhesion, it may be now regarded as one of the major functional components of platelets.
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