Purification and characterization of multiplication-stimulating activity (MSA) carrier protein

The rat liver cell line, BRL-3A, is known to produce a family of polypeptides referred to as multiplication-stimulating-activity (MSA). Serum-free conditioned medium from this cell line is a rich source for the purification of these somatomedin-like molecules. Somatomedins in serum, as well as MSA produced by BRL-3A cells in culture, exist primarily as a high molecular weight complex bound to specific carrier proteins. This study describes the purification of the MSA carrier protein (MCP) from conditioned medium using affinity chromatographic procedures. The purified carrier protein is shown to specifically bind labeled MSA and generates a complex with an apparent molecular weight of 60,000-70,000 daltons. Characterization of the carrier protein indicates that it consists of two different noncovalently linked protein chains with apparent molecular weights of 30,000 and 31,500 daltons. The availability of a pure carrier protein should provide a unique opportunity to investigate the functional significance of the carrier protein in the biological activity of the somatomedins.