Connective tissue activation. XXVIII. A connective tissue activating peptide from human urine

A protein factor in human urine which has the ability to activate connective tissue cells has been identified and partially purified; it appears to be different from epidermal growth factor and IgG. This urinary connective tissue activating factor (CTAP-U) is nondialyzable, labile to protease, stable to thiols, heat, and acid, and has an acidic isoelectric point. Purified preparations of CTAP-U have biologic activities that cause human connective tissue cells to synthesize incremental amounts of 14C-hyaluronic acid, 35S-proteoglycans, and 3H-DNA in vitro. The cell spectrum responsive to this substance includes human synovial cells, human chondrocytes, and skin fibroblasts. CTAP-U does not react with antisera to connective tissue activating peptide-III or to antibodies against IgG or its Fc and Fab fragments. Furthermore, CTAP-U does not cross-react in a radioreceptor assay for insulin, basic somatomedin, or epidermal growth factor-urogastrone. Utilizing standardized isolation conditions, CTAP-U preparations with these properties have been isolated from the urine of 6 normal individuals.