Comparison of the biological actions of TGF beta‐1 and TGF beta‐2: Differential activity in endothelial cells

Abstract Beta transforming growth factor (TGF beta) has multiple in vitro biological effects including stimulation or inhibition of proliferation of specific cell types. A second major form of TGF beta, TGF beta‐2, has recently been isolated from porcine platelets, from bovine bone matrix, and from several other sources. The two forms of TGF beta are biologically equipotent with the exception that TGF beta‐2 was much less active than TGF beta‐1 for inhibition of proliferation of a rat pleuripotent hematopoietic stem cell line. During the purification of beta TGF from bone, we obtained two fraction pools that differed in their ability to inhibit 3 H‐thymidine incorporation into aortic endothelial cells (AEC). We therefore compared highly purified TGF beta‐1 and TGF beta‐2 isolated from porcine platelets for inhibition of DNA synthesis in mink lung epithelial cells (MvlLu), and in AEC, and for stimulation of 3 H‐thymidine incorporation in calvarial bone cells (CBC) in 3 experiments. TGF beta‐1 and TGF beta‐2 inhibited cell proliferation in MvlLu with no significant differences in the ED 50 (31± 8pg/ml vs 23± 7). TGF beta‐2 was much less potent than TGF beta‐1 in inhibiting DNA synthesis in AEC (6310 ± 985 pg/ml vs 101 ± 34). The reduced specific activity of TGF beta‐2 was also observed in adrenal capillary endothelial cells. Both beta‐1 and beta‐2 stimulated proliferation of CBC (ED 50 26 ± 2 pg/ml vs 10 ± 4). We also examined the specificity of the MvlLu and AEC inhibition assays. Epidermal growth factor (EGF), platelet derived growth factor (PDGF), acidic and basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF), skeletal growth factor (SGF)/insulin‐like growth factor‐II (IGF‐II), and insulin‐like growth factor‐I (IGF‐I) did not inhibit DNA synthesis in either assay system. However, when the growth factors were added to maximal inhibiting concentrations of TGF beta‐1, both acidic and basic FGF significantly reduced TGF beta‐1 inhibition in AEC. We conclude that (1) inhibition of DNA synthesis in endothelial cells is relatively specific for TGF beta‐1, (2) inhibition of DNA synthesis in MvlLu is a sensitive and specific assay for generic TGF beta activity but does not distinguish beta‐1 from beta‐2, (3) the relative inhibition of DNA synthesis in MvlLu and AEC may provide a means to quantitatively estimate TGF beta‐1 and TGF beta‐2, and (4) both TGF beta‐1 ad TGF beta‐2 are potent mitogens for chicken embryonic calvarial bone cells.