Study Of Platelet-derived Growth Factor D And Arterial Injury Restenosis And Related Mechanisms

Background and objectivesThe Platecet-derived growth factors (PDGFs) are major mitogens for fibroblasts, smooth muscle cells,and several other cell types, mainly of mesenchymal origin. Together with the vascular endothelial growth factors(VEGFs),the PDGFs from a family of growth factors with a highly conserved PDGF/VEGF homology domain. So far, four PDGF family members have been identifided: the clasical PDGFs, PDGF-A and PDGF-B, which have been studied intensively for more than 20 years; and the novel PDGFs, PDGF-C and PDGF-D, which have been discovered recently.PDGF-D gene was cloned from the aorta cDNA library by our lab in 1998(AF113216). The full length cDNA for human PDGF-D encoded a polypeptide of 370 amino acids, the putative signal peptidase cleavage sites were found between residues 22 and 23, which resulted in a secreted protein 348 residues with a calculated molecular mass around 40.2 kDa. PDGF-D has a two-domain structure with an amino-terminal CUB domain (residues 56-157); and a C-terminal PDGF/VEGF domain (residues 272-362).PDGF-D is secreted as latent factor requiring activation by limited proteolysis in the hinge region and release of the PDGF domain from the...