PRODUCTION OF A TRANSFORMING GROWTH FACTOR-BETA-LIKE GROWTH-FACTOR BY RSV-TRANSFORMED RAT CEREBRAL MICROVASCULAR ENDOTHELIAL-CELLS

This study describes the preliminary characterization of a Rous sarcoma virus (RSV)-transformed rat cerebral microvascular endothelial cell (RCE-T1)-derived growth factor with biological properties similar to transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta). A significant portion of this RCE-T1-derived TGF-beta-like growth factor was secreted in an active form and its secretion was elevated 2- to 3-fold in late passage cultures comprised of rapidly growing, less differentiated cells exhibiting reduced sensitivity to the growth-inhibitory effects of exogenous TGF-beta-1. These data suggest that the RCE-T1 cell line may be a useful system in which to study the role of autocrine TGF-beta-production in normal and aberrant endothelial cell growth.