J Biol Chem, Vol. 273, Issue 9, 4815-4818, February 27, 1998
COMMUNICATION
A Pentacosapeptide (CKS-25) Homologous to Retroviral Envelope
Proteins Possesses a Transforming Growth Factor-
Activity
Shuan Shian
Huang and
Jung San
Huang
From the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, St.
Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63104
CKS-17, a synthetic heptadecapeptide homologous
to a conserved domain in retroviral envelope protein p15E, mimics the
immunosuppressive properties of p15E in vitro and in
vivo, but the mechanisms are not understood. Here we report that
a synthetic pentacosapeptide designated CKS-25, a longer version of
CKS-17 that contains a functional transforming growth
factor-
3 (TGF-
3) active-site motif
(RXXD), inhibits 125I-labeled
TGF-
1 (125I-TGF-
1) binding to
cell-surface TGF-
receptors in cultured epithelial cells. Multiple
conjugation of CKS-25 to bovine serum albumin and carbonic anhydrase
enhances the 125I-TGF-
1 binding inhibitory
activity and confers a partial TGF-
agonist activity (growth
inhibition but not transcriptional activation). Since TGF-
is a
potent immunosuppressive factor, these results suggest that the
immunosuppressive properties of CKS-17-bovine serum albumin conjugate
and p15E are mediated at least in part by their TGF-
agonist
activities.
Copyright © 1998 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.