Binding of transforming growth factor-beta to cell surface proteins varies with cell type.

Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF beta 1 and TGF beta 2) bind to several different cell surface proteins, including a high Mr proteoglycan. We found that on primary and early passage cultures of fibroblasts, chondroblasts, and osteoblasts TGF beta 1 binds to both the high Mr proteoglycan and to lower Mr components, whereas on epithelial, endothelial, and lymphoid-derived cells TGF beta 1 only binds to the lower Mr species. With cell lines, this distinction is lost. Further analysis indicated that binding to the high Mr proteoglycan is not necessary for TGF beta 1 induced regulation of DNA, collagen and fibronectin synthesis, change in cell morphology, or reorganization of the actin cytoskeleton. We propose that the lower Mr components are the active receptors mediating these events.