Regulatory effects of cell density on the binding of transforming growth factor beta, epidermal growth factor, platelet-derived growth factor, and fibroblast growth factor.

The work described in this paper demonstrates that the cellular binding of transforming growth factor beta, epidermal growth factor, platelet-derived growth factor, and fibroblast growth factor is reduced as cell density is increased. The reduction in transforming growth factor beta binding was observed in five different cell lines. Examination of several of the cell lines, under conditions where transforming growth factor beta binding is reduced, revealed that epidermal growth factor binding, platelet-derived growth factor binding, and fibroblast growth factor binding are also reduced. In the case of NRK-49F cells, the reduction in transforming growth factor beta binding results from a decrease in the number of high-affinity receptors and not from a change in receptor affinity. Similarly, it was determined that the reduction in epidermal growth factor binding is due to a selective reduction in the high-affinity receptors for epidermal growth factor. Overall, the data suggest that the effect of cell density on growth factor binding, which we refer to as density-induced down regulation of growth factor receptors, differs both from down regulation induced by a specific growth factor and from receptor transmodulation.