Characterization of multiple forms of prostatropin (prostate epithelial cell growth factor) from bovine brain.

Two molecular forms of prostatropin distributed among five chromatographic peaks have been isolated from bovine brain by heparin-Sepharose affinity and reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography. One form has an apparent molecular weight of 16000 and an amino terminal sequence of asn-tyr-lys-lys-pro-lys-leu-leu-tyr-x-ser-asn-gly. The other form has an apparent molecular weight of 18000 and a blocked amino terminus. Both forms are similar in amino acid composition. The sequence of a proteolytic fragment from the blocked form overlaps the NH2-terminal sequence of the unblocked form, therefore, the smaller form may be derived from the larger form through proteolytic processing. Both forms contain regions identical in sequence to brain-derived, heparin-binding growth factors that have been isolated on the basis of mitogenic activity for fibroblasts and endothelial cells. Both forms of prostatropin exhibit potent mitogenic activity for normal and tumor prostate epithelial cells.