Development of a novel multiplexed assay for quantification of transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β). (April 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Pellicciotta, Ilenia; Marciscano, Ariel E.; Hardee, Matthew E.; Francis, Derek; Formenti, Silvia; Barcellos-Hoff, Mary Helen
• Is Part Of: Growth factors. Volume 33:Number 2(2015:Apr.)
• Page Start: 79
• Page End: 91
• Publication Date: 2015-04
• Subjects: Growth factors -- Periodicals; Physiology -- Periodicals; 611
• DOI: 10.3109/08977194.2014.999367
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0897-7194

Abstract

<abstract> <title>Abstract</title> <p>Changes in activity or levels of transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) are associated with a variety of diseases; however, measurement of TGF-β in biological fluids is highly variable. TGF-β is biologically inert when associated with its latency-associated peptide (LAP). Most available immunoassays require exogenous activation by acid/heat to release TGF-β from the latent complex. We developed a novel electrochemiluminescence-based multiplexed assay on the MesoScale Discovery® platform that eliminates artificial activation, simultaneously measures both active TGF-β1 and LAP1 and includes an internal control for platelet-derived TGF-β contamination in blood specimens. We optimized this assay to evaluate plasma levels as a function of activation type and clinical specimen preparation. We determined that breast cancer patients' plasma have higher levels of circulating latent TGF-β (LTGF-β) as measured by LAP1 than healthy volunteers (<italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.0001). This assay provides a robust tool for correlative studies of LTGF-β levels with disease, treatment outcomes and toxicity with a broad clinical applicability.</p> </abstract>