Human transforming growth factor-β complementary DNA sequence and expression in normal and transformed cells

The partial amino-acid sequence of purified human transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) was used to identify a series of cDNA clones encoding the protein. The cDNA sequence indicates that the 112-amino acid monomeric form of the natural TGF-β homodimer is derived proteolytically from a much longer precursor polypeptide which may be secreted. TGF-β messenger RNA is synthesized in various normal and transformed cells.