摘要：Transforming growth factor- β (TGF- β ) is a potent growth factor that contributes to wound healing. TGF- β is usually secreted in a latent form complexed with its propeptide, latency-associated peptide (LAP), and LAP covalently binds to a molecule of latent TGF- β binding protein (LTBP). Fibrillin-1 sequesters TGF- β within connective tissue microfibrils through interaction with LTBP-1. However, it is not clear whether TGF- β bound to LTBP-1 is available during wound healing. Therefore, we further characterized LTBP-1, the extracellular regulator of TGF- β in wound healing. LTBP-1 fragments were released from skin by plasmin treatment. The LTBP-1 fragment that is similar to plasmin treatment was also detected in a wound surface. The enzymatic activity of plasmin was also detected in wound surfaces. Immunoblotting analyses showed that the LTBP-1 fragment was preferentially detected in a wound surface with proliferating granulation tissues. These results suggest that proteolytic release of LTBP-1 from a wound surface is physiological and important in regulating wound healing.
