Endothelial Cell-Derived Basic Fibroblast Growth Factor: Synthesis and Deposition into Subendothelial Extracellular Matrix

Bovine aortic and corneal endothelial cells synthesize a growth factor that remains mostly cell-associated but can also be extracted from the subendothelial extracellular matrix (ECM) deposited by these cells. The endothelial cell-derived growth factors extracted from cell lysates and from the extracellular matrix appear to be structurally related to basic fibroblast growth factor by the criteria that they (i) bind to heparin-Sepharose and are eluted at 1.4-1.6 M NaCl, (ii) have a molecular weight of about 18,400, (iii) cross-react with anti-basic fibroblast growth factor antibodies when analyzed by electrophoretic blotting and immunoprecipitation, and (iv) are potent mitogens for bovine aortic and capillary endothelial cells. It is suggested that endothelium can store growth factors capable of autocrine growth promotion in two ways: by sequestering growth factor within the cell and by incorporating it into the underlying extracellular matrix.