From wavy hair to naked proteins: The role of transforming growth factor alpha in health and disease

Abstract

Since its discovery in 1978 and cloning in 1984, transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF α, TGFA) has been one of the most extensively studied EGF receptor (EGFR) ligands. In this review, we provide a historical perspective on TGFA-related studies, highlighting what we consider important advances related to its function in normal and disease states.

Perturbed meibomian gland and tarsal plate morphogenesis by excess TGFα in eyelid stroma

“…11B to Fig. 11A) was dramatically enhanced by TGFα stimulation in the mutant tendon, an observation similar to what has been reported by Singh and Coffey (Singh & Coffey, 2014). While there was little EGFR expression, if any in control tendons.…”

Tetraspanins Function as Regulators of Cellular Signaling

“…This cleavage is stimulated by endotoxins (Breshears et al, 2012; Liu Z. et al, 2013) and ROS (Boots et al, 2009) and is mediated primarily by ADAM17 (Peschon et al, 1998), but also by ADAM10 (Hinkle et al, 2003) and MeprinA (Bergin et al, 2008; Minder et al, 2012; Singh and Coffey, 2014). Moreover, TGF-α can interact with and activate EGFR on neighboring cells (Schlessinger and Ullrich, 1992; Thorne and Plowman, 1994; Moral et al, 2001).…”

Tumor-linked HER2 expression: association with obesity and lipid-related microenvironment

“…There is no ligand for HER2; however, EGFR can be activated by several ligands (Table 2) [32], [33]. The function of individual receptors depends on the biological role of corresponding ligands, which have been shown briefly in the Table 2 [34], [35], [36], [37], [38], [39], [40], [41], [42], [43], [44], [45], [46], [47], [48], [49], [50]. Nevertheless, ligand-induced EGFR may initiate cellular signaling by promoting a homodimer formation with another receptor molecule (homodimerization) or through transactivation with other family members (heterodimerization) including HER2 [32].…”