Pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) inhibits the formation of blood vessels in the eye by inducing apotosis in actively dividing endothelial cells. The activity of PEDF equals or supersedes that of other anti-angiogenic factors, including angiostatin, endostatin and thrombospondin-1. In addition, PEDF has the potential to promote the survival of neurons and affect their differentiation. Here we show that PEDF is present in plasma at a concentration of approx. 100 nM (5 μg/ml) or twice the level required to inhibit aberrant blood-vessel growth in the eye. Thus the systemic delivery of PEDF has the potential to affect angiogenesis or neurotrophic processes throughout the body, significantly expanding the putative physiological role of the protein. A complete map of all post-translational modifications revealed that authentic plasma PEDF carries an N-terminal pyroglutamate blocking group and an N-linked glycan at position Asn266. The pyroglutamate residue may regulate the activity of PEDF analogously to the manner in which it regulates thyrotropin-releasing hormone.
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August 2003
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Research Article|
August 15 2003
Pigment-epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) occurs at a physiologically relevant concentration in human blood: purification and characterization
Steen V. PETERSEN;
Steen V. PETERSEN
Department of Molecular Biology, University of Aarhus, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
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Zuzana VALNICKOVA;
Zuzana VALNICKOVA
Department of Molecular Biology, University of Aarhus, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
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Jan J. ENGHILD
Jan J. ENGHILD
1
Department of Molecular Biology, University of Aarhus, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
1To whom correspondence should be addressed (e-mail jje@mb.au.dk).
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Publisher: Portland Press Ltd
Received:
February 26 2003
Revision Received:
May 01 2003
Accepted:
May 09 2003
Accepted Manuscript online:
May 09 2003
Online ISSN: 1470-8728
Print ISSN: 0264-6021
The Biochemical Society, London ©2003
2003
Biochem J (2003) 374 (1): 199–206.
Article history
Received:
February 26 2003
Revision Received:
May 01 2003
Accepted:
May 09 2003
Accepted Manuscript online:
May 09 2003
Citation
Steen V. PETERSEN, Zuzana VALNICKOVA, Jan J. ENGHILD; Pigment-epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) occurs at a physiologically relevant concentration in human blood: purification and characterization. Biochem J 15 August 2003; 374 (1): 199–206. doi: https://doi.org/10.1042/bj20030313
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