Summary

Featured applications

Transforming Growth Factor beta 2 (TGF-β2) belongs to the TGF-β superfamily, which encompasses TGF-β1, TGF-β2, and TGF-β3. These isoforms collectively regulate a wide array of cellular processes, including cell proliferation, differentiation, wound healing, apoptosis, and metabolism. The TGF-β superfamily signals through the same receptor, eliciting similar biological responses [1- 4].

Overall, the TGF-β family plays pivotal roles in embryogenesis, tissue remodeling, and wound healing. TGF-β2’s significance in developmental processes is evident in mice with TGF-β2 deletions, displaying defects in cardiac, lung, craniofacial, limb, eye, ear, and urogenital systems [5]. It also exerts suppressive effects on IL-2-dependent T-cell growth, potentially enhancing tumour growth by suppressing immunosurveillance [5-6].

In cell culture applications, TGF-beta 2 is extensively employed due to its crucial regulatory roles. It modulates cell proliferation and differentiation by being added to the culture medium, regulating the growth and differentiation of various cell types, especially stem cells, providing a means to control and guide their fate into various cell types such as chondrocytes and epithelial-like cells [7-8].  For wound healing and tissue repair in cell culture models, TGF-beta 2 is utilized to drive cell migration, extracellular matrix production, and overall wound healing processes, creating a controlled environment to mimic conditions associated with tissue repair [3]. TGF-beta 2 is also a key inducer of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), allowing the study of cellular plasticity and transitions between different cell states [9-10].

TGF-β2’s involvement in immunomodulation, immune response suppression, and its association with tumour development make it valuable in investigating regulatory mechanisms of immune cells and understanding interactions within the tumour microenvironment [9,11]. Additionally, TGF-β2 stimulates the expression and secretion of specific proteins in cell culture, particularly relevant in studies focusing on extracellular matrix components. Researchers may combine TGF-β2 with other growth factors or cytokines to create a more physiologically relevant cellular environment in culture [11].

TGF-β2 is a 25.4 kDa protein composed of two identical 112 amino acid polypeptide chains linked by a single disulfide bond. It forms a latent complex with latency-associated peptide (LAP) and one of the latent TGF-β binding protein (LTBP) family members. This latent complex is stored at the cell surface and in the extracellular matrix. The release of biologically active TGF-β2 involves proteolytic processing of the complex and/or induction of conformational changes by proteins like thrombospondin-1, plasmin, matrix metalloproteases (MMP), or Integrins [12-13].

TGF-β2 signaling involves binding to a complex of the accessory receptor betaglycan (TGF-β RIII) and a type II ser/thr kinase receptor (TGF-β RII) and either TGF-β RI/ALK-5 or ALK-1. This complex activates Smad proteins that regulate transcription, with other Smad-independent pathways contributing to diverse cellular actions [4,14-15]

In summary, TGF-beta 2 plays a crucial role in regulating various cellular processes and is integral to the development of multiple organ systems, exhibiting diverse functions from controlling cell proliferation and differentiation to influencing immune responses and tumorigenesis.