Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) in human milk

Abstract

SUMMARY The amount of TGF-β contained in human whey was studied by the colony formation of NRK47F cells. It was noted that a factor inducing colony formation did exist in human whey, and its action was neutralized when anti-TGF-β antibodies were introduced. This suggests that TGF-β does exist in human whey. In colostrum, the total amount of TGF-β was 1365·7 ± 242·9 ng /ml, of which the active form comprised 728·1 ± 248·7 ng/ml (n=21). In late milk, the total TGF-β was 952·5 ± 212·6 ng/ml, with an active form of 178·7 ± 157·3 ng/ml. Thus human milk contains a large amount of active TGF-β. Furthermore, it was revealed by the reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction that mRNAs coding TGF-β1 and TGF-β2 exist in human milk cells. These results suggest that both TGF-β1 and TGF-β2 exist in human milk.