Inhibition of transforming growth factor beta activity

摘要

The present invention provides a method of inhibiting an activity of TGF beta comprising contacting the TGF beta with a purified decorin. In a specific embodiment, the present invention relates to the ability of decorin, a 40,000 dalton protein that usually carries a glycosaminoglycan chain, to bind TGF beta . The invention also provides a novel cell regulatory factor designated MRF. Also provided are methods of identifying, detecting and purifying cell regulatory factors and proteins which bind and affect the activity of cell regulatory factors.