A NEW SENSITIVE METHOD FOR QUANTIFYING ACTIVE TRANSFORMING GROWTH FACTOR-BETA AND COMPOSITIONS THEREFOR

摘要

The present invention describes a highly sensitive and specific non-radioactive quantitative assay method for quantifying transforming growth factor-beta (TGF- beta ) in a liquid sample. Also disclosed are TGF- beta responsive expression vectors that express the indicator molecule, luciferase, in a dose-dependent response to TGF- beta activation. Eucaryotic cells transformed with the disclosed expression vectors are also described. Diagnostic systems in the form of kits for quantifying the amount of TGF- beta in a liquid sample using the disclosed methods and expression vectors are described.