Pharmacologically controlled protein switch for ON-OFF regulation of growth factor activity
23.09.2013
Karlsson M, Rebmann B, Lienemann PS, Sprossmann N, Ehrbar M, Radziwill G, Weber W.
Sci Rep. 2013 Sep 23;3:2716
The precise manipulation of growth factor signaling is central to the progress of tissue engineering. Methods for direct time-resolved activation of signaling pathways through controlled receptor dimerization have been reported; however, these suffer from the risks associated with gene transfer. Here we present an alternative gene transfer-free approach in the form of a protein switch featuring pharmacologically controlled ON-OFF regulation of growth factor activity. The reversible operation of the switch enables stimulation of target processes within a defined period of time. The protein switch provides a means for both studying and manipulating signaling processes, and is thus believed to be a valuable tool for basic research as well as tissue engineering and biomedical applications.
