Human Monocytes and Neutrophils Store Transforming Growth Factor-α in a Subpopulation of Cytoplasmic Granules

Transforming growth factor-α (TGF-α) exerts several effects on target cells, such as neovascularization promotion and mitogenic signalling. Using immunoelectron microscopy, we show that monocytes and neutrophils, store TGF-α in cytoplasmic granules. In monocytes, TGF-α did not colocalize with components of peroxidase-positive granules or with albumin of secretory vesicles. Furthermore, no colocalization of TGF-α with components of azurophilic or specific granules or secretory vesicles was observed in neutrophils. Activated monocytes and tissue-macrophages contained much less TGF-α–positive granules, suggesting TGF-α release. Western blot analysis showed a protein of 10 kD in lysates of monocytes. TGF-α mRNA was detected in monocytoid cells from the bone marrow by in situ hybridization. This study shows for the first time that monocytes and neutrophils contain TGF-α in all stages of maturation and that TGF-α in monocytes is stored in a large population of peroxidase-negative granules suggesting a function for these granules. Monocytes and neutrophils are important effector cells in inflammatory reactions. The present finding that these cells contain TGF-α might explain complications such as fibrosis and neoplastic transformation, caused by chronic inflammation.