Human/Mouse BMP-7 Antibody

Bone morphogenetic protein 7 (BMP-7), also known as osteogenic protein 1 (OP-1), is a widely expressed TGF-beta superfamily member with important functions during embryogenesis, in the adult, and in disease (1, 2). Human BMP-7 is synthesized with a 29 amino acid (aa) signal sequence, a 263 aa propeptide, and a 139 aa growth factor domain (3, 4). The growth factor domain of human BMP-7 shares 98% aa sequence identity with mouse and rat BMP-7. The BMP-7 propeptide is cleaved intracellularly but often remains associated with the mature C-terminus. Based on in vivo and in vitro studies, BMP-7 has the potential to be secreted as a disulfide-linked mature homodimer, or particularly as a heteromeric complex that consists of two propeptides noncovalently associated with a mature disulfide-linked homodimer (5, 6). The presence of the propeptides in BMP-7 appears to stabilize the molecule and provide a docking mechanism for extracellular storage on molecules such as fibrillin-1 and -2 (5, 6). The propeptides themselves do not impart latency to the complex. BMP-7 binding to type II receptors rapidly displaces the prodomain:mature molecule interaction and has no effect on activity. But it is suggested that immobilized BMP-7 (via prodomain:fibrillin) is inactive, allowing for possible long-term storage of the molecule (6). BMP-7 interacts with the type 2 receptors Activin RIIA, Activin RIIB, and BMPR-II and the type 1 receptors Activin RIA, BMPR-IA, and BMPR-IB (2, 6). BMP-7 may also be processed into a disulfide-linked heterodimer with either BMP-2 or BMP-4. Such complexes may show increased potency and range of activity compared to BMP-7 homodimers (7 - 9). BMP-7 plays a role in a variety of organ systems. It promotes new bone formation and nephron development (10, 11), inhibits the branching of prostate epithelium (12), and antagonizes epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) (13 - 15). In pathological conditions, BMP-7 inhibits tumor growth and metastasis (14), ameliorates fibrotic damage in nephritis (13), and promotes neuroregeneration following brain ischemia (16).