cDNA sequence and chromosomal localization of human platelet-derived growth factor A-chain and its expression in tumour cell lines.

The amino-acid sequence of the precursor of the human tumour cell line-derived platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) A-chain has been deduced from complementary DNA clones and the gene localized to chromosome 7. The protein shows extensive homology to the PDGF B-chain precursor. Expression of the PDGF A-chain gene is independent of that of the PDGF B-chain in a number of human tumour cell lines, and secretion of a PDGF-like growth factor of relative molecular mass 31,000 correlates with expression of A- but not B-chain messenger RNA.