acrogranin Background Information Acrogranin (also designated PC cell-derived growth factor (PCDGF), epithelin/granulin precursor or paragranulin) is a glycosylated protein originally purified from the highly tumorigenic, Insulin-independent mouse teratoma PC cell line. Acrogranin is a cysteine-rich molecule whose expression is essential for tumorigenicity in teratoma cells. Acrogranin is expressed in estrogen receptor-positive (ER(+)) human mammary MDA-MB-468 epithelial cells, human breast cancer MCF7 cells and human estrogen-responsive T-47D cells. Secreted acrogranin acts as an autocrine growth factor for breast carcinoma cells and overexpression may play an important role in human breast cancer. Acrogranin stimulates the growth of PC cells as well as 3T3 fibroblasts.
