Our results that LTBP-1 is expressed at lower levels in leiomyomas of African Americans as compared to Caucasians suggest that TGF-β upon secretion and activation becomes readily available for binding rather than being stored into the ECM, a mechanism that regulates local availability of many growth factors and cytokines, including TGF-β. The gene discussed is LTBP1; the disease is leiomyoma.