Biomedical subjects

M E Fini

Publications and source records attributed to M E Fini.

46 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

PubMed1991

An inhibitor of the matrix metalloproteinase synthesized by rabbit corneal epithelium.

Normal and abnormal processes of cellular invasion often are initiated by degradation of basement membranes. The process of corneal ulceration might operate via similar mechanisms; degradation of the corneal stroma is not seen until after the basement membrane underlying the corneal epithelium in the preulcerative lesion is lost. Recent data implicate a member of the matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) family of enzymes, 92 kD gelatinase/type IV collagenase (MMP-9) in both cellular invasion processes and degradation of epithelial basement membrane before corneal ulceration. This suggests that use of nontoxic substances that block activity of MMP-9 might be useful in preventing or inhibiting pathologic invasion processes in vivo. An agent that fits these criteria is N-[D,L-2-isobutyl-3(N'-hydroxycarbonylamido)-propanoyl]-O- methyl-L-tyrosine methylamide, which previously has been characterized as an inhibitor of tumor cell collagenases. In this study, the authors show that the inhibitor can efficiently block activity of MMP-9 purified from cultures of rabbit corneal epithelial cells. Results suggest that the recently reported efficacy of a closely related inhibitor in blocking progression of alkali burns to ulceration might be attributable to its action against MMP-9.

Amides↗

PubMed1991

Mechanism of basement membrane dissolution preceding corneal ulceration.

In animal models for corneal ulceration, the degradation of extracellular matrix components of the stroma does not occur until after the basement membrane underlying the corneal epithelium has disappeared. Using a thermal-burn model, it was demonstrated that epithelial basement membrane is degraded actively by products of corneal cells in a process that does not require the participation of polymorphonuclear leukocytes. A new gelatinolytic metalloproteinase, preliminarily identified as the matrix metalloproteinase, MMP-9, is synthesized and secreted by corneal cells with a timing appropriate for a role in basement membrane degradation. During healing of ulcers, when new matrix is being deposited actively in the burned tissue, a second new gelatinase appears in the cornea, preliminarily identified as a stable activated form of the matrix metalloproteinase, MMP-2. The timing of expression suggests a role for this enzyme in appropriate deposition and remodeling of new matrix in the regenerating corneal tissue.

Animals↗

PubMed1990

The pattern of metalloproteinase expression by corneal fibroblasts is altered by passage in cell culture.

We have examined the pattern of expression of four different matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), collagenase, stromelysin, 92 kD gelatinase, and 72 kD gelatinase, by primary and passaged cultures of rabbit corneal fibroblasts. Primary cultures of this cell type have previously been shown to reproduce the normal tissue regulation of collagenase expression. We demonstrate qualitative and quantitative changes in the pattern of MMP expression as the cells are passaged in culture. Only a single MMP, 72 kD gelatinase, is constitutively expressed by primary fibroblast cultures. Phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) treatment upregulates expression of 72 kD gelatinase and turns on the expression of collagenase and stromelysin, as well as 92 kD gelatinase. However, the degree to which MMP expression is induced is minimal. Cells subcultured but a single time constitutively produce not only 72 kD gelatinase, but also collagenase and stromelysin. In addition, PMA treatment upregulates expression of collagenase, stromelysin and 92 kD gelatinase to high levels. In contrast, the expression of 72 kD gelatinase is repressed by treatment of passaged cell cultures with PMA. Our data indicate that the cell does not simply turn the MMP genes on or off, as a group, in response to various agents, but that it has the capacity for fine control over which MMPs are expressed and the degree to which each is expressed. Changes in MMP protein expression induced by PMA treatment are correlated with changes in specific mRNA levels in passaged cultures. The kinetics of mRNA accumulation suggest that the MMP genes can respond to multiple intracellular signals initiated in a temporal cascade by PMA. It is the combined effects of the individual signals on the accumulation of specific mRNAs that must determine the ultimate pattern of MMP protein expression. The distinct patterns of MMP expression produced by primary and passaged cell cultures may be analogous to patterns of expression that might occur under particular in vivo conditions.

Animals↗

PubMed1990

Expression of collagenolytic/gelatinolytic metalloproteinases by normal cornea.

Members of the gelatinase subclass of the matrix metalloproteinase family have the capacity to degrade denatured collagens of all types and native types IV, V, and VII collagens. The authors identified the metalloproteinase species of the gelatinase class produced by the cells of rabbit corneal tissue. Two different molecular forms of gelatinase, visualized as enzymatic activities, that undergo electrophoresis with different mobilities on gelatin zymograms are synthesized by corneal cells in serum-free organ culture. The enzyme species that has the slower mobility is biochemically and immunologically related to a gelatinase synthesized by macrophages and neutrophils which has been called both type IV and type V collagenase. The second gelatinase species is related to a second enzyme, the product of a different gene, which has also been called type IV collagenase. The electrophoretic mobilities of these enzymes on polyacrylamide gels indicate the inactive proenzyme forms. The authors refer to these enzymes as 92-kilodalton (kD) gelatinase and 72-kD gelatinase based on their electrophoretic mobilities under sulfhydryl-reducing conditions. In primary cell culture, corneal epithelial cells were found to synthesize predominantly the 92-kD gelatinase species whereas the 72-kD gelatinase is synthesized mostly by stromal fibroblasts. However, each cell type can produce small amounts of the other enzyme. The 72-kD gelatinase, mostly in the proenzyme form, can be extracted from the normal corneal stroma without culturing, but expression of 92-kD gelatinase can only be detected in cell or organ culture. The substrate specificities of these enzymes suggests that they may be of central importance in the degradation of the epithelial basement membrane and in formation of the epithelial defect that precedes corneal ulceration.

Animals↗

PubMed1989

Unusual behavior of the cytoplasmic transcript of hsr omega: an abundant, stress-inducible RNA that is translated but yields no detectable protein product.

Although a major site of transcription in heat shock, the Drosophila hsr omega gene does not encode any known heat shock proteins. Instead, studies of the hsr omega transcripts suggest that the RNA molecules, rather than encoded proteins, are the active products of this gene. The cytoplasmic RNA, omega 3, is spliced and polyadenylated and yet has only very small open reading frames (ORFs), and these are poorly conserved in different Drosophila species. Surprisingly, the work reported here leads us to conclude that one of the tiny ORFs in this RNA is translated. This ORF, designated ORF-omega, is notable in being the only ORF that shows sequence conservation in the three Drosophila species examined. However, translation of this ORF does not lead to detectable accumulation of the protein product. We suggest that ORF-omega may be an example of an unusual type of translated ORF. The act of translation itself may be important rather than the generation of a functional protein product. This nonproductive translation may play a role in regulation of cellular activities.

Animals↗

PubMed1987

A gene for rabbit synovial cell collagenase: member of a family of metalloproteinases that degrade the connective tissue matrix.

We have determined the nucleotide sequence of a collagenase mRNA from rabbit synovial cells from which the primary structure of the encoded protein was deduced. This proteinase is 51% homologous to the enzyme that activates it from the zymogen form, rabbit synovial cell activator/stromelysin. Rabbit collagenase and activator/stromelysin thus share comembership in a gene family that includes human skin collagenase; the human and rabbit metalloproteinase, activator/stromelysin; and an oncogene-induced proteinase from rat named transin. The mRNA sequence of collagenase enabled us to completely map the structure of its gene, which is 9.1 kilobases and is composed of 10 exons and 9 introns. This is the first report of the structure of a collagenase gene. We show that it has striking similarity to additional members of this metalloproteinase gene family, transin genes I and II of rat. We have further sequenced genomic DNA flanking the collagenase gene and have identified nucleic acid elements of possible importance in gene regulation.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1987

Cloning of a complementary DNA for rabbit proactivator. A metalloproteinase that activates synovial cell collagenase, shares homology with stromelysin and transin, and is coordinately regulated with collagenase.

Rabbit proactivator is a neutral metalloproteinase that activates another metalloproteinase, procollagenase, and degrades noncollagenous matrix. We describe the construction of an activator complementary DNA (cDNA) clone, which is 1.9 kb, that selects a 2.1-kb messenger RNA (mRNA) in Northern blot hybridizations. Nucleic acid sequence studies of the activator cDNA indicate 1) that it encodes protein Mr 53,881, 2) that this protein exhibits approximately 80% homology with rat transin, an oncogene-induced protein with a previously unknown function, and 3) that, in the first 172 residues, it is virtually identical to the rabbit metalloproteinase, stromelysin. Homology between rabbit activator and human skin collagenase is approximately 50%. Activator and collagenase mRNA are coordinately regulated; untreated cultures of rabbit synovial fibroblasts produce low levels of each protein, but addition of phorbol myristate acetate (10(-8)M) results in an increase in mRNA for both proteins by 2.5-5 hours. Adding all-trans-retinoic acid (10(-6)M) or dexamethasone (10(-7)M) to phorbol-stimulated cells coordinately suppresses both activator and collagenase mRNA. Our data suggest the existence of coordinately regulated metalloproteinases that are important in the modulation of connective tissue metabolism.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1987

Molecular cloning of human synovial cell collagenase and selection of a single gene from genomic DNA.

We used a subclone of a rabbit genomic clone for collagenase that cross-hybridizes with human synovial cell messenger RNA (mRNA) to identify a human collagenase complementary DNA (cDNA) clone. The human cDNA clone is 2.1 kilobases (kb) and selects a mRNA transcript of approximately the same size from primary cultures of rheumatoid synovial cells that produce collagenase, but no mRNA is selected from control (nonproducing) synovial fibroblasts. Restriction enzyme analysis and DNA sequence data indicate that our cDNA clone is full length and that it is identical to that recently described for human skin fibroblast collagenase. The cDNA clone identified a single collagenase gene of approximately 17 kb from blots of human genomic DNA. The identity of human skin and synovial cell collagenase and the ubiquity of this enzyme and of its substrates, the interstitial collagens types I, II, and III, imply that common mechanisms controlling collagenolysis throughout the human body may be operative in both normal and disease states.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1986

Characterization of rabbit genes for synovial cell collagenase.

To provide tools for understanding collagenase gene expression in rheumatoid arthritis, we have isolated and characterized genomic clones for rabbit synovial cell collagenase. These clones represent 2 types of collagenase gene, at least 1 of which is transcribed in synovial fibroblasts. By examining the rabbit genome in situ, we provide evidence that there are only 2 different synovial cell collagenase genes found in a haploid genome. Amplification of these genes is not a mechanism for collagenase messenger RNA induction by phorbol esters.

Animals↗

PubMed1986

Homology between exon-containing portions of rabbit genomic clones for synovial cell collagenase and human foreskin and synovial cell mRNAs.

Portions of rabbit genomic clones containing exons cross-hybridize with human synovial cell and human foreskin fibroblast mRNAs. These cross-hybridizing genomic fragments have been subcloned into pBR328 and may be useful probes in isolating cDNA and genomic clones from human tissue, and perhaps from other species as well. In addition, DNA sequence data on a 530 bp cDNA clone for rabbit synovial-cell collagenase indicate that this clone is composed primarily of 3'-untranslated region. As such, it is probably not useful in cross-species hybridizations.

Amino Acid Sequence↗