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Integrins mediate the inhibitory effect of focal adhesion on angiotensin II-induced p44/42 mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase activity in human mesangial cells.

Previously, we reported that the formation of focal adhesion accelerated by accumulation of extracellular matrices may inhibit the angiotensin II-stimulated proliferation of human mesangial cells (HMCs). The process is regulated by p44/42 MAP kinase activity through the mediation of paxillin and GTPase activating proteins. In this report, we investigated the effect of integrin molecules on the angiotensin II-induced p44/42 MAP kinase activation in non-adherent HMCs. The results demonstrated that incubation of cells with both antibody to integrin beta(1) chain (K20) and GRGDS peptide induced integrin clustering, paxillin aggregation, and marked suppression of angiotensin II-induced p44/42 MAP kinase activation. On the other hand, incubation of cells with K20 alone induced integrin clustering without paxillin aggregation and the suppressive effect on angiotensin II-stimulated p44/42 MAP kinase activity. Our results strongly suggest the pivotal role of integrins in the inhibitory effect of focal adhesion on p44/42 MAP kinase activity, the checking system against angiotensin II-induced MAP kinase overactivation.

Angiotensin II↗

Downregulated expression of integrin alpha6 by transforming growth factor-beta(1) on lens epithelial cells in vitro.

Integrins represent the main cell surface receptors that mediate cell-matrix and cell-cell interactions. They play critical roles in adhesion, migration, morphogenesis, and the differentiation of several cell types. Previous studies have demonstrated that members of the fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-2, transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta(1), and insulin growth factor (IGF)-1 play important roles in lens biology. In particularly, TGF-beta(1) appears to play a key role in extracellular matrix production, cell proliferation, and cell differentiation of lens epithelial cells. In this study we investigated the effects of FGF-2, TGF-beta(1), and IGF-1 on the modulation of integrin receptors using lens epithelial cell lines (HLE B-3 and alphaTN-4) and lens explants. We found that the expression of integrin alpha6 is downregulated by TGF-beta(1), but is not responsive to FGF-2 or IGF-1. The promoter activity of the integrin alpha6 gene decreased upon TGF-beta(1) treatment in a transient transfection assay, and flow cytometric analysis demonstrated the reduced expression of integrin alpha6 by TGF-beta(1), whereas significant changes were not observed in the level of integrin alpha6 after the addition of FGF-2. These findings suggest that the reduced expression of integrin alpha6 caused by TGF-beta(1) might play a role in the activation of the cell cycle genes required during the fiber differentiation of the lens.

Animals↗

Possible involvement of the interaction of the alpha 5 subunit of alpha 5 beta 1 integrin with the synergistic region of the central cell-binding domain of fibronectin in cells to fibronectin binding.

The interaction between the central cell-binding domain (CBD) of fibronectin (FN) and its receptor integrin alpha 5 beta 1 was analyzed by both ligand-binding and cell adhesion assays. The ligands used were a CBD fragment (pCBD) of human plasma fibronectin and its recombinant versions including wild type CBD (wtCBD) and its two mutants (CBD-I, lacking the integrin recognition sequence Arg-Gly-Asp from wtCBD and CBD-II, missing the synergistic regions). The ligand-binding assay showed that CBD-I and CBD-II bind to the receptor, although the binding ability of the former was weaker than that of the latter. The affinity of pCBD to the receptor was much higher than the two mutants. The cell adhesion assay also revealed that cells were able to attach and spread on CBD-I to the same extent as on CBD-II, although the extent of spreading on the two mutant polypeptides was less than 4.1% of pCBD or wtCBD. On the other hand, beta 1-dependent cell spreading on CBD-II was not inhibited by the monoclonal antibody specific for the alpha 5 subunit, while that on CBD-I, wtCBD, or pCBD was inhibited by the same antibody. The present study suggests that the alpha 5 subunit does not participate in direct binding to the Arg-Gly-Asp site in CBD when cells adhere to FN through the integrin alpha 5 beta 1, but that it is involved in the interaction with the synergistic regions of CBD, which then enhances the binding of the beta 1 subunit to the Arg-Gly-Asp sequence containing CBD.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Analysis of fibronectin and vitronectin receptors on human fetal skeletal muscle cells upon differentiation.

The role of fibronectin (FN) and vitronectin (VN) receptors for cell adhesion and matrix assembly was analyzed during human fetal myogenesis in vivo and in vitro. In human fetal muscle at 10 weeks gestational age FN and laminin are present in the extracellular matrix. Analysis of the integrin repertoire at this developmental stage reveals that the differentiated muscle cells in vivo express alpha 5 and alpha 6 integrins, but not alpha v, alpha 1, and alpha 3 integrins. However, in vitro cultured myoblasts (G6) isolated from the same gestational age express alpha v, alpha 1, and alpha 3 integrins in addition to alpha 5 and alpha 6 integrins. A more detailed analysis of FN and VN receptors in vitro shows that the localization of different alpha v heterodimers into focal contacts is differently regulated. Alpha v beta 1, and alpha v beta 3, are present at focal contacts throughout in vitro myogenesis whereas alpha v beta 5 appears to depend on an endogenously produced factor to localize to focal contacts. The alpha v beta 1, alpha v beta 5, and alpha 3 beta 1 heterodimers, often reported not to focalize, did form focal contacts in G6 cells, indicating that these myoblasts possess components facilitating the formation of cytoskeletal linkages containing these integrins. Alpha 5 beta 1 colocalized with FN in myoblast cultures, whereas myotubes lacked both FN and alpha 5 beta 1 on the cell surface. In summary, we show that concomitant with in vitro differentiation of G6 cells, FN matrix contacts are abolished, but vitronectin receptors continue to fulfill an anchoring function during the differentiation process in vitro. Further studies are needed to assess the relative importance of the FN and VN binding integrins for the differentiation process in comparison with the laminin-binding integrins alpha 6 and alpha 7, also present on these cells.

Antigens, CD↗

Attachment of Pneumocystis carinii to primary cultures of rat alveolar epithelial cells.

Pneumocystis carinii (PC) is an exclusively extracellular pathogen which causes pneumonia in immunocompromised individuals. Histologic studies have demonstrated that PC organisms attach preferentially to type I alveolar epithelial cells and rarely bind to type II cells. Previous reports have demonstrated that cultured type II cells develop a type I cell-like phenotype and express type I cell surface antigens. The current study examines the attachment of PC organisms to isolated rat type II alveolar epithelial cells as a function of time in culture. PC attachment to isolated type II cells increased as the type II cells differentiated in culture from 2.3 +/- 1.2% on Day 2 to 18.4 +/- 2.7% by Day 8. Previous studies have indicated a role for fibronectin (Fn) and Fn receptors as mediators of PC attachment. Addition of anti-Fn antibodies decreased attachment of PC to Day 8 type II cells from 19.4 +/- 2.5% to 9.4 +/- 1.9% (P < 0.01). Addition of antibodies to the alpha v and alpha 5 integrin subunits resulted in significant decreases in PC attachment to Day 8 type II cells. Examination of expression of alpha v and alpha 5 integrins on Day 2 and Day 8 type II cells demonstrated increased expression of both alpha v and alpha 5 integrin subunits on Day 8 type II cells. Overall these data indicate that attachment of PC to isolated rat type II cells increases as the cells differentiate into a type I cell-like phenotype in vitro and correlates with increased expression of Fn-binding integrins on the cell surface of the cultured type II cells.

Animals↗

Embryonic lineage of vascular smooth muscle cells determines responses to collagen matrices and integrin receptor expression.

Developmental studies have demonstrated that the vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) present within the elastic arteries are differentiated from two definitive origins, the neural crest and the mesoderm. Cells from these distinct progenitors differ in their ability to determine long-range spatial order of the extracellular matrix, in proliferative responses, and in the expression of critical proteins. The present study utilizes collagen gel contraction assays and the analysis of integrin receptor subunit expression to evaluate cell-matrix interactions. In the presence of serum and transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF) or TGF-beta 1 alone, VSMC isolated from the abdominal aorta (AA-VSMC) were found to contract collagen matrices to a significantly greater extent than VSMC from the thoracic aorta (TA-VSMC). However, in TA-VSMC, beta 1 integrin and gel contraction were stimulated only in the presence of serum factors. Metabolic labeling and immunoprecipitation of integrin subunits revealed that TGF-beta 1 induced beta 1 and alpha 5 integrin subunits in AA-VSMC four-and ninefold, respectively. AA-VSMC gel contraction stimulated by serum and TGF-beta 1 alone was inhibited with anti-beta 1 integrin antibody by 70 and 100%, respectively. However, the beta 1 integrin-specific antibody inhibited serum-induced TA-VSMC gel contraction by 25%. The data suggest that vascular smooth muscle cell ontogeny is an important determinant of cell function, phenotype, and response to growth factors such as TGF-beta 1.

Animals↗

Tenascin-Y, a component of distinctive connective tissues, supports muscle cell growth.

Chicken tenascin-Y is an extracellular matrix protein most closely related to the mammalian tenascin-X. It is highly expressed in the connective tissue of skeletal muscle (C. Hagios, M. Koch, J. Spring, M. Chiquet, and R. Chiquet-Ehrismann, 1996, J. Cell Biol. 134, 1499-1512). Here we demonstrate the presence of tenascin-Y in specific areas of the connective tissues in developing lung, kidney, and skin. In skin tenascin-Y shows a complementary expression pattern to tenascin-C, whereas in the lung and kidney the sites of expression are partly overlapping. Tenascin-Y is also present in embryonic skeletal muscle where it is expressed in the developing connective tissue in between the muscle fibers. This connective tissue is also the major site of alpha5 integrin expression. We purified recombinantly expressed tenascin-Y and tested its effect on cell adhesion and its influence on muscle cell growth and differentiation. C2C12 myoblasts were able to adhere to tenascin-Y and showed extensive formation of actin-rich processes without generation of stress fibers. Furthermore, we found that tenascin-Y influenced cell morphology of chick embryo fibroblasts over prolonged times in culture and that it supports primary muscle cell growth and restricts muscle cell differentiation.

Animals↗

The effects of extracellular matrix on cell attachment, proliferation and migration in a human lens epithelial cell line.

Lens capsule consists of several kinds of extracellular matrix (ECM) which may play an important role in cell attachment, migration and proliferation of lens epithelial cells as a basement membrane. We have investigated the effects of ECM on cell attachment, proliferation and migration in a human lens epithelial (HLE) cell line. The HLE cell line, SRA 01/04, which was transfected with large T-antigen of SV40 was cultured in the absence of serum. Culture plates were coated with human type IV collagen, laminin or fibronectin. The number of cells were counted at 30-180 min and 3, 5 and 7 days of culture. The rate of BrdU incorporation was measured to study the cell proliferation. The cell migration was measured 1, 3, 5 and 7 days after seeding cells. Integrins, the receptors of ECM, were also detected using antibodies for the cell membrane antigens (CD49b, CD49c, CD49e) by an immunohistochemical method. Although less than 10% of cells attached to the non-coated plate and 50-60% of cells attached to the ECM-coated plates, there was no difference of cell attachment among each ECM used. The cell attachment was almost complete during the first 30 min of culture. Cell proliferation was not enhanced, but cell survival was aided by culture on the ECM components for up to 7 days. The area of cell attachment enlarged on the ECM-coated plates, whereas no migration was observed on the non-coated plate. These data indicate that ECM is the essential factor for cell attachment and increases migration of HLE cells.

Antigens, CD↗

Effect of lipopolysaccharide on the morphology and integrin immunoreactivity of ramified microglia in the mouse brain and in cell culture.

Microglial cells form the first line of defense in brain infection. They are related to monocytes and macrophages and can be readily activated by cell wall components of bacteria such as lipopolysaccharides (LPS). In the present study, we explored the effect of this endotoxin in mouse on the morphology of microglia and their immunoreactivity for the integrin family of cell adhesion molecules in vitro and in vivo. Subcutaneous injection of LPS led to a dose-dependent activation of alpha M beta 2-positive microglia, with a saturating effect at 1 microg LPS in the blood-brain barrier deficient area postrema, at 10 microg in the directly adjacent tissue, and at 100 microg throughout the brainstem and cerebellum. Morphologically, this activation was characterized by the swelling of the microglial cell body, a thickening of the proximal processes, and a reduction in distal ramification. Microglial immunoreactivity for the integrins alpha 4 beta 1, alpha 5 beta 1, alpha 6 beta 1, and alpha M beta 2 was strongly increased. In vitro, ramified microglia were obtained using a coculture on top of a confluent astrocyte monolayer. Two days exposure to LPS resulted in a morphological activation of the cultured cells with an increase of the integrin immunoreactivity for alpha 5 (5.7-fold), alpha 4 (3.1-fold), beta 1 (2.3-fold), and alpha M (1.5-fold), and a decrease in the alpha 6-staining intensity by 39%. Even a sublethal dose of LPS (3 mg in vivo and 500 microg/ml in vitro, respectively) did not induce the phagocyte-associated integrin alpha X beta 2 (CD11c/CD18, p150,95) and did not lead to a morphological transformation of the ramified microglia into phagocytes.

Animals↗

Localization of alpha integrin subunits in the neural retina of the tiger salamander.

BACKGROUND: Integrin receptors mediate cell-extracellular matrix interactions and regulate many events, including cell growth, proliferation, and differentiation. Retinal integrins are incompletely understood, although these receptors are potentially important factors in normal retinal function and pathology. METHODS: Immunocytochemistry was used to localize alpha integrin subunits 1-6 in the neural retina. RESULTS: Each alpha integrin subunit had a unique distribution in the retina, although there was considerable overlap among subunits. The alpha 1 subunit was broadly distributed throughout the retina, with some presumptive ganglion cells showing enriched labeling. The alpha 2 subunit was present on all retinal cell bodies, but was reduced in synaptic layers. The alpha 3 subunit was present in synaptic layers, Müller cells, and some cone and amacrine cells. The alpha 4 subunit was broadly distributed in the nuclear layers but was reduced in synaptic layers. The alpha 5 subunit was broadly expressed in the nuclear and synaptic layers with enriched labeling in the outer plexiform layer. Labeling for the alpha 6 subunit was restricted to the outer limiting membrane and some cone outer segments. Double-labeling studies indicated that photoreceptor terminals may exhibit alpha 1 and alpha 5 subunits, while processes from second-order neurons may exhibit alpha 1, alpha 3, and alpha 5 subunits. CONCLUSION: Integrin receptors containing the alpha 1, alpha 3, and alpha 5 subunits may have important functions at retinal synapses, in addition to roles in the nuclear layers. Integrin receptors containing alpha 2, alpha 4, and alpha 6 subunits probably serve non-synaptic functions.

Ambystoma↗

Expression of integrin subunits correlates with differentiation of epithelial cell lineages in developing human gastric mucosa.

Laminins may play important roles in gastric gland development due to the differential localization of their alpha chains in human fetal fundic (oxyntic) mucosa. To extend this hypothesis, the current investigation was undertaken to compare the anatomical and cellular distribution of epithelial integrin subunits with those of laminin alpha chains in the human stomach at different ages (8-22 weeks of gestation) using indirect immunofluorescence. In the body, fundus and antrum regions, the beta1 and alpha6 subunits were associated with the entire epithelium at all developmental stages in the same way as laminin chains (alpha1/alpha5) detected with 4C7 monoclonal antibody. By contrast, the alpha3 and beta4 subunits of alpha3beta1 and alpha6beta4 integrins together with the laminin alpha3-chain were concentrated in the surface and foveolus compartments composed of differentiating mucous cells. Most importantly, the alpha2 integrin subunit was expressed in a rather complex pattern: (1) it was located at the base and at cell-cell boundaries of surface/foveolar epithelium, (2) was specifically repressed in differentiating parietal cells, and (3) its expression increased in maturing glands, where it became concentrated at the basal pole of epithelial cells simultaneously exhibiting a strong reactivity for laminin-2 (alpha2-chain). Taken altogether, our observations provide new evidence for the implication of different laminins and their receptors in the development of all human gastric epithelial lineages, surface mucous cells or glandular cells. The coordinated expression of alpha2 and alpha3 integrin subunits as well as the cellular re-distribution of alpha2beta1 integrin likely represent key events for the differentiation of glandular secretory cell types, especially maturing chief cells responsible for the synthesis/secretion of gastric digestive enzymes in fundic-type glands.

Antigens, CD↗

Fibroblast growth factor-2 increases the renal recruitment and attachment of HIV-infected mononuclear cells to renal tubular epithelial cells.

The role of circulating growth factors in the pathogenesis of childhood HIV-1-associated nephropathy (HIVAN) is not clearly understood. In previous studies, we found a significant accumulation of fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2) in the circulation and kidneys of children with HIVAN. The purpose of this study was to determine whether circulating FGF-2 may play a role in the pathogenesis of HIVAN by increasing the renal recruitment and attachment of HIV-infected mononuclear cells to renal epithelial cells. Using in vitro cell adhesion assays, we showed that FGF-2 increased the attachment of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) to fibronectin-coated tissue culture dishes by approximately threefold through a mechanism that involved the alpha5 integrin subunit. In addition, we found that FGF-2 induces a similar increase in the attachment of HIV-infected PBMCs and monocytes/macrophages to plastic tissue culture dishes and to monolayers of primary renal tubular epithelial cells harvested from the urine of HIV-infected children with renal disease. Finally, we injected 16 adult C57Bl6/J male mice with recombinant adenoviral vectors carrying either the LacZ gene or a secreted form of human FGF-2 (5 x 10(8)pfu/mouse) and demonstrated that high levels of circulating FGF-2 can increase the renal recruitment of circulating inflammatory cells and induce transient tubulointerstitial injury in vivo. These data suggest that FGF-2 may have an immunomodulatory role in the pathogenesis of HIVAN by recruiting HIV-infected cells in the kidney.

AIDS-Associated Nephropathy↗

Immunohistochemical analysis of alpha 1-integrins in cervical cancer.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine and compare the expression of the alpha 2-, alpha 3-, alpha 4- and alpha 5-subunits of the beta 1-family of integrins in both the normal and the carcinomatous cervix. STUDY DESIGN: A total of 22 solid tissue specimens (18 cancer and 4 normal) were analyzed immunohistochemically. The double-stain technique used an avidin-biotin complex kit to identify the various integrins and alkaline phosphatase-anti-alkaline phosphatase kit to identify the epithelial cells. Staining intensity, the main outcome measured, was graded as absent, weak, moderate, or strong. Statistical analysis was performed with the Wilcoxon rank sum test for nonparametric data. RESULTS: The alpha 2- and alpha 3-integrins stained the normal cervix epithelium more intensely than the stroma (p = 0.03). The alpha 4- and alpha 5-integrins stained both the stroma and the normal epithelium similarly. The alpha 2-integrin was absent in the stroma of all 18 cancer specimens despite being present in the epithelial regions of 14 to 18 cancers. The alpha 3-integrin had a greater staining intensity in the stroma of the cancers than in the epithelial regions (p = 0.002). Both alpha 4- and alpha 5-integrins were absent in the epithelial regions of the cancers but present in the stroma. CONCLUSIONS: The distribution and intensity of integrin expression in cervical cancer differ from their expression in the normal cervix. In particular, the fibronectin receptors, alpha 4 and alpha 5, were absent in the epithelial regions of the cervical cancers, and alpha 3 also had diminished expression in the malignant epithelium. These changes correlate well with the changes expected in malignant transformation.

Antigens, CD↗

Laminin-binding integrins in rat lens morphogenesis and their regulation during fibre differentiation.

Mammalian lens development involves cell-cell and cell-ECM interactions. As integrins are a major family of cell adhesion molecules, we examined the expression patterns of several integrin subunits (alpha3A, alpha3B, alpha6A, alpha6B, beta1 and beta4) during rat lens development. RT-PCR, in situ hybridisation, immunofluorescence and immunoblotting were used to investigate expression of integrin subunits during lens development and differentiation. RT-PCR showed expression of alpha3A, alpha6A, alpha6B and beta1A but not alpha3B or beta4 subunits in postnatal rat lenses. Each subunit displayed distinct spatio-temporal expression patterns. beta1 integrin was expressed in both epithelium and fibres. alpha3A subunit expression was restricted to the epithelium; expression ceased abruptly at the lens equator. Expression of the alpha6A subunit increased during fibre differentiation, whereas alpha6B expression was predominantly associated with epithelial cells during lens development. In lens epithelial explants, FGF induced some of the changes in integrin expression that are characteristic of fibre differentiation in vivo. One notable exception was the inability of FGF to reproduce the distinctive down-regulation of the alpha3 isoform that is associated with initiation of elongation in vivo. Interestingly, vitreous treatment was able to reproduce this shift in alpha3 expression indicating that another factor(s), in addition to FGF, may be required for full and complete transition from an epithelial cell to a fibre cell. Integrin subunit expression therefore appears to be highly regulated during lens development and fibre differentiation with evidence of major changes in alpha3 and alpha6 isoform expression. These results indicate that integrins may play important roles in development and growth of the lens. How specific integrin subunits influence the behaviour of cells in different developmental compartments of the lens remains to be determined.

Animals↗

PTH-related protein enhances LoVo colon cancer cell proliferation, adhesion, and integrin expression.

Parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP) has been localized in human colon cancer tissue and cell lines. Tumor cell adhesion to extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins plays a major role in the invasion and metastasis of tumor cells, and is mediated via integrin subunits. The LoVo human colon cancer cell line was used as a model system to study the effects of PTHrP on cell proliferation and adhesion to ECM proteins found in normal liver. Clones of LoVo cells engineered to overexpress PTHrP by stable transfection with a PTHrP cDNA showed enhanced cell proliferation vs. control (empty vector-transfected) cells. PTHrP-overexpressing cells also showed significantly higher adhesion to collagen type I, fibronectin, and laminin, and enhanced expression of the [symbol: see text] integrin subunits. These results indicate that PTHrP may play a role in colon cancer invasion and metastasis by increasing cell proliferation and adhesion to the ECM via upregulation of proinvasive integrin expression.

Acid Phosphatase↗

Off limits--integrins holding boundaries in somitogenesis.

Borders are essential for demarcating repeated structures such as somites during vertebrate development. Two recent articles describe roles for Integrinalpha5 and its ligand Fibronectin1 in zebrafish anterior intersomitic boundary formation and link them to Notch and Eph-Ephrin pathways in epithelialization of somite boundary cells. Together with these pathways, Integrinalpha5 and Fibronectin1 orchestrate the orderly formation of somite and later myotome borders. These studies shed light on components downstream of the periodic segmentation mechanism - the 'segmentation clock' - in somitogenesis.

Animals↗

Micro-array analysis of the effect of post-transurethral bladder tumor resection urine on transforming growth factor-beta1 dependent gene expression in transitional cell carcinoma.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Prior studies have shown that bladder trauma occurring during transurethral bladder tumor resection increases urinary levels of the cytokine transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta1. This study used complementary deoxyribonucleic acid micro-array technology to identify additional genes in human transitional cell carcinoma (TCC), whose expression is altered as a consequence of increased urinary levels of TGF-beta1. METHODS: The human TCC line 253J was cultured in standard media, or media spiked with either 10% post-transurethral bladder tumor resection urine (PTU), or PTU and anti-TGF-beta1 neutralizing antibody. Messenger ribonucleic acid from these conditions, together with messenger ribonucleic acid from stably transfected 253J cells over-expressing TGF-beta1, was hybridized with ATLAS micro-array membranes (Clontech, Palo Alto, CA) containing 588 human genes. Hybridization signal intensity was quantified using phospho-imaging. An analytic strategy based on the variance in the signal intensity ratio of specific housekeeping genes in control and experimental comparisons was used to identify significant changes in gene expression. Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction of target genes was used to confirm gene over-expression and TGF-beta1 responsiveness. RESULTS: Seven genes were identified on micro-array: v-RAF-1, colony stimulating factor-1 receptor, v-FGR, insulin growth factor-1 receptor, epidermal growth factor receptor, alpha5 integrin, and interferon receptor-1. Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction confirmed over-expression in the autocrine TGF-beta1 producing cell line and increased expression in response to exogenous TGF-beta1. CONCLUSIONS: TGF-beta1 in PTU alters the expression of multiple genes in human TCC in vitro. The impact of these changes on the biologic phenotype of the malignant cell and the efficacy of adjuvant therapies requires further evaluation.

Carcinoma, Transitional Cell↗

Beta3 integrin deficiency promotes cardiac hypertrophy and inflammation.

Cardiac hypertrophy commonly develops in response to pressure overload and is associated with increased mortality. Mechanical stress in the heart can result in the activation of transmembrane integrin alphabeta heterodimers that are expressed in cardiomyocytes. Once activated, integrins stimulate focal adhesion kinase, Grb2, c-src, and other signaling molecules to promote cardiomyocyte growth and gene expression. Mechanical stress can also promote cardiac inflammation that may be mediated, in part, by the activation of integrins expressed in blood-borne cells. To address the role of one integrin, beta(3), in the pathogenesis of cardiac hypertrophy, beta(3)(-/-) mice were examined. beta(3)(-/-) Mice developed moderate spontaneous cardiac hypertrophy associated with systolic and diastolic dysfunction, and these abnormalities were exacerbated by transverse aortic constriction. In addition, beta(3)(-/-) mice developed mild cardiac inflammation with infiltrating macrophages at baseline that was markedly worsened by pressure overload. Bone marrow transplantation experiments showed that blood-borne cells were at least partially responsible for the cardiac hypertrophy and inflammation observed in beta(3)(-/-) mice. These results suggest that alpha(v)beta(3) expression in bone marrow has a generalized suppressive effect on cardiac inflammation.

Animals↗