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Biochemical characterization of the binding of echistatin to integrin alphavbeta3 receptor.

Echistatin is a 49-amino-acid peptide belonging to the family of disintegrins that are derived from snake venoms and are potent inhibitors of platelet aggregation and cell adhesion. Integrin alphavbeta3 receptor plays a critical role in several physiological processes such as tumor-induced angiogenesis, tumor cell metastasis, osteoporosis and wound repair. In this study, we have characterized the binding of echistatin to purified integrin alphavbeta3 receptor and the form expressed on human embryonic kidney 293 cells. We show that both purified and membrane-bound integrin alphavbeta3 binds to echistatin with a high affinity, which can be competed efficiently by linear and cyclic peptides containing the RGD sequence. Previous studies have shown that alphavbeta3 binds to vitronectin in a nondissociable manner, whereas an RGD-containing peptide derived from vitronectin binds in a dissociable manner with a Kd of 9.4 x 10(-7) M. Our studies indicate that radiolabeled echistatin binds to alphavbeta3 in a nondissociable manner, similar to native echistatin. However, echistatin does not support the adhesion of 293 cells expressing alphavbeta3 receptor because of poor binding to plastic dishes and is a potent antagonist of the adhesion of these cells to vitronectin. These studies demonstrate that echistatin binding to alphavbeta3 is of high affinity and irreversible similar to vitronectin and provides an alternate ligand for high-throughput screening for alphavbeta3 antagonists.

Cell Adhesion↗

GH4 pituitary cell variants selected as nonresponsive to thyrotropin-releasing hormone-enhanced substratum adhesion are nonresponsive to epidermal growth factor: evidence for a common signaling defect.

Thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) and epidermal growth factor both enhance prolactin synthesis and substrate adhesion (a morphological change called stretching) of GH4 rat pituitary cells. We have examined TRH- and EGF-induced cell stretching using genetic and pharmacologic approaches. We selected and isolated a series of GH4 cell variants nonresponsive to TRH-induced cell stretching (str-). This selection yielded several variants that were nonresponsive to both TRH- and EGF-induced stretching but were still responsive to stretching induced by several other agents (tetradecanoylphorbol acetate [TPA], butyrate, and Neplanocin A). One of the str- variants (a14) was examined in detail. TRH, EGF, and TPA each enhanced prolactin synthesis in a14 cells, indicating that the a14 variant contained functional receptor binding sites for all 3 ligands as well as the capacity to generate those intracellular signals required for enhanced prolactin synthesis. Because the str- variants were isolated without selective pressure for EGF-induced stretching and because the possibility of more than one selectable mutation in all the variants is unlikely, we suggest that TRH and EGF share a common mechanism to induce cell stretching. We next examined whether the str- variants had a defect in a signaling pathway or in the biochemical endpoint for TRH- and EGF-induced cell stretching. A pharmacologic approach was utilized to investigate the biochemical basis for induced cell stretching. A synthetic Arg-Gly-Asp-Ser tetrapeptide (RGDS), specific for fibronectin and vitronectin adhesion receptors, inhibited TRH-, EGF-, and TPA-induced GH4 cell stretching and attachment to fibronectin- and vitronectin-coated dishes. These results suggest that the interaction between fibronectin and/or vitronectin and their receptor(s) may be a biochemical endpoint by which several agonists induced stretching of GH4 cells. Because the str- variant has RGDS-specific binding sites for fibronectin and vitronectin and responds to some agents that induce cell stretching via an RGDS receptor, we conclude that the a14 str- variant has a defect in an intracellular signaling pathway, shared by TRH and EGF, which induces cell stretching.

Animals↗

The effect of extracellular matrix molecules on the in vitro behavior of bovine endothelial cells.

Extracellular matrix (ECM) is an important mediator of endothelial functions such as adhesion, spreading, migration, proliferation, and maintenance of differentiated functions. Attachment of cultured cells to tissue culture polystyrene (TCPS) is dependent on vitronectin which adsorbs onto the surface from the serum in the culture medium. Vitronectin (VN) will adsorb efficiently to TCPS even if the latter has been coated with another matrix molecule and blocked with albumin. This means that studies of the interactions of cells with individual coated ECM molecules will be confounded by the presence of adsorbed VN if serum is present in the culture medium. In this study, the adhesion, spreading, growth, and output of endogenous matrix molecules by bovine corneal endothelial (BCE) cells were measured on five different matrix substrates using medium which had been depleted of vitronectin to avoid such confounding effects. The same cell adhesion and spreading maxima were achieved on vitronectin, fibronectin (FN), laminin (LM), and types I and IV collagen (col I, col IV). The coating concentrations required to achieve these maxima, however, differed among the substrates, LM needing considerably higher concentrations than the other substrates for both maximal adhesion and spreading and FN needing higher concentrations for cell spreading. When cells were continuously passaged on each of the five substrates coated at concentrations optimal for cell spreading, no differences in cell proliferation rates or cell morphology were observed. Significant differences, however, were observed in the subcellular output of endogenous matrix molecules (FN, LM, col IV, and thrombospondin) between the different substrates. Col I was a poor substrate for the production of all ECM molecules tested over the 10 passages of the experiment, whereas col IV was a consistently good substrate. LM and FN substrates displayed differential effects on the output of different ECM molecules. VN was unique in that BCE cells at early passage on this substrate produced high levels of endogenous matrix molecules, whereas with continued passage on this substrate, a progressive decline in ECM secretion was observed. These results show that incorporation of individual molecules into the ECM by BCE cells in culture is significantly affected by the nature of the substratum. They further suggest that passage of endothelial cells in media containing serum (which results in coating of VN onto the substrate) may result in a progressive reduction of ECM output.

Animals↗

Changes in matrix composition during the growth and regression of human hemangiomas.

BACKGROUND: Hemangiomas offer an uncommon opportunity to study rapid vessel growth and spontaneous regression of a vascular human tumor. In contrast, venous malformations are another type of vascular tumor that grows slowly without spontaneous involution. Extracellular matrix (ECM) molecules modulate the responsiveness of endothelial cells to mitogenic stimuli such as basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), a well-recognized stimulant of angiogenesis. In this study we hypothesized that in hemangiomas, sites of angiogenesis may have a different ECM composition than sites of vascular regression. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using immunohistochemistry, we analyzed proliferating hemangiomas, regressing hemangiomas, venous malformations, and normal skin for the basement membrane ECM molecules collagen IV and laminin and plasma-borne ECM molecules fibronectin and vitronectin. We used metabolic labeling to determine whether primary human dermal microvascular endothelial cells regulated FGFR-1 or FGFR-2 when grown on these different matrices. RESULTS: We found that proliferating hemangiomas showed extensive deposition of vitronectin in the subendothelial space. In contrast, regressing hemangiomas or venous malformations did not show vitronectin deposition. Venous malformations, which are composed of ectatic lakes of venous channels, also lacked laminin in their basement membranes. We also found that cultured microvascular endothelial cells grown on vitronectin increased synthesis of FGFR-1 and FGFR-2 protein. CONCLUSIONS: Changes in the ECM environment occur in conjunction with the angiogenic state of a vascular human tumor. Furthermore, changes in the ECM environment alone can directly regulate synthesis of angiogenic growth factor receptors.

Collagen↗

Inhibitory effects of adhesion oligopeptides on the invasion of squamous carcinoma cells with special reference to implication of alpha v integrins.

We studied invasion-related adhesion events in vitro using three squamous carcinoma cell lines (HSC-3), poorly differentiated type; OSC-19, well-differentiated type; and KB cells, undifferentiated type). An in vitro invasion assay through matrigel in the transwell chamber revealed that HSC-3 cells were most invasive, OSC-19 cells moderately invasive and KB cells least invasive. Inhibition assay of invasion using synthetic peptides RGD, RGDV, RGDS, RGDT, IKVAV and YIGSR, showed that invasion of the three cell lines was significantly inhibited by RGDV. There were other peptides that inhibited invasion significantly including IKVAV for HSC-3, and RGDS and YIGSR for OSC-19. HSC-3 cells and OSC-19 cells adhered to fibronectin, laminin, vitronectin, and type IV collagen, and KB cells did not adhere to laminin but did to fibronectin, vitronectin and collagen type IV. Pretreatment of cells with RGDV peptide in the attachment assay reduced the ability of these cells to bind to vitronectin and fibronectin more efficiently than pretreatment with RGDS. Anti-alpha v antibodies inhibited adhesion of HSC-3, OSC-19 and KB cells to vitronectin, but anti-beta 1 antibodies did not inhibit adhesion. Immunofluorescent microscopic examinations showed that all cell lines were positive for anti-beta 5 and anti-alpha v antibodies, and only HSC-3 cells were positive for anti-beta 3 antibody. alpha 5 beta 1 was not clearly demonstrated in any of the cell lines. RGDV was the most effective inhibitor of squamous cell carcinoma invasion among the synthetic oligopeptides used in this experiment, and it is suggested that it affects alpha v beta 3- and/or alpha v beta 5-mediated carcinoma cell invasion.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Inhibition of angiogenesis in vitro and in vivo: comparison of the relative activities of triflavin, an Arg-Gly-Asp-containing peptide and anti-alpha(v)beta3 integrin monoclonal antibody.

Disintegrin which contains the amino acid sequence Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD), has been implicated as a recognition site in interactions between extracellular matrix (ECM) and cell membrane receptors. Triflavin, a 7.5 kDa cysteine-rich polypeptide purified from Trimeresurus flavoviridis snake venom, belongs to a family of disintegrins. Integrin alpha(v)beta3 has recently been identified as a marker of angiogenic blood vessels and therefore anti-alpha(v)beta3 mAb may significantly inhibit angiogenesis. Therefore, this study was designed to compare the relative activity of triflavin and anti-alpha(v)beta3 mAb in human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) adhesion and migration in vitro, and on angiogenesis induced by TNF(alpha) in chicken chorioallantoic membrane (CAM). In this study, it was shown that triflavin (0.1 to 0.4 microM) dose-dependently inhibited the adhesion of HUVECs to ECMs (i.e., vitronectin, fibronectin, laminin and collagen type IV). At a concentration of 10 microM, anti-alpha(v)beta3 mAb almost completely inhibited the adhesion of cells to vitronectin, had a moderate inhibitory effect on fibronectin and laminin, but only a slight inhibitory effect on collagen type IV. On the other hand, vitronectin and fibronectin promote a significantly greater extent of cell adhesion and migration than laminin or collagen type IV over a wide range of concentrations (5 to 15 microg/ml). In cell migration studies, triflavin (0.4 microM) inhibited more markedly vitronectin- and fibronectin-mediated migration than that mediated by laminin- and collagen type IV. Comparison of the relative effectiveness of triflavin with anti-alpha(v)beta3 mAb, showed that triflavin was at least twenty to thirty times more potent than anti-alpha(v)beta3 mAb at inhibiting cell adhesion and migration. Furthermore, we used TNF(alpha) as an inducer of angiogenesis in the CAM assay. Close examination of the effects of triflavin and anti-alpha(v)beta3 mAb on TNF(alpha)-induced angiogenesis revealed the presence of discontinuous and disrupted blood vessels. However, anti-alpha(v)beta3 mAb showed a significant effect only at a higher concentration (10 microM). These results suggest that the inhibition of angiogenesis may have been due to interference with the adhesion and migration of endothelial cells to ECMs. The results also indicate that triflavin has a more powerful inhibitory effect than anti-alpha(v)beta3 mAb on angiogenesis, suggesting that triflavin could theoretically be used as a reasonable therapeutic adjuvant for therapy or prevention of angiogenesis-induced diseases.

Allantois↗

Antibodies to PAI-1 alter the invasive and migratory properties of human tumour cells in vitro.

Recent reports suggest that elevated levels of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) may contribute to tumour progression. The studies reported here were designed to help elucidate PAI-1's contribution to the invasive and migratory phenotype. Antibodies to PA-1 dose-dependently, and significantly, inhibited the invasive and migratory potential of human HT1080 fibrosarcoma cells, as did an antibody to uPA and the plasmin inhibitor aprotinin. Invasion of the human melanoma cell line, BLM, was also attenuated by the anti-PAI-1 monoclonal antibody MAI-12. The non-invasive human melanoma cell line, IF6, which does not express uPA, provided further confirmation of PAI-1 and uPA's role as, upon transfection with uPA, this cell line attained an invasive phenotype, which was again attenuated by MAI-12. Although antibodies to PAI-1 did not affect the adhesion of HT1080 cells to vitronectin, the antibody to uPA reduced their attachment. Addition of exogenous PAI-1, however, prevented HT1080 cell adhesion (IC50 180 nM) and promoted cell detachment from vitronectin. Furthermore melanoma cells transfected with a uPA variant, which had an impaired interaction with PAI-1, were not invasive and had impaired binding to vitronectin. These data highlight the importance of a balanced proteolysis and suggest an additional role for PAI-1 distinct from its role in proteolysis. These data also suggest that uPA and PAI-1 may co-operate in the migratory process by respectively facilitating the attachment to, and subsequent detachment from, vitronectin in the extracellular matrix. These results support the clinical findings and indicate that modulation of PAI-1 activity may be of therapeutic benefit for the treatment of cancer.

Animals↗

Acute phase protein alpha 1-acid glycoprotein interacts with plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 and stabilizes its inhibitory activity.

alpha(1)-Acid glycoprotein, one of the major acute phase proteins, was found to interact with plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 (PAI-1) and to stabilize its inhibitory activity toward plasminogen activators. This conclusion is based on the following observations: (a) alpha(1)-acid glycoprotein was identified to bind PAI-1 by a yeast two-hybrid system. Three of 10 positive clones identified by this method to interact with PAI-1 contained almost the entire sequence of alpha(1)-acid glycoprotein; (b) this protein formed complexes with PAI-1 that could be immunoprecipitated from both the incubation mixtures and blood plasma by specific antibodies to either PAI-1 or alpha(1)-acid glycoprotein. Such complexes could be also detected by a solid phase binding assay; and (c) the real-time bimolecular interactions monitored by surface plasmon resonance indicated that the complex of alpha(1)-acid glycoprotein with PAI-1 is less stable than that formed by vitronectin with PAI-1, but in both cases, the apparent K(D) values were in the range of strong interactions (4.51 + 1.33 and 0.58 + 0.07 nm, respectively). The on rate for binding of PAI-1 to alpha(1)-glycoprotein or vitronectin differed by 2-fold, indicating much faster complex formation by vitronectin than by alpha(1)-acid glycoprotein. On the other hand, dissociation of PAI-1 bound to vitronectin was much slower than that from the alpha(1)-acid glycoprotein, as indicated by 4-fold lower k(off) values. Furthermore, the PAI-1 activity toward urokinase-type plasminogen activator and tissue-type plasminogen activator was significantly prolonged in the presence of alpha(1)-acid glycoprotein. These observations suggest that the complex of PAI-1 with alpha(1)-acid glycoprotein can play a role as an alternative reservoir of the physiologically active form of the inhibitor, particularly during inflammation or other acute phase reactions.

Humans↗

Detachment of cells from culture substrate by soluble fibronectin peptides.

The synthetic cell attachment-promoting peptides from fibronectin (Pierschbacher, M. D., and E. Ruoslahti, 1984, Nature (Lond.)., 309:30-33) were found to detach cultured cells from the substratum when added to the culture in a soluble form. Peptides ranging in length from tetrapeptide to heptapeptide and containing the active L-arginyl-glycyl-L-aspartic acid (Arg-Gly-Asp) sequence had the detaching activity, whereas a series of different peptides with chemically similar structures had no detectable effect on any of the test cells. The Arg-Gly-Asp-containing peptides caused detachment of various cell lines of different species and histogenetic origin. Studies with defined substrates showed that the active peptides could inhibit the attachment of cells to vitronectin in addition to fibronectin, indicating that vitronectin is recognized by cells through a similar mechanism as fibronectin. The peptides did not inhibit the attachment of cells to collagen. However, cells cultured on collagen-coated plastic for 24-36 h, as well as cells with demonstrable type I or type VI collagen in their matrix, were susceptible to the detaching effect of the peptides. These results indicate that the recognition mechanism(s) by which cells bind to fibronectinand vitronectin plays a major role in the substratum attachment of cells and that collagens may not be directly involved in cell-substratum adhesion. Since vitronectin is abundant in serum, it is probably an important component in mediating the attachment of cultured cells. The independence of the effects of the peptide on the presence of serum and the susceptibility of many different cell types to detachment by the peptide show that the peptides perturb an attachment mechanism that is intrinsic to the cells and fundamentally significant to their adhesion.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

An Arg-Gly-Asp-directed receptor on the surface of human melanoma cells exists in an divalent cation-dependent functional complex with the disialoganglioside GD2.

The disialogangliosides GD2 and GD3 play a major role in the ability of human melanoma cells to attach to Arg-Gly-Asp-containing substrates such as fibronectin and vitronectin, since pretreatment of these cells with monoclonal antibodies to the oligosaccharide of GD2 and GD3 can inhibit their attachment and spreading on such adhesive proteins. This report demonstrates that human melanoma cells (M21) synthesize and express a glycoprotein receptor that shares antigenic epitopes with the vitronectin receptor on human fibroblasts and is capable of specifically recognizing the Gly-Arg-Gly-Asp-Ser-Pro sequence. In the presence of calcium, GD2, the major ganglioside of M21 cells, colocalized with this receptor on the surface of human melanoma cells and their focal adhesion plaques as demonstrated by double-label transmission immunoelectron microscopy and indirect immunofluorescence. Biochemical evidence is presented indicating that the vitronectin receptor on M21 human melanoma cells contains associated calcium and GD2. This ganglioside copurified with the glycoprotein receptor for vitronectin on affinity columns containing either an Arg-Gly-Asp-containing peptide, concanavalin A, or lentil lectin. This major Arg-Gly-Asp-directed receptor on M21 cells could be metabolically labeled with 45Ca2+. Chelation of this ion with EDTA caused the dissociation of GD2 from the receptor and rendered the remaining glycoprotein incapable of binding to an Arg-Gly-Asp-containing peptide. Reconstitution experiments demonstrated a requirement for calcium, and not magnesium, for receptor binding to Arg-Gly-Asp and indicated that addition of ganglioside can enhance this interaction.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Essential role of junctional adhesion molecule-1 in basic fibroblast growth factor-induced endothelial cell migration.

OBJECTIVE: Recently, we have shown that blocking of junctional adhesion molecule-1/A (JAM-1/A) inhibits basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF)-induced angiogenesis. Because the process of endothelial cell proliferation is a key initial step of neovascularization, we studied the effect of functional knockdown of JAM-1 on human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) adhesion and migration induced by bFGF. METHODS AND RESULTS: We introduced small interfering RNAs specific to JAM-1 in HUVECs, stimulated them with bFGF, and studied the resultant adhesion and migration of these cells on vitronectin and fibronectin. We show that depletion of JAM-1 inhibits bFGF-induced HUVEC migration specifically on vitronectin. This inhibition is not attributable to the failure of junctional organization, because expression and distribution of other junctional proteins remained unaffected. This inhibition was in fact attributed to an inability of JAM-1-depleted HUVECs to adhere and spread on vitronectin. Furthermore, we find that JAM-1-depleted HUVECs failed to activate extracellular signal-related kinase (ERK) in response to bFGF treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Our results show that JAM-1 is required for the bFGF-induced ERK activation that leads to endothelial cell migration on vitronectin. These data thus implicate JAM-1 as an integral part of both bFGF and ERK signaling pathways in endothelial cells.

Cell Adhesion↗

Potentiation by hypercholesterolemia of the induction of aortic intramural synthesis of plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 by endothelial injury.

Accumulation of plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 (PAI-1) in the arterial wall may accelerate atherogenesis by inhibiting fibrinolysis, diminishing proteolysis of extracellular matrix proteins, or modifying migration of vascular smooth muscle cells. Increased intramural expression of the PAI-1 gene is induced by thrombosis. To determine whether it occurs also in response to a sustained mechanical insult to endothelium, hypercholesterolemia, or both, rabbits were subjected to sustained aortic injury induced by implantation of indwelling polyethylene tubing, to hyperlipidemia induced by cholesterol and peanut oil feeding over a period of 8 weeks, or both. Sustained vascular injury alone did not increase plasma PAI-1. However, hypercholesterolemia with or without mechanically induced vascular injury increased plasma PAI-1 twofold. The expression of PAI-1 mRNA in aorta (Northern blots) was significantly increased when vascular injury was combined with hyperlipidemia. In situ hybridization showed that the increase with mechanical injury alone occurred in endothelial cells covering the neointima (positive for factor VIII and thrombomodulin), in abnormally differentiated vascular smooth muscle cells (positive for embryonic myosin heavy chain), and in macrophages (positive for the RAM-11 anti-macrophage antibody). Qualitatively similar but much more marked increases in PAI-1 gene expression were seen when arterial injury was accompanied by hypercholesterolemia. Neither vitronectin, known to stabilize PAI-1, nor vitronectin mRNA increased in liver. However, immunocytochemistry and Western blots demonstrated marked aortic accumulation of vitronectin protein with hyperlipidemia, particularly in subendothelial fibrotic regions, accompanied by increased neointimal vitronectin mRNA as shown by in situ hybridization. These results suggest that increased synthesis and stabilization of vascular PAI-1 may potentiate accumulation of extracellular matrix, thereby accelerating atherosclerosis.

Animals↗

Endothelial apoptosis induced by inhibition of integrins alphavbeta3 and alphavbeta5 involves ceramide metabolic pathways.

Matrix ligation of integrins alphavbeta3/alphavbeta5 is critical for endothelial survival and angiogenesis. We have previously shown that ceramide, a proapoptotic lipid second messenger, increases during endothelial anoikis (detachment-induced apoptosis). We now show that RGDfV, an integrin alphavbeta3/alphavbeta5 cyclic function-blocking peptide, increased ceramide and decreased sphingomyelin in human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMECs) plated on vitronectin, suggesting that sphingomyelin hydrolysis contributes to RGDfV-induced ceramide increase. Desipramine and imipramine, inhibitors of acid sphingomyelinase (ASMase), suppressed RGDfV-induced ceramide increase. Importantly, desipramine, imipramine, and a third ASMase inhibitor, SR33557, but not inhibitors of neutral sphingomyelinase, suppressed RGDfV-induced apoptosis, suggesting that ASMase was required for integrin-mediated apoptosis. Myriocin, an inhibitor of de novo ceramide synthesis, had no effect on RGDfV-induced HBMEC apoptosis. Interestingly, ASMase inhibitors also suppressed the RGDfV-induced loss of spreading on vitronectin. RGDfV induced a similar increase in ceramide and apoptosis in HBMECs on poly-l-lysine or vitronectin, although cells detached only from vitronectin, indicating that cell detachment was not required for RGDfV-induced apoptosis. Our results suggest involvement of ASMase and ceramide in endothelial apoptosis induced by inhibition of integrins alphavbeta3/alphavbeta5, and propose a novel molecular mechanism for the antiangiogenic effect of RGDfV.

Angiogenesis Inhibitors↗

Sequential expression of phenotype markers for osteoclasts during differentiation of precursors for multinucleated cells formed in long-term human marrow cultures.

Long-term human marrow cultures form multi-nucleated cells (MNC) which express the osteoclast phenotype. Mononuclear precursors for these MNC can be identified and highly enriched. We tested early (bipotent) and late (unipotent) precursors of these MNC for expression of several osteoclast differentiation markers: 1) the osteoclast vitronectin receptor, identified by the 23c6 monoclonal antibody, 2) the vacuolar-type proton pump, identified by the E11 monoclonal antibody, and 3) the calcitonin (CT) receptor, by autoradiography with 125I-labeled salmon calcitonin. We wished to determine if the proton pump was expressed in cells in long term marrow cultures and if its expression correlated with expression of the CT receptor and the vitronectin receptor. About 30% of early precursor cells reacted with the 23c6 monoclonal antibody, but none expressed CT receptors or showed amplified proton pump expression. The CT receptor and amplified proton pump expression were detected first on the late precursor, a stage in which every cell reacted strongly with the 23c6 monoclonal antibody. Over 80% of MNC formed from these late precursors expressed abundant CT receptors, and all MNC expressed the vitronectin receptor and showed amplified proton pump expression. In contrast, macrophage polykaryons and mononuclear macrophages formed in vitro failed to express the osteoclast vitronectin and CT receptors and expressed the proton pump at levels indistinguishable from those of surrounding cells.

Biomarkers↗

Modulation of scatter factor/hepatocyte growth factor activity by cell-substratum adhesion.

Scatter factor/hepatocyte growth factor (SF/HGF) is a multifunctional growth and motility factor whose activities vary with cell type. Here, the composition of the substratum was found to profoundly alter the scattering activities of SF/HGF, but not its mitogenetic effects, in MDCK cells. Whereas enhancement of DNA synthesis and induction of cell flattening by SF/HGF were independent of substratum composition (i.e. occurred on both fibronectin and vitronectin surfaces), colony dispersion as a result of cell separation fails to occur or is markedly reduced on surfaces where vitronectin is the major adhesive ligand. Prolonged exposure of non-scattering cultures to SF/HGF resulted in cells at colony margins producing long protrusions, which indicate that the motility of these cells is stimulated but 'frustrated' by the lack of breakdown of cell-cell adhesion. Scattering therefore appears to comprise two major components: increased motility and breakdown of cell-cell adhesion. The pathway leading to the breakdown of cell-cell contacts is modulated by downstream signals from extracellular matrix receptors. When cultured on immobilised fibronectin, vitronectin or a surface containing both, colony dissociation correlates with the presence of fibronectin, suggesting that positive signals from fibronectin receptors are required for SF/HGF-induced cell separation. Comparison of the findings in this study with those of a recent report on the modulation of SF/HGF-induced tubulogenesis by ECM (Santos, O. F. P. and Nigam, S. K. (1993) Dev. Biol. 160, 293-302), where vitronectin in type-1 collagen gels alters the pattern of SF/HGF-induced MDCK tubule formation from highly branched to long and unbranched, suggests that cell motility enhancement leads to tubule formation whereas the breakdown of cell-cell adhesion is required for tubule branching.

Animals↗

Extracellular matrix distribution and hillock formation in human mesangial cells in culture without serum.

Smooth muscle cell and mesangial cell hillock formation have been proposed as in vitro models of vascular sclerosis and glomerular sclerosis. This growth pattern is characterized by multilayered ridges and nodules, termed hills or hillocks, separated by less populated areas termed valleys. In this study, it was discovered that an extracellular matrix rich in pericellular fibronectin-fibrils was key to hillock formation. Human mesangial cells were plated onto serum-coated or noncoated substrata in serum-free medium. Subconfluent cells on serum-coated substrata migrated together, forming aggregates, but cells on noncoated substrata remained evenly dispersed. When plated at confluent densities, cells in serum-coated dishes formed hillocks, but cells in noncoated dishes did not. In serum-coated dishes, the substratum underlying subconfluent cells was vitronectin-rich but fibronectin-poor, whereas the pericellular matrix contained abundant fibronectin fibrils. In contrast, the substratum of subconfluent cells plated in noncoated dishes lacked vitronectin but was fibronectin-rich, whereas the pericellular matrix contained few fibronectin fibrils. The distributions of integrin receptors for fibronectin (rabbit anti-alpha 5 beta 1) and vitronectin (rabbit anti-alpha V, beta 3, and beta 5) followed the distributions of their ligands, fibronectin and vitronectin, respectively. Antibodies to fibronectin blocked hillock formation by cells on serum-coated substrata and prevented spreading of cells on noncoated substrata. In summary, key steps in hillock formation are: (1) migration, (2) secretion of fibronectin and assembly of pericellular fibrils, (3) fibronectin fibril-mediated cell-cell adhesion, and (4) aggregation of cells with further migration to form multiple layers. A similar mechanism may play a role in vascular and glomerular sclerosis.

Cell Adhesion↗

Identification and characterization of genes associated with human hepatocellular carcinogenesis.

Eight cDNAs encoding galectin 4 (Gal-4), UGT2B4 (UDP-glucuronosyltransferase), ribosomal phosphoprotein P0 (rpP0), dek, insulin-like growth factor binding protein (IGFBP) 1, vitronectin, retinoic acid-induced gene E (RIG-E), and CYP3A4 (cytochrome P450 nifedipine oxidase) were identified as differentially expressed genes between human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and matched nontumorous liver tissues. Higher levels of UGT2B4, rpP0, dek, vitronectin, Gal-4, and IGFBP-1 mRNAs combined with a lower level of RIG-E mRNA were observed in at least four of five primary HCCs compared to matched nontumorous liver tissues. Furthermore, a pathological study suggested that the levels of UGT2B4, rpP0, dek, and vitronectin increased and the level of RIG-E decreased with the histological grading. On the other hand, the expression of CYP3A4 mRNA and CYP3A7 (P-450 Fla) mRNA, a transcript found in the fetus and highly homologous to CYP3A4, was higher in all nontumorous liver and some of the carcinoma tissues from five HCC patients, whereas it was significantly lower in normal liver tissues from two non-HCC patients. The examination using HCC cell lines HuH-7 and HepG2 under different growth conditions suggested that the expression of dek mRNA was growth-associated. In contrast, the expression of Gal-4, UGT2B4, IGFBP-1, and RIG-E mRNAs was regulated in a cell density-dependent manner: the levels of Gal-4, UGT2B4, and IGFBP-1 were undetectably low, whereas the level of RIG-E was high in rapidly proliferating, subconfluent HCC cells in 10% serum; however, the expression levels were reversed in dense, overcrowded cultures. In addition, IGFBP-1 and Gal-4 mRNAs were also induced by reducing the serum concentration to 0.1%. We also demonstrated that sodium butyrate, an inducer of differentiation, up-regulated and down-regulated RIG-E and dek mRNAs, respectively, in a dose-dependent manner in HuH-7 cells, supporting, in part, our pathological observation. In summary, therefore, high expression of Gal-4, UGT2B4, rpP0, dek, IGFBP-1, and vitronectin, together with low expression of RIG-E, was correlated with the malignant potential of HCC. CYP3A4 and CYP3A7 could be induced in HCC-bearing livers. These transcripts are differentially regulated depending on cell-cell contact, serum growth factors, growth and differentiation status, and/or other mechanisms in premalignant and malignant liver cells.

Antigens, Surface↗

Malignant astrocytoma cell attachment and migration to various matrix proteins is differentially sensitive to phosphoinositide 3-OH kinase inhibitors.

Phosphoinositide 3-OH kinase (PI3-K) has been shown to play an important role in the signaling pathway necessary for cytoskeletal reorganization in non-astrocytic cells. We investigated the role of PI3-K in U-251 MG human malignant astrocytoma cell adhesion and migration. Attachment of U-251 MG cells to vitronectin, fibronectin, laminin, and collagen was inhibited in a concentration-dependent manner by two specific inhibitors of PI3-K (Wortmannin and LY294002). Attachment to vitronectin, fibronectin, and laminin was more sensitive to inhibition of PI3-K (45% inhibition at 10 nM Wortmannin) than attachment to collagen (25% inhibition at 100 nM Wortmannin). Similarly, migration toward these substrates showed differential sensitivity to inhibition. Attachment of the cells to these matrix proteins resulted in an increase in PI3-K activity, as compared to that of cells in suspension, with attachment to vitronectin resulting in the greatest increase in PI3-K activity. p125 focal adhesion kinase (p125FAK) was found to co-immunoprecipitate with PI3-K from the NP40-soluble cell fraction of a 1% NP40 detergent lysate of cells in the early stages of adhesion to vitronectin and fibronectin, but not during adhesion to collagen. The expression of p125FAK protein and level of phosphorylation were similar on adherence to all three substrates. These data indicate that the sensitivity of U-251MG cell attachment and migration to PI3-K inhibitors is substrate-dependent, and that complex formation of PI3-K and p125FAK correlates with this sensitivity to PI3-K inhibitors. Our data suggest a role for PI3-K and p125FAK complex formation in PI3-K activation.

Astrocytoma↗