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Contact between human bone marrow stromal cells and B lymphocytes enhances very late antigen-4/vascular cell adhesion molecule-1-independent tyrosine phosphorylation of focal adhesion kinase, paxillin, and ERK2 in stromal cells.

Contact with bone marrow stromal cells is crucial for the normal growth and development of B-cell precursors. We have previously shown that human bone marrow stromal cell tyrosine kinase activity can be activated by direct contact with B-lymphoid cells (J Immunol 155:2359, 1995). In the present study, we show that increased tyrosine phosphorylation of focal adhesion kinase, paxillin, and extracellular-related kinase 2 (or p42 MAP kinase) accounted for the major changes occurring in stromal cell tyrosine phosphorylation after 5 to 10 minutes of contact with the RAMOS B-lymphoma cell line. Although adhesion of B-cell precursors to stromal cells is primarily mediated by very late antigen-4 (VLA-4) and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), VLA-4-deficient and adhesion-deficient RAMOS cells were equally capable of stimulating stromal cell tyrosine phosphorylation. Similar changes in the tyrosine phosphorylation pattern of stromal cells were induced by contact with normal human B-cell precursors and several other B-lineage cell lines. After 5 to 30 minutes of contact with stromal cells, no change in protein tyrosine phosphorylation was detected in RAMOS or normal human B-cell precursors removed from stromal cells. Pretreatment of stromal cells with cytochalasin D abrogated contact-mediated enhancement of stromal cell tyrosine phosphorylation, suggesting that an intact cytoskeleton was essential. These results suggest that B-cell contact activates stromal cell signaling cascades that regulate cytoskeletal organization and transcription, independent of the interaction mediated by VLA-4 and VCAM-1.

B-Lymphocytes↗

Differential modulation of adhesion markers with ex vivo expansion of human umbilical CD34+ progenitor cells.

The effect of different expansion protocols on the expression levels of CD49dw/CD29 (VLA-4), CD11a/CD18 (LFA-1), CD31 (PECAM-1), CD44, and CD34 was determined after cord blood CD34+ cells were cultured for defined periods with the following: 1) A growth factor mix (GFmix) containing interleukin (IL)-1, IL-3, IL-6, kit ligand (KL), G-CSF, GM-CSF, and erythropoietin (Epo); 2) IL-3 + KL; and 3) HS-5 (a human stromal cell line supernatant) + KL. Before culturing, cord blood CD34+ cells (> 95% purity) were 94 +/- 5% CD31+, 98 +/- 1% CD44+, 66 +/- 29% VLA-4+, and 68 +/- 18% LFA-1+ (mean +/- SEM). Immunophenotyping and morphological examination of pre- and post-cultured cells indicated that GFmix preferentially supported erythroid development, while IL-3+KL and HS-5+KL preferentially supported myeloid development. Similar to what other investigators have reported, there was an absolute increase in CD34+ cell numbers as well as clonogenic precursors with ex vivo expansion. However, the majority of clonogenic precursors post-expansion expressed CD34 antigen at reduced levels. Examination of adhesion molecules indicated that a majority of cells cultured with GFmix expressed PECAM-1 and LFA-1 at undetectable levels, but PECAM-1 and LFA-1 levels remained essentially unchanged when cells were cultured with IL-3+KL and HS-5+KL. Overall VLA-4 expression levels slightly increased and CD44 expression levels were more heterogeneous with ex vivo expansion. Nevertheless, LFA-1, VLA-4, PECAM-1, and CD44 expression levels remained essentially unchanged on cultured progeny retaining a CD34 phenotype, independent of the culture system used. Together these results indicate that differential modulation of adhesion markers occur with different culture conditions, yet adhesion receptor expression levels on progeny cells retaining a CD34 phenotype are essentially maintained independent of the culture conditions. And although there is an absolute increase in CD34+ cells after ex vivo expansion, a majority of clonogenic precursors have reduced levels of CD34 antigen.

Antigens, CD↗

Retinoic acid induces aggregation of the acute promyelocytic leukemia cell line NB-4 by utilization of LFA-1 and ICAM-2.

All-trans retinoic acid (tRA) is a potent differentiation agent that is effective therapy for acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). However, 5% to 25% of patients develop retinoic acid syndrome, a potentially life-threatening complication in which the pathogenesis relates to adhesive alterations of APL cells. Therefore, we investigated the relationship between tRA-induced differentiation and the adhesive properties of APL cells. After confirming differentiation-related morphological changes of NB-4 cells in response to tRA, we showed that homotypic aggregation of NB-4 cells grown in tRA for 72 hours is dose-dependent with a median effective dose of approximately 50 nmol/L. Maximal aggregation occurred at mean and peak therapeutic serum concentrations (100 and 1,000 nmol/L, respectively). Aggregation also increased with the length of tRA exposure over 168 hours. Aggregation was inhibited by neutralizing antibodies against LFA-1 and ICAM-2. Notably, antibodies directed against VLA-4, other beta2 integrins (Mac-1 and p150), or other potential LFA-1 counterstructures that were expressed on the cell surface (ICAM-1 and ICAM-3) did not block aggregation. Aggregation occurred with similar kinetics regardless of the presence of phorbol ester or the "activating" monoclonal antibody (MoAb) KIM 185, suggesting that the avidity of LFA-1 is not modulated on NB-4 cells in a manner similar to other leukocytes. Consistent with the prompt clinical effectiveness of methyl prednisolone sodium succinate (MPSS) in retinoic acid syndrome, MPSS rapidly inhibited homotypic aggregation in a dose-dependent manner. Thus, tRA alters the adhesive properties of APL cells by inducing the expression of high-avidity beta2 integrins, aggregation is inhibited by LFA-1 and ICAM-2 MoAb, and tRA effects are rapidly reversible by MPSS. Taken together, our findings provide a clinically relevant system for study of LFA-1/ICAM-2 interaction and suggest a mechanism in part for retinoic acid syndrome and the effectiveness of MPSS in ameliorating retinoic acid syndrome.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

Alternatively spliced CS-1 fibronectin isoform and its receptor VLA-4 in rheumatoid arthritis synovium.

OBJECTIVE: Extracellular matrix components and cell adhesion molecules play a role in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Interaction between the integrin very late antigen-4 (VLA-4) and the connecting segment-1 (CS-1) fibronectin (FN) isoform may contribute to lymphocyte interaction in RA synovium. We examined both mRNA and protein expression of CS-1 FN in inflamed synovium, and VLA-4 expression in synovial tissue and on cultured fibroblast-like synoviocytes from patients with RA. METHODS: Snap frozen synovial tissue specimens of 10 patients with RA and 4 patients with osteoarthritis were examined for expression of CS-1 FN mRNA and protein by in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry. VLA-4 expression of synovial fibroblasts and in synovial tissue was evaluated by flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: CS-1 FN mRNA was detected in RA lining layer synoviocytes, around terminal vessels, and in endothelial cells. Double labeling revealed that most lining synoviocytes expressing CS-1 FN mRNA were CD68 negative. VLA-4 was found in RA synovial fibroblasts, sublining mononuclear cells, and lymphoid aggregates. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that expression of CS-1 FN may partially correlate with cell proliferation in the RA lining layer. VLA-4 was found in RA synovial lining, as well as on cultured synovial fibroblasts. Thus, VLA-4/CS-1 FN interaction may facilitate lymphocyte interaction and synovial proliferation in RA.

Anti-Allergic Agents↗

Altered tyrosine phosphorylation via the very late antigen (VLA)/beta1 integrin stimulation is associated with impaired T-cell signaling through VLA-4 after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation.

Our previous study showed that the cross-linking of very late antigen (VLA)/beta1 with anti-CD29 monoclonal antibody (MoAb), or interactions with extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins through VLA/beta1, failed to induce T-cell costimulation via the CD3/T cell receptor (TCR) pathway for over 1 year after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (allo-BMT), although normal CD29 and CD3 expression was observed after 3 months following allo-BMT. Molecular analysis revealed altered tyrosine phosphorylation of cellular proteins by the solid-phase cross-linking of VLA/beta1 molecules in T cells from patients after allo-BMT. In T cells from early allo-BMT patients (<4 months), various sizes of highly tyrosine phosphorylated proteins were observed as high background even without the stimulation through VLA/beta1 integrin. The high tyrosine phosphorylation pattern gradually disappeared and it was finally returned to normal tyrosine phosphorylation patterns by 2 years after BMT. Interestingly, poor expression of focal adhesion kinase (pp125FAK), a VLA/beta1-mediated signaling molecule, was observed within 1 year after BMT. These results suggest that these molecular defects appear to be implicated in the impaired VLA/beta1-mediated signaling in T cells from patients after allo-BMT, and it could explain, in part, the persistent immunoincompetent state after allo-BMT at least 1 year.

Adolescent↗

Proline-rich tyrosine kinase-2 activation by beta 1 integrin fibronectin receptor cross-linking and association with paxillin in human natural killer cells.

Recent evidence indicates that integrin ligation results in activation of focal adhesion kinase (pp125FAK), the prototype of a new subfamily of nonreceptor protein tyrosine kinase (PTK), including FAKB and the proline-rich tyrosine kinase 2 (PYK-2), also termed cell adhesion kinase-beta or related adhesion focal tyrosine kinase. We have previously shown that cross-linking of alpha 4 beta 1 and alpha 5 beta 1 fibronectin receptors on human NK cells stimulates tyrosine phosphorylation of two proteins migrating at 105 and 115 kDa. Here we report that cross-linking of beta 1 integrins on human NK cells stimulates tyrosine phosphorylation and PTK activity of PYK-2. PYK-2 tyrosine phosphorylation was maximal at 1 min and started to decline 20 min after stimulation. Engagement of alpha 4 beta 1 and alpha 5 beta 1 either with specific mAbs or after cell adhesion to fibronectin or its 120- and 40-kDa fragments also triggered PYK-2 tyrosine phosphorylation. Stimulation of PYK-2 tyrosine phosphorylation was inhibited by the tyrosine kinase inhibitor herbimycin A, but not by EGTA, indicating that PYK-2 tyrosine phosphorylation is PTK, but not calcium, dependent. We also demonstrate that PYK-2 is constitutively associated with paxillin, which undergoes tyrosine phosphorylation with the same kinetics of PYK-2 upon beta 1 integrin ligation.

Animals↗

Alpha 4 beta 1 integrin-mediated tyrosine phosphorylation in human T cells: characterization of Crk- and Fyn-associated substrates (pp105, pp115, and human enhancer of filamentation-1) and integrin-dependent activation of p59fyn1.

Integrin adhesion receptors transduce signals that transmit information from the extracellular environment to the cell interior. Although integrins lack intrinsic tyrosine kinase activity, stimulation of the alpha 4 beta 1 integrin on human H9 T cells results in rapid tyrosine phosphorylation of proteins in the 105 to 115 kDa range. In this study, we report that alpha 4 integrin stimulation of H9 T cells results in tyrosine phosphorylation of three distinct proteins: pp105, pp115, and human enhancer of filamentation 1 (HEF1), all of which associate with the adapter protein c-Crk. However, pp115 can be distinguished from pp105 and HEF1 by its ability to associate with the SH2 domain of the tyrosine kinase p59fyn. Both pp105 and pp115 are antigenically distinct from HEF1, p130Cas, pp125FAK, Pyk2, p120cbl, and the p110 subunit of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase. The functional significance of pp115 association with p59fyn is suggested by the ability of alpha 4 integrin stimulation to activate Fyn tyrosine kinase activity. These studies show that alpha 4 integrin stimulation of T cells results in the tyrosine phosphorylation of several distinct substrates. The association of these substrates with intracellular signaling intermediates, such as Crk and Fyn, may play a critical role in integrin-mediated regulation of T cell function.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗

Antibodies to VLA4 integrin mobilize long-term repopulating cells and augment cytokine-induced mobilization in primates and mice.

Although the use of cytokine-mobilized peripheral blood stem cells has gained a significant momentum in clinical transplantation, the mobilization schemes practiced are guided by a great deal of empiricism. The mechanism(s) by which cytokines or chemokines, alone or in combination, bring about redistribution of stem/progenitor cells from bone marrow to peripheral blood are poorly understood. Likewise the fate of mobilized stem/progenitor cells and their biological properties are incompletely defined. One of the leading hypotheses to explain the mechanism of cytokine-induced mobilization encompasses the view that cytokines disrupt, directly or indirectly, cytoadhesive interactions of stem/progenitor cells with their bone marrow stroma. Compatible with this view are changes in the expression and/or function of several cytoadhesion molecules, especially integrins, postmobilization, and extensive in vitro experimentation supporting the concept of cytokine/integrin interactions. To provide a further insight on the cytokine/integrin interplay in vivo, we have combined cytokine treatments with anti-integrin treatments for mobilization in primates and mice. We found that anti-VLA4 treatment combined with either granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF ) treatment or kit ligand treatment leads to significant enhancement of mobilization efficiency (fivefold to eightfold) well above the levels produced by either cytokine alone or anti-VLA4 treatment alone. Similar enhancement was seen when combinations of cytokines, ie, G-CSF plus kit ligand or G-CSF plus Flt3-ligand were used with anti-VLA4 in primates and mice. Furthermore, when anti-VLA4 was given in 5-Fluorouracil-treated primates, significant numbers of progenitor cells were circulating for several days during the recovery period only in the anti-VLA4 treated animals. These data suggest that (1) the effect of anti-VLA4 on mobilization, when used alone, is unlikely to be mediated by secondary cytokine elaboration in vivo; (2) three different cytokines and their combinations do not appear to influence the in vivo responsiveness to anti-VLA4 in coadministration schemes; (3) even if cytokine treatments on their own exert downmodulation of VLA4 function, the target progenitor cells influenced by anti-VLA4 or by cytokines may not necessarily overlap; and (4) augmentation of mobilization in cytokine/anti-VLA4 treatments is most likely caused by an amplification of the pool of target cells on which anti-VLA4 exerts its effects. Because cytokines or anti-VLA4 are each capable of mobilizing long-term repopulating cells and because we show with the present studies that anti-VLA4 in an autologous bone marrow cell transplantation setting does not cause any delay in engraftment, the combination of cytokine/anti-integrin treatment enhancing mobilization may have a clinical use.

Animals↗

A new role for interleukin-7 in the induction of LFA-1 and VLA-4 adhesion molecules in Phorbol 12myristate 13acetate activated CD4+ CD23+ T-cell subset.

BACKGROUND: The low affinity receptor for IgE, CD23, has been described in several pathological conditions. However, the factors involved in the upregulation or downregulation of this receptor are still debated. METHODS AND RESULTS: We studied the effect of interleukin 7 (IL-7) on the expression of CD23 in normal PBT cells stimulated with PMA + Ca2. The data indicate that activated PB-T cultured in the presence of IL-7 showed an increased expression of CD23. The induction of IL-7 on CD23 production appears to be independent of IL-2, IL-4, IL-9, IL-15. Indeed, the addition of specific MoAbs anti-IL-2, IL-4, IL-9, IL-15 or anti-IL2R was unable to block the effect of IL-7 on CD23. The addition of IL-7 to a specific subset CD4+ CD23+ was able to augment the adhesiveness of T cells to parenchymal cell monalayers. The use of different cytokine (IL-2, IL-4, IL-9, IL-15) resulted in no increase of adhesiveness. In contrast the addition of IL-7 to a different T-cell subset (i.e. CD4+ CD23-) was unable to rescue the lack of adhesiveness observed in these cells. Blocking experiments with MHM6 MoAb were able to drastically reduce the adhesiveness observed in CD4+ CD23+ subsets. The presence of LFA-1 and VLA-4 adhesion molecules were responsible for the augmented adhesiveness of activated CD4+ CD23+ T cells cultured in the presence of IL-7. Blocking experiments with anti-LFA-1, VLA-4, anti-LFA-1beta plus VLA-4alpha MoAbs or anti-ICAM-1 MoAb added to the monolayers resulted in a complete inhibition of adhesion to parenchymal monolayers. In contrast, the addition of anti-IL-7 or anti-IL-7R MoAbs were able to block the augmented adhesiveness of CD4+ CD23+ cells to monolayers observed in the presence of IL-7. CONCLUSION: Taken together these findings point to the likelihood that IL-7 is responsible for the observed quantitative difference in the level of adhesion molecules and may open a new role of CD23 in the immune regulation.

CD4 Antigens↗

CD14+ CD34+ peripheral blood mononuclear cells migrate across endothelium and give rise to immunostimulatory dendritic cells.

We describe a subset of peripheral CD14+ cells, coexpressing the CD34 progenitor marker and able to migrate across endothelial cell monolayers. On culture with granulocyte-macrophage-CSF, this population differentiated into dendritic cells expressing CD83, CD80, HLA-DR(bright), CD86, and CD54. These dendritic cells were immunostimulatory, in that they induced proliferation of allogenic and tetanus toxoid-specific T lymphocytes. The CD14+ CD34+ population expressed higher levels of platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 (PECAM-1) and alpha4beta1 integrin than the CD14+ CD34- counterpart, being dull positive for other integrins. Using stably transfected PECAM-1+, VCAM-1+, or ICAM-1+ cells, we found that PECAM-1 and, to a lesser extent, VCAM-1, could support transmigration of CD14+ CD34+ cells, whereas the alphaL-ICAM-1 interaction was involved in cell adhesion. PECAM-1-driven transmigration was conceivably dependent on a haptotactic gradient, as it was reduced by 80% across NIH3T3 cells transfected with the PECAM-1-delta cyto deletion mutant. This mutant lacks the cytoplasmic tail and displays a reduced tendency to localize at the intercellular junctions, thus failing to form a molecular junctional gradient. Once differentiated, dendritic cells derived from CD14+ CD34+ precursors retained their transendothelial migratory capability, using both PECAM-1 and ICAM-1 for transmigration. We suggest that a subset of CD14+ CD34+ circulating leukocytes can localize to peripheral tissues and differentiate into functional dendritic cells, thus representing a functional reservoir of potential APC. PECAM-1, constitutively expressed on vascular endothelium, is likely to play a relevant role in the egress of this population from the bloodstream.

Antigens, CD34↗

Anti-VLA4/VCAM-1-induced mobilization requires cooperative signaling through the kit/mkit ligand pathway.

Although a large body of data on mobilization have yielded valuable clues, the mechanism(s) dictating egress of stem/progenitor cells during baseline hematopoiesis and after their mobilization are poorly understood. We have previously provided functional in vivo evidence that cytoadhesion molecules, specifically the beta1 integrins, are involved in mobilization; however, the mechanism by which this was achieved was unclear. To provide further insights into the anti-very late antigen 4 (VLA4)/anti-vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1)-induced mobilization, we used these antibodies to treat mutant mice with compromised growth factor receptor function. We found that mobilization by anti-VLA4 does not depend on a functional granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, interleukin-7 (IL-7), or IL-3alpha receptor. By contrast, the functional kit receptor is required, because W/Wv mice responded minimally, whereas Steel-Dickie (Sl/Sld) responded normally. Both Wv and Sl/Sld mice did not respond to anti-VCAM-1 treatment, in contrast to their +/+ littermates and despite normal levels of VCAM-1 expression in bone marrow cells. The defective response to anti-VCAM-1 in W/Wv mice was corrected after their transplantation with +/+ cells. mev/mev mice showed increased numbers of circulating progenitors before treatment and a heightened response after anti-VLA4 or anti-VCAM-1 treatment. Downmodulation of kit expression was detected in normal bone marrow cells after anti-VLA4 treatment. On the strength of the above findings we conclude that (1) anti-VLA4/VCAM-1-induced mobilization likely requires signaling for stimulation of cell migration; (2) this cooperative signaling involves the kit/kit ligand pathway, and provides a novel example of integrin/cytokine crosstalk; and (3) migration mediated through the kit/kit ligand pathway may be a common contributor to different mobilization stimuli. Dissection of the exact molecular pathways that lead to mobilization remains a future challenge.

Animals↗

Vitamin E induces ramification and downregulation of adhesion molecules in cultured microglial cells.

Microglial cells in the healthy adult CNS possess a characteristic ramified morphology and show little or no expression of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) or adhesion molecules. In contrast, microglial cells isolated from newborn rat brains inevitably show a nonramified amoeboid morphology and express immunoeffector molecules, such as MHC class I and II, and various adhesion molecules thought to be markers of microglial activation. Furthermore, they produce large amounts of oxygen radicals. Treatment of cultured microglial cells with the antioxidants vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) and vitamin C (ascorbic acid) induced a ramified microglial morphology after 48 h in vitro, otherwise only seen in healthy adult CNS tissue or in co-culture with astrocytes. Morphological transformation of microglial cells was quantified by morphometric analysis and was found to be statistically significant. Ramification of microglia induced by vitamin E was accompanied by downregulated expression of adhesion molecules leukocyte function antigen-1, very late antigen-4, and intercellular adhesion molecule-1, as assessed by FACS analysis and immunocytochemistry. Moreover, cell numbers of microglia treated with vitamin E remained stable within 7 days in vitro, whereas untreated controls showed a cell loss of 81.5%. These data show that vitamin E acts as a protective compound in dissociated microglial cell cultures. In conclusion, our results suggest that vitamin E and vitamin C shift microglial morphology toward ramification and induce an immunological deactivation. These changes seem to be mediated by oxidative mechanisms.

Animals↗

Expression of adhesion molecules in chronic B-cell lymphoproliferative disorders.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Abnormalities in the expression of cell adhesion molecules (CAM) are thought to influence the patterns of intranodal growth and hematogeneous spread of malignant cells in chronic lymphoproliferative disorders (LPD). Therefore, the characterization of CAM phenotypic profiles of the neoplastic clones in LPD may help to identify distinct subtypes with prognostic implications. In this work we sought to investigate whether the expression of CAM by circulating malignant cells in patients with B-cell LPD differed from that of normal peripheral blood B-lymphocytes (PBL) and whether the observed phenotypic patterns could be correlated to other biological and clinical parameters of known clinical relevance. DESIGN AND METHODS: Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were obtained from 148 patients with B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL), 52 with B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHL) and 10 with hairy cell leukemia (HCL). The expression of CAM was analyzed by flow cytometry using monoclonal antibodies against CD49d, CD29, CD11a, CD11b, CD11c, CD18, CD62L, CD54 and CD44. RESULTS: All CAM were detected in normal peripheral blood B-lymphocytes, except CD11c and CD54, which were present in only a minority of cells. Fluorescence mean channel values (FMC) showed that all molecules, with the exception of CD44, were expressed with dim intensity. Emerging patterns of CAM expression, as assessed by FMC values, were observed in different LPD: thus, B-CLL is characterized by a very low expression of CD49d/CD29 and beta 2 integrins. In this disorder, CD49d/CD29, CD11a, and CD54 increase with tumor burden; NHL show high expression of CD29 and CD54; strong expression of all molecules (except CD11a) was found in HCL, particularly CD11c (FMC values 60 times higher than normal). CD62L was faintly expressed in all diagnostic groups, whereas CD11c showed consistently high FMC values. INTERPRETATION AND CONCLUSIONS: The data shows that the phenotypic characterization of LPD can be further refined by the analysis of their patterns of CAM expression which may help to identify distinct subsets within each nosological group.

Adult↗

Neuropeptides, via specific receptors, regulate T cell adhesion to fibronectin.

The ability of T cells to adhere to and interact with components of the blood vessel walls and the extracellular matrix is essential for their extravasation and migration into inflamed sites. We have found that the beta1 integrin-mediated adhesion of resting human T cells to fibronectin, a major glycoprotein component of the extracellular matrix, is induced by physiologic concentrations of three neuropeptides: calcitonin gene-related protein (CGRP), neuropeptide Y, and somatostatin; each acts via its own specific receptor on the T cell membrane. In contrast, substance P (SP), which coexists with CGRP in the majority of peripheral endings of sensory nerves, including those innervating the lymphoid organs, blocks T cell adhesion to fibronectin when induced by CGRP, neuropeptide Y, somatostatin, macrophage inflammatory protein-1beta, and PMA. Inhibition of T cell adhesion was obtained both by the intact SP peptide and by its 1-4 N-terminal and its 4-11, 5-11, and 6-11 C-terminal fragments, used at similar nanomolar concentrations. The inhibitory effects of the parent SP peptide and its fragments were abrogated by an SP NK-1 receptor antagonist, suggesting they all act through the same SP NK-1 receptor. These findings suggest that neuropeptides, by activating their specific T cell-expressed receptors, can provide the T cells with both positive (proadhesive) and negative (antiadhesive) signals and thereby regulate their function. Thus, neuropeptides may influence diverse physiologic processes involving integrins, including leukocyte-mediated migration and inflammation.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗

Adhesion molecule mechanisms mediating monocyte migration through synovial fibroblast and endothelium barriers: role for CD11/CD18, very late antigen-4 (CD49d/CD29), very late antigen-5 (CD49e/CD29), and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (CD106).

Monocytes migrate through vascular endothelium, and then in connective tissue. As a model of this process, we investigated adhesion molecules involved in monocyte migration through HUVEC and a barrier of human synovial fibroblasts (HSF). Minimal spontaneous monocyte migration (6-7%) occurred through either cell barrier, but this increased markedly (27-35% of added monocytes) when a C5a chemotactic gradient was present. Migration across unstimulated HUVEC was partially inhibited (40%) by mAb to CD18 (beta2 integrin) and completely blocked by anti-CD18 plus anti-alpha4 (CD49d; very late Ag-4 (VLA-4)) mAbs. In contrast, migration across HSF induced by C5a or monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 was not inhibited by mAb to CD18 and was only partially inhibited (33%) in combination with anti-alpha4 mAb. The CD18- and VLA-4-independent migration across HSF was completely inhibited by mAb to alpha5 of VLA-5. The inhibitory effect of mAbs to VLA-4 and VLA-5 was on the monocyte and required blockade of CD11/CD18 to be observed. In contrast to HSF, no role for VLA-5 in monocyte transendothelial migration was detected. Both HSF and IL-1-stimulated HUVEC expressed vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1). However, VLA-4-mediated monocyte migration across HSF was only partially dependent on VCAM-1, in contrast to transendothelial migration, which was completely blocked by anti-VCAM-1 mAbs. In conclusion, unlike transendothelial migration, for which VLA-4 is the alternative mechanism to CD11/CD18 on monocytes, both VLA-4 and VLA-5 can mediate monocyte migration through fibroblast barriers. In addition to VCAM-1, other ligand(s) on HSF are also involved in the VLA-4-mediated migration.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

Transforming growth factor-beta and platelet derived growth factor regulation of fibrillar fibronectin matrix formation by synovial fibroblasts.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate factors regulating fibronectin fibrillar matrix formation by synovial fibroblasts. METHODS: Basal and cytokine stimulated extracellular matrix (ECM) fibronectin produced by synovial fibroblasts was identified by immunofluorescence and Western blot. Alternative mRNA splicing of fibronectin was studied by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. The integrin receptor responsible for supporting fibronectin fibrillar matrix was identified by blocking antibodies and receptor levels studied by Western blot. RESULTS: Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) or platelet derived growth factor (PDGF), but not interleukin 1 or exogenous fibronectin, induced ECM fibronectin. ECM fibronectin was blocked by the addition of antibody to the alpha5beta1 integrin. Cytokines did not significantly change alternative mRNA splicing of fibronectin or levels of alpha5beta1 integrin expression. CONCLUSION: Synovial cell production of a fibrillar fibronectin matrix is induced by growth factors, including TGF-beta and PDGF. This induction is mediated by the alpha5beta1 integrin. Since fibrillar fibronectin formation was not strongly dependent on increased fibronectin or alpha5beta1 integrin levels, this effect may be mediated by growth factor induced changes in receptor affinity.

Alternative Splicing↗

Growth-supporting activities of fibronectin on hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells in vitro and in vivo: structural requirement for fibronectin activities of CS1 and cell-binding domains.

Fibronectin (FN) is supposed to play important roles in various aspects of hematopoiesis through binding to very late antigen 4 (VLA4) and VLA5. However, effects of FN on hematopoietic stem cells are largely unknown. In an effort to determine if FN had a growth-supporting activity on hematopoietic stem cells, human CD34(+)/VLA4(bright)/VLA5(dull) hematopoietic stem cells and a murine stem cell factor (SCF)-dependent multipotent cell line, EML-C1, were treated with or without FN in a serum and growth-factor-deprived medium, and then subjected to clonogenic assay in the presence of hematopoietic growth factors. The pretreatment of the CD34(+) cells with FN gave rise to significantly increased numbers of granulocyte-macrophage colony-forming units (CFU-GM), erythroid burst colony-forming units, and mixed erythroid-myeloid colony-forming units. In addition, the numbers of blast colony-forming units and CFU-GM that developed after culture of EML-C1 cells with SCF and the combination of SCF and interleukin-3, respectively, were augmented by the pretreatment with FN. The augmented colony formation by FN was completely abrogated by the addition of CS1 fragment, but not of GRGDSP peptide, suggesting an essential role of FN-VLA4 interaction in the FN effects. Furthermore, the effects of various FN fragments consisting of RGDS-containing cell-binding domain (CBD), heparin-binding domain (HBD), and/or CS1 portion were tested on clonogenic growth of CD34(+) cells. Increased colony formation was induced by CBD-CS1 and CBD-HBD-CS1 fragments, but not with other fragments lacking CBD or CS1 domains, suggesting that both CS1 and CBD of FN were required for the augmentation of clonogenic growth of hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells in vitro. In addition to the in vitro effects, the in vivo administration of CBD-CS1 fragment into mice was found to increase the numbers of hematopoietic progenitor cells in bone marrow and spleen in a dose-dependent manner. Thus, FN may function on hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells as a growth-supporting factor in vitro and in vivo.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Combinatorial chemistry techniques applied to nonpeptide integrin antagonists.

The integrins are cell surface receptors that recognize extracellular matrix adhesive proteins such as fibrinogen, fibronectin, vitronectin, and VCAM-1 (vascular cell adhesion molecule-1). Nonpeptide integrin antagonists designed after the adhesion recognition sequence RGD (Arg-Gly-Asp) not only have displayed efficacy as antithrombotic agents, but also have promise for the treatment of cancer and osteoporosis. Combinatorial organic syntheses of chemical mini-libraries have facilitated nonpeptide lead optimization of integrin antagonists with marked success. Although these accomplishments have been realized primarily for the discovery of orally active GPIIb/IIIa antagonist antithrombotics, vitronectin receptor (avb3) antagonist research has also benefited from such rapid synthesis. The purpose of this review is to report progress in combinatorial synthesis lead optimization by highlighting the drug design strategies and synthetic tactics that have led to improved integrin antagonists.

Animals↗