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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Structurally altered basement membranes and hydrocephalus in a type XVIII collagen deficient mouse line.

Type XVIII collagen/endostatin is known to be crucial for the eye, as witnessed by severe eye defects in Knobloch syndrome patients with mutations in this collagen and in Col18a1(-/-) mice. We show here that in a specific C57BL background, 20% of the Col18a1(-/-) mice developed hydrocephalus, and dilation of the brain ventricles was observed by MRI in all of the mutant mice. Significant broadening was observed in the epithelial basement membrane (BM) of the choroid plexuses (CP), its width being 86.4+/-10.52 nm, compared with 61.4+/-6.05 nm in wild-type mice. The CP epithelial cell morphology was balloon-shaped rather than cuboidal, and the microvilli of the apical surface of the CP epithelium contained more vacuoles in the null mice than in the wild-type, as also did the CP epithelial cells, which is suggestive of alterations in cerebrospinal fluid production. Analysis of BMs elsewhere in the body revealed a broadened epidermal BM in the Col18a1(-/-) mice, but this did not result in any apparent functional deficiencies. Moreover, markedly broadened BMs were found in the atrioventricular valves of the heart and in the kidney tubules, whereas the glomerular mesangial matrix of the kidneys was expanded in the mutant mice and serum creatinine levels were elevated, indicating alterations in kidney filtration capacity. We thus suggest that type XVIII collagen is a structurally important constituent of BMs, and that its absence can result in a variety of phenotypic alterations.

Animals↗

Induced repatterning of type XVIII collagen expression in ureter bud from kidney to lung type: association with sonic hedgehog and ectopic surfactant protein C.

Epithelial-mesenchymal tissue interactions regulate the formation of signaling centers that play a role in the coordination of organogenesis, but it is not clear how their activity leads to differences in organogenesis. We report that type XVIII collagen, which contains both a frizzled and an endostatin domain, is expressed throughout the respective epithelial bud at the initiation of lung and kidney organogenesis. It becomes localized to the epithelial tips in the lung during the early stages of epithelial branching, while its expression in the kidney is confined to the epithelial stalk region and is lost from the nearly formed ureter tips, thus displaying the reverse pattern to that in the lung. In recombinants, between ureter bud and lung mesenchyme, type XVIII collagen expression pattern in the ureter bud shifts from the kidney to the lung type, accompanied by a shift in sonic hedgehog expression in the epithelium. The lung mesenchyme is also sufficient to induce ectopic lung surfactant protein C expression in the ureter bud. Moreover, the shift in type XVIII collagen expression is associated with changes in ureter development, thus resembling aspects of early lung type epigenesis in the recombinants. Respecification of collagen is necessary for the repatterning process, as type XVIII collagen antibody blocking had no effect on ureter development in the intact kidney, whereas it reduced the number of epithelial tips in the lung and completely blocked ureter development with lung mesenchyme. Type XVIII collagen antibody blocking also led to a notable reduction in the expression of Wnt2, which is expressed in the lung mesenchyme but not in that of the kidney, suggesting a regulatory interaction between this collagen and Wnt2. Respecification also occurred in a chimeric organ containing the ureter bud and both kidney and lung mesenchymes, indicating that the epithelial tips can integrate the morphogenetic signals independently. A glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor signal induces loss of type XVIII collagen from the ureter tips and renders the ureter bud competent for repatterning by lung mesenchyme-derived signals. Our data suggest that differential organ morphogenesis is regulated by an intra-organ patterning process that involves coordination between inductive signals and matrix molecules, such as type XVIII collagen.

Animals↗

Expression of type XVIII collagen during healing of corneal incisions and keratectomy wounds.

PURPOSE: To determine the distribution of type XVIII collagen in mouse ocular tissues and to investigate the expression of type XVIII collagen during healing of corneal incisions and keratectomy wounds. METHODS: Immunohistochemical analysis of type XVIII collagen was performed in mouse ocular tissue, with polyclonal antibodies to the hinge domain. For wound-healing experiments, excimer laser keratectomy and single linear incisions were performed on mouse corneas. The corneas were harvested at various time points after wounding and processed for immunohistochemistry, in situ hybridization, competitive reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and Western blot analysis. RESULTS: In the unwounded mouse cornea, type XVIII collagen was expressed by the corneal epithelial cells. Type XVIII collagen was immunolocalized to the mouse corneal epithelium, epithelial basement membrane, Descemet's membrane, ciliary epithelium, lens capsule, retinal inner limiting membrane, and Bruch's membrane. In the early stages of wound healing after excimer laser keratectomy (days 3 and 7), type XVIII collagen staining of the epithelial basement membrane was absent, whereas its localization to Descemet's membrane was unchanged. After linear corneal incisions, however, type XVIII collagen was clearly seen in the stroma and in the epithelial basement membrane. Type XVIII collagen immunolocalization to the subepithelial stromal wound region peaked at 1 week after wounding, and its mRNA showed a corresponding temporal increase in expression within the same region after linear corneal incisions. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that type XVIII collagen is broadly expressed in ocular tissues and that it may have a role in wound healing, especially after incisional corneal wounds.

Animals↗

Lack of type XVIII collagen results in anterior ocular defects.

Mice lacking type XVIII collagen have defects in the posterior part of the eye, including delayed regression of the hyaloid vasculature and poor outgrowth of the retinal vessels. We report here that these mice also have a fragile iris and develop atrophy of the ciliary body. The irises of Col18a1-/- mice can be seen to adhere to the lens and cornea. After the pupils begin to function, the double layer of epithelial cells separates at the apical cell contacts, leading to defoliation of its posterior pigment epithelial cell layer, and extracellular material begins to accumulate in the basement membrane zones of the iris. In contrast to the iris epithelia, where no clear signs of cellular atrophy were detected, the lack of type XVIII collagen resulted in atrophy of the pigmented epithelial cells of the ciliary body, and there were also ultrastructural abnormalities in the basement membrane zones. These changes did not lead to chronically elevated intraocular pressures, however. Our results indicate that type XVIII collagen is needed for the integrity of the epithelial basement membranes of the iris and the ciliary body and that its gene should therefore be taken into account as a new potential cause of anterior segment disorders in the eye.

Animals↗

Induced repatterning of type XVIII collagen associates with ectopic Sonic hedgehog and lung surfactant C gene expression and changes in epithelial epigenesis in the ureteric bud.

How cell and tissue interactions lead to complex organ structures and differentiated cell types during organogenesis is one of the most fundamental questions in developmental biology. The embryonic lung and kidney of the mouse are useful models for studying the molecular mechanisms of morphogenesis, and in both of these organs, the epithelial bud undergoes a characteristic branching process. This review discusses the potential role of an extracellular matrix molecule, type XVIII collagen, in the generation of the branching patterns in the lung and kidney and how its experimental respecification in tissue recombinants between the ureteric bud and lung mesenchyme correlates with changes in expression of signaling molecules such as sonic hedgehog and changes in cell fate as judged by ectopic expression of the lung surfactant C gene.

Collagen Type XVIII↗

The NC1/endostatin domain of Caenorhabditis elegans type XVIII collagen affects cell migration and axon guidance.

Type XVIII collagen is a homotrimeric basement membrane molecule of unknown function, whose COOH-terminal NC1 domain contains endostatin (ES), a potent antiangiogenic agent. The Caenorhabditis elegans collagen XVIII homologue, cle-1, encodes three developmentally regulated protein isoforms expressed predominantly in neurons. The CLE-1 protein is found in low amounts in all basement membranes but accumulates at high levels in the nervous system. Deletion of the cle-1 NC1 domain results in viable fertile animals that display multiple cell migration and axon guidance defects. Particular defects can be rescued by ectopic expression of the NC1 domain, which is shown to be capable of forming trimers. In contrast, expression of monomeric ES does not rescue but dominantly causes cell and axon migration defects that phenocopy the NC1 deletion, suggesting that ES inhibits the promigratory activity of the NC1 domain. These results indicate that the cle-1 NC1/ES domain regulates cell and axon migrations in C. elegans.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Characterization of the human type XVIII collagen gene and proteolytic processing and tissue location of the variant containing a frizzled motif.

Human type XVIII collagen was found to be expressed as three variants, termed NC1-303, NC1-493 and NC1-728, differing in their N-terminal non-collagenous domains (NC1). The corresponding gene was found to be approximately 105 kb in size and contain 43 exons. The short variant is derived from utilization of an upstream promoter associated with the first two exons of the gene. The two other variants are derived from a downstream promoter and alternative splicing of exon 3, resulting in 192 residues of shared sequences characterized by a putative approximately 30 residue conserved coiled-coil motif and 235 residues of sequences specific to NC1-728. The NC1-728 variant has a conserved cysteine-rich domain homologous with the ligand-binding part of the frizzled proteins. A polyclonal antibody specific to the NC1-728 variant was generated, and immunostaining of fetal tissues revealed staining in lung and skeletal muscle. Human serum contained 173- and 144-kDa alpha1(XVIII) chains corresponding to the NC1-728 and NC1-493 variants, respectively. A 200-kDa polypeptide was detected in cells transfected with a cDNA construct corresponding to the full-length NC1-728 variant, and EBNA-293 cells endogenously synthesizing low amounts of type XVIII collagen had a 45-kDa fragment in their culture medium that corresponded to most of the NC1 domain of the NC1-728 variant, suggesting processing of the N-terminal frizzled-containing domain.

Alternative Splicing↗

Cloning of three variants of type XVIII collagen and their expression patterns during Xenopus laevis development.

Xenopus laevis type XVIII collagen occurs in three variants, 22 + 1285 amino acid residues (signal peptide + mature protein), 23 + 1581 residues and 23 + 1886 residues in length, differing in their N-terminal non-collagenous domains. The region showing highest homology to mammalian counterparts is the C-terminal endostatin domain. All three variants are expressed, at different levels, during early and late stages of development, as demonstrated by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Whole-mount in situ hybridization shows that the short variant is expressed at high levels in the developing eye, the central nervous system, the otic vesicle, the head mesenchyme, the branchial arches and the pronephros, and at the boundaries between somites. The middle variant is expressed in the head mesenchyme, the branchial arches, the peripheral nervous system, the pronephros and the pronephric duct, and at the somite boundaries. The longest variant is weakly expressed in the head mesenchyme and branchial arches.

Alternative Splicing↗

The collagen type XVIII endostatin domain is co-localized with perlecan in basement membranes in vivo.

The C-terminal globular endostatin domain of collagen type XVIII is anti-angiogenic in a variety of experimental tumor models, and clinical trials to test it as an anti-tumor agent are already under way. In contrast, many of its cell biological properties are still unknown. We systematically localized the mRNA of collagen type XVIII with the help of in situ hybridization (ISH) and detected it in epithelial and mesenchymal cells of almost all organ systems throughout mouse development. Light and electron microscopic immunohistochemistry (IHC) revealed that the endostatin domain is a widespread component of almost all epithelial basement membranes in all major developing organs, and in all basement membranes of capillaries and blood vessels. Furthermore, quantitative immunogold double labeling demonstrated a co-localization of 50% of the detected endostatin domain together with perlecan in basement membranes in vivo. We conclude that the endostatin domain of collagen type XVIII plays a role, even in early stages of mouse development, other than regulating angiogenesis. In the adult, the endostatin domain could well be involved in connecting collagen type XVIII to the basement membrane scaffolds. At least in part, perlecan appears to be an adaptor molecule for the endostatin domain in basement membranes in vivo.

Animals↗

Matrilysin cleavage of corneal collagen type XVIII NC1 domain and generation of a 28-kDa fragment.

PURPOSE: To localize endostatin and collagen type XVIII in human corneas and to characterize the enzymatic action of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in the cleavage of collagen type XVIII and generation of endostatin in the cornea. METHODS: Anti-endostatin and anti-hinge antibodies were generated using peptide fragments corresponding to the endostatin region and the adjacent nonendostatin hinge region of collagen XVIII noncollagenous (NC)1 domain, respectively. Confocal immunostaining was performed to localize collagen XVIII in human corneas. SV40-immortalized corneal epithelial cells were immunoprecipitated and incubated with active MMP-1, -2, -3, -7, or -9, and Western blot analysis was performed to study collagen XVIII cleavage. Incubation with MMP-7 was performed at various concentrations (0, 2, 4, and 6 microg/ml) and time intervals (0, 1, 5, and 12 hours). Purified recombinant NC1 fragment of collagen XVIII was also digested with MMP-7, and the cleavage product was sequenced. RESULTS: Collagen XVIII was immunolocalized to the human corneal epithelium, epithelial basement membrane, and Descemet membrane. Western blot analysis demonstrated a 180- to 200-kDa band corresponding to collagen XVIII. MMP-7 (but not MMP-1, -2, -3, and -9) cleaved corneal epithelium-derived collagen XVIII to generate a 28-kDa endostatin-spanning fragment in a time- and concentration-dependent fashion. MMP-7 cleaved purified recombinant 34-kDa NC1 fragment of collagen XVIII in the hinge region to generate a 28-kDa fragment. CONCLUSIONS: Collagen XVIII is present in human cornea. MMP-7 cleaves the collagen XVIII NC1 domain to generate a 28-kDa fragment in the cornea.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Functional characterization of neostatins, the MMP-derived, enzymatic cleavage products of type XVIII collagen.

Several anti-angiogenic factors are derived from proteolytic processing of large molecules including endostatin from type XVIII collagen and angiostatin from plasminogen. In previous studies we showed that neostatin-7, the C-terminal 28kDa endostatin-spanning proteolytic fragment, is generated from the proteolytic action of matrix metalloproteinase matrilysin (MMP)-7 on type XVIII collagen. Now, we report a second member of the neostatin family of proteins, neostatin-14. Given the small quantities of neostatin-7 and -14 generated by the breakdown of naturally occurring collagen XVIII (using MMP-7 and -14, respectively), we used two other approaches to characterize the anti-angiogenic properties of these molecules: murine recombinant neostatin in vitro, and gene therapy. We demonstrate that murine recombinant neostatin-7 inhibits calf pulmonary artery endothelial cell proliferation and that microinjection of neostatin-7 and neostatin-14 naked DNA into the corneal stroma of mice results in significant reduction of basic fibroblast growth factor-induced corneal neovascularization. These results provide supportive evidence of the possible anti-angiogenic effect of neostatins.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

The short and long forms of type XVIII collagen show clear tissue specificities in their expression and location in basement membrane zones in humans.

Two N-terminal ends of human type XVIII collagen chains have recently been identified. The two chains have different signal peptides and variant N-terminal noncollagenous NC1 domains of 493 (NC1-493) and 303 (NC1-303) amino acid residues, respectively, but share 301 residues of their NC1 domains as well as the collagenous and C-terminal noncollagenous portions of the molecule. Antibodies were produced against the NC1 region common to both human alpha1(XVIII) chain variants and against NC1 sequences specific to the long variant and were used in combination with in situ hybridization to localize this collagen in a number of human tissues. They were also used for Western blotting, which resulted in detection of overlapping high-molecular weight bands above the 200-kd standard in a kidney extract. Heparin lyase II and heparin lyase III digestions of kidney and placenta extracts indicated that at least in these tissues, type XVIII collagen contains heparin sulfate glycosaminoglycan side chains. Type XVIII collagen was found to be a ubiquitous basement membrane component, occurring prominently at vascular and epithelial basement membranes throughout the body. Comparison of the expression of the NC1-493 and NC1-303 variants revealed marked differences. The short variant was found in most conventional basement membranes, including blood vessels and the various epithelial structures, and around muscular structures. The long variant was expressed very strongly in liver, where it was virtually the only variant in the liver sinusoids, and it occurred only in minor amounts elsewhere. Thus, the 192 N-terminal residues specific to the long variant apparently confer some functional property needed above all in the liver sinusoids, but also at certain other locations.

Antibodies↗

Characterization of the mouse gene for the alpha 1 chain of type XVIII collagen (Col18a1) reveals that the three variant N-terminal polypeptide forms are transcribed from two widely separated promoters.

The mouse gene for the alpha 1 chain of type XVIII collagen (Col18a1) is more than 102 kb and consists of 43 exons. Type XVIII collagen transcripts encode polypeptides that differ with respect to three variant N-terminal noncollagenous domains that are 301 (NC1-301), 517 (NC1-517), or 764 (NC1-764) residues in length. Characterization of genomic clones revealed that the three variant NC1 domains result from the use of two alternative promoters, separated by a distance of 50 kb. The upstream promoter, promoter 1, directs the synthesis of the NC1-301 domain in conjunction with exons 1 and 2, whereas the downstream promoter, promoter 2, directs that of the NC1-517 and NC1-764 domains in conjunction with exon 3, with the latter two variants differing with respect to alternative splicing of the exon 3 sequences. Exons 4-9 encode a portion of the NC1 domain shared by all three polypeptide variants, and exons 9-43 encode the common collagenous and C-terminal noncollagenous sequences. The marked differences previously observed in the expression of variant type XVIII collagen transcripts in mouse tissues thus result from tissue-specific use of these two promoters.

Alternative Splicing↗

Complete primary structure of two variant forms of human type XVIII collagen and tissue-specific differences in the expression of the corresponding transcripts.

We report on full-length human type XVIII collagen cDNAs that encode 1516- or 1336-residue alpha 1 (XVIII) chains. The two chains have different signal peptides and variant N-terminal non-collagenous NC1 domains of 493 (NC1-493) and 303 (NC1-303) amino acid residues, respectively, but share 301 residues of their NC1 domains, a 688-residue highly interrupted collagenous portion, and a 312-residue C-terminal non-collagenous portion. Alternative splicing affecting a 43-residue stretch at the junction of the NC1 domain and the beginning of the collagenous portion was identified. The amino acid sequences of the human and previously characterized mouse alpha 1 (XVIII) chains exhibit an overall identity of 79%. The highest homology between these chains was observed in their last 184 residues, corresponding to the proteolytic fragment endostatin, which is capable of inhibiting endothelial cell proliferation, angiogenesis and tumor growth (O'Reilly, et al., Cell 88: 277-285, 1997). Northern analysis of several adult and fetal tissues with a probe for the NC1-493 variant revealed marked amounts of the corresponding 6.2 and 5.0 kb mRNAs in liver, while other tissues contained only faint or undetectable signals. Hybridizations with a probe specific for the NC1-303 variant virtually lacked the liver signal but revealed clear 5.6 and 4.5 kb bands in heart, kidney, placenta, prostate, ovaries, skeletal muscle and small intestine, and faint signals in several other tissues. Thus mRNAs for the long variant occur prominently in liver, while those for the short variant appear to be the major ones in the other tissues analyzed.

Adult↗

Identification of L-selectin binding heparan sulfates attached to collagen type XVIII.

L-selectin is a C-type lectin expressed on leukocytes that is involved in both lymphocyte homing to the lymph node and leukocyte extravasation during inflammation. Known L-selectin ligands include sulfated Lewis-type carbohydrates, glycolipids, and proteoglycans. Previously, we have shown that in situ detection of different types of L-selectin ligands is highly dependent on the tissue fixation protocol used. Here we use this knowledge to specifically examine the expression of L-selectin binding proteoglycans in normal mouse tissues. We show that L-selectin binding chondroitin/dermatan sulfate proteoglycans are present in cartilage, whereas L-selectin binding heparan sulfate proteoglycans are present in spleen and kidney. Furthermore, we show that L-selectin only binds a subset of renal heparan sulfates, attached to a collagen type XVIII protein backbone and predominantly present in medullary tubular and vascular basement membranes. As L-selectin does not bind other renal heparan sulfate proteoglycans such as perlecan, agrin, and syndecan-4, and not all collagen type XVIII expressed in the kidney binds L-selectin, this indicates that there is a specific L-selectin binding domain on heparan sulfate glycosaminoglycan chains. Using an in vitro L-selectin binding assay, we studied the contribution of N-sulfation, O-sulfation, C5-epimerization, unsubstituted glucosamine residues, and chain length in L-selectin binding to heparan sulfate/heparin glycosaminoglycan chains. Based on our results and the accepted model of heparan sulfate domain organization, we propose a model for the interaction of L-selectin with heparan sulfate glycosaminoglycan chains. Interestingly, this opens the possibility of active regulation of L-selectin binding to heparan sulfate proteoglycans, e.g. under inflammatory conditions.

Animals↗

Type XVIII collagen is newly transcribed during bovine adipogenesis.

To isolate candidate genes concerned with bovine adipocyte differentiation, we have constructed a subtraction cDNA library from a clonal bovine intramuscular preadipocyte (BIP) cell line. We have isolated a set of cDNA clones whose respective mRNA levels are upregulated during the differentiation of BIP cells. The sequence of one subtracted cDNA fragment was highly homologous to that of mouse type XVIII collagen. Northern blot analysis and reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) showed that collagen XVIII gene expression increased during adipocyte differentiation. The collagen XVIII gene was also highly expressed in fat tissue. Although its function is unclear, these expression patterns indicate that type XVIII collagen may be associated with adipocyte differentiation in cattle.

Adipocytes↗

The basement membrane components nidogen and type XVIII collagen regulate organization of neuromuscular junctions in Caenorhabditis elegans.

Vertebrate neuromuscular junctions (NMJs) contain specialized basal laminas enriched for proteins not found at high concentrations extrasynaptically. Alterations in NMJ basement membrane components can result in loss of NMJ structural integrity and lead to muscular dystrophies. We demonstrate here that the conserved Caenorhabditis elegans basement membrane-associated molecules nidogen/entactin (NID-1) and type XVIII collagen (CLE-1) are associated with axons and particularly enriched near synaptic contacts. NID-1 is concentrated laterally, between the nerve cord and muscles, whereas CLE-1 is concentrated dorsal to the ventral nerve cord and ventral to the dorsal nerve cord, above the regions where synapses form. Mutations in these molecules cause specific and distinct defects in the organization of neuromuscular junctions. The mutant animals exhibit mild movement defects and altered responses to an inhibitor of acetylcholinesterase and a cholinergic agonist, indicating altered synaptic function. Our results provide the first demonstration that basement membrane molecules are important for NMJ formation and/or maintenance in C. elegans and that collagen XVIII and nidogen can have important roles in synapse organization.

Alleles↗

The myotomal diwanka (lh3) glycosyltransferase and type XVIII collagen are critical for motor growth cone migration.

The initial migration of motor growth cones from the spinal cord into the periphery requires extrinsic cues, yet their identities are largely unknown. In zebrafish diwanka mutants, motor growth cones are motile but fail to pioneer into the periphery. Here, we report on the positional cloning of diwanka and show that it encodes LH3, a myotomally expressed multifunctional enzyme with lysyl hydroxylase and glycosyltransferase domains. Cloning, expression analysis, and ubiquitous overexpression of other LH family members reveals that only diwanka (lh3) possesses a critical role in growth cone migration. We show that this unique role depends critically on the LH3 glycosyltransferase domain, and provide compelling evidence that diwanka (lh3) acts through myotomal type XVIII collagen, a ligand for neural-receptor protein tyrosine phosphatases that guide motor axons. Together, our results provide the first genetic evidence that glycosyltransferase modifications of the ECM play a critical role during vertebrate motor axon migration.

Animals↗