Effects of overexpression of PTP36, a putative protein tyrosine phosphatase, on cell adhesion, cell growth, and cytoskeletons in HeLa cells. (41/5814)

Non-receptor-type putative protein tyrosine phosphatase-36 (PTP36), also known as PTPD2/Pez, possesses a domain homologous to the N-terminal half of band 4.1 protein. To gain insight into the biological function of PTP36, we established a HeLa cell line, HtTA/P36-9, in which the overexpression of PTP36 was inducible. PTP36 expressed in HeLa cells was enriched in the cytoskeleton near the plasma membrane. There was little endogenous PTP36 detectable in uninduced HtTA/P36-9 cells or in the parental HeLa cells. Upon induction of PTP36 overexpression, HtTA/P36-9 cells spread less well, grew more slowly, and adhered to the extracellular matrix proteins less well than uninduced cells. Moreover, decreases in the actin stress fibers and the number of focal adhesions were observed. The tyrosine phosphorylation of the focal adhesion kinase induced by lysophosphatidic acid was suppressed in the HtTA/P36-9 cells overexpressing PTP36. These results indicate that PTP36 affects cytoskeletons, cell adhesion, and cell growth, thus suggesting that PTP36 is involved in their regulatory processes.  (+info)

Renal expression of fibrotic matrix proteins and of transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) isoforms in TGF-beta transgenic mice. (42/5814)

Renal pathology in mice that are transgenic for the murine albumin enhancer/promoter linked to a full-length porcine transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) gene has been described previously. In these mice, transgene expression is limited to the liver and the plasma level of TGF-beta is increased. The earliest renal pathologic change is glomerulosclerosis, at 3 wk of age, and this is followed by tubulointerstitial fibrosis. In this study, it was hypothesized that circulating TGF-beta1 increases renal extracellular matrix accumulation and activates local TGF-beta gene expression. Immunostaining at 5 wk revealed increased amounts of collagen I and III within the mesangium, glomerular capillary loops, and interstitium, while the amount of collagen IV was normal. Similarly, Northern analysis showed increased expression of mRNA encoding collagen I and III, as well as biglycan and decorin, while the expression of collagen IV was unchanged. These changes began as early as 1 wk of age, a time before the appearance of glomerulosclerosis. To evaluate matrix degradation, collagenase IV activity was evaluated by gelatin zymography and an increase in matrix metalloproteinase-2 was found. Finally, the production of tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase was evaluated. Tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) mRNA was increased 18-fold, while TIMP-2 and TIMP-3 were unchanged. In 2-wk-old transgenic kidney, local expression of TGF-beta1, beta2, and beta3 protein was similar to wild-type mice. In 5-wk-old transgenic mice, TGF-beta1 and beta2 protein was present in increased amounts within glomeruli, and renal TGF-beta1 mRNA was increased threefold. It is concluded that elevated levels of circulating TGF-beta1 may act on the kidney to increase matrix protein production and decrease matrix remodeling. Only after glomerulosclerosis is established does local glomerular overproduction of TGF-beta become manifest.  (+info)

Resistance of small leucine-rich repeat proteoglycans to proteolytic degradation during interleukin-1-stimulated cartilage catabolism. (43/5814)

A bovine nasal-cartilage culture system has been utilized to analyse the catabolic events occurring in response to interleukin-1beta over a 14-day period. An early event following the start of interleukin-1 treatment was the release of glycosaminoglycan into the culture medium. This release was accompanied by the appearance in the tissue, and shortly thereafter also in the culture media, of a globular domain (G1)-containing aggrecan degradation product generated by the action of aggrecanase. Link protein was also released from the cartilage with a similar timeframe to that of the G1 fragment, although there was no evidence of its proteolytic degradation. By comparison with aggrecan, the small leucine-rich repeat proteoglycans decorin, biglycan and lumican showed a resistance to both proteolytic cleavage and release throughout the culture period. In contrast, fibromodulin exhibited a marked decrease in size after day 4, presumably due to proteolytic modification, but the major degradation product was retained throughout the culture period. Also in contrast with the early changes in the components of the proteoglycan aggregate, type II collagen did not display signs of extensive degradation until much later in the culture period. Collagen degradation products compatible with collagenase action first appeared in the medium by day 10 and increased thereafter. These data demonstrate that the leucine-rich repeat proteoglycans are resistant to proteolytic action during interleukin-1-stimulated cartilage catabolism, compared with aggrecan. This resistance and continued interaction with the surface of the collagen fibrils may help to stabilize the collagen fibrillar network and protect it from extensive proteolytic attack during the early phases of cartilage degeneration.  (+info)

Midazolam metabolism by modified Caco-2 monolayers: effects of extracellular protein binding. (44/5814)

It has been suggested that the binding of a drug to plasma proteins will influence the intestinal extraction efficiency when drug is delivered to the mucosal epithelium via either the gut lumen or vasculature. We evaluated this hypothesis using cytochrome P-450 (CYP)3A4-expressing Caco-2 monolayers as a model for the intestinal epithelial barrier and midazolam as a CYP3A-specific enzyme probe. The rate of 1'-hydroxylation was measured following apical or basolateral midazolam administration to monolayers incubated in the presence or absence of 4 g/dl of human serum albumin (HSA) in the basolateral compartment medium. The midazolam-free fraction in culture medium containing HSA was 3.3%. Inclusion of HSA in the basolateral medium decreased peak intracellular midazolam accumulation after an apical midazolam dose (3 microM) by 35% and reduced the 1'-hydroxymidazolam formation rate by approximately 20%. Because of the accelerated diffusion of midazolam through the cell monolayer and into the basolateral compartment, there was a 61% reduction in the first-pass metabolic extraction ratio: 13.3 +/- 0. 12% for control versus 5.2 +/- 1% with HSA. Compared with control, addition of HSA resulted in a 91% decrease in the peak intracellular midazolam level and a 86% decrease in the rate of 1'-hydroxylation after the administration of midazolam into basolateral medium. These findings suggest that, in vivo, binding of a drug to plasma proteins will impact both first-pass and systemic intestinal midazolam extraction efficiency. Furthermore, the effect will be more pronounced for a drug that is delivered to mucosal enterocytes by way of arterial blood, compared with oral drug delivery.  (+info)

Potential role for hyaluronan and the hyaluronan receptor RHAMM in mobilization and trafficking of hematopoietic progenitor cells. (45/5814)

Although the mechanism(s) underlying mobilization of hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs) is unknown, detachment from the bone marrow (BM) microenvironment and motility are likely to play a role. This work analyzes the motile behavior of HPCs and the receptors involved. CD34(+)45(lo/med)Scatterlo/med HPCs from granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF)-mobilized blood and mobilized BM were compared with steady-state BM for their ability to bind hyaluronan (HA), their expression of the HA receptors RHAMM and CD44, and their motogenic behavior. Although RHAMM and CD44 are expressed by mobilized blood HPCs, function blocking monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) identified RHAMM as a major HA binding receptor, with a less consistent participation by CD44. Permeabilization of mobilized blood HPCs showed a pool of intracellular (ic) RHAMM and a smaller pool of icCD44. In contrast, steady-state BM HPCs have significantly larger pools of icRHAMM and icCD44. Also, in contrast to mobilized blood HPCs, for steady-state BM HPCs, MoAbs to RHAMM and CD44 act as agonists to upregulate HA binding. The comparison between mobilized and steady-state BM HPCs suggests that G-CSF mobilization is associated with depletion of intracellular stores of HA receptors and modulates HA receptor usage. To confirm that mobilization alters the HA receptor distribution and usage by HPCs, samples of BM were collected at the peak of G-CSF mobilization in parallel with mobilized blood samples. HA receptor distribution of mobilized BM HPCs was closely matched with mobilized blood HPCs and different from steady-state BM HPCs. Mobilized BM HPCs had lower pools of icHA receptors, similar to those of mobilized blood HPCs. Treatment of mobilized BM HPCs with anti-RHAMM MoAb decreased HA binding, in contrast to steady-state BM HPCs. Thus, G-CSF mobilization may stimulate an autocrine stimulatory loop for HPCs in which HA interacts with basal levels of RHAMM and/or CD44 to stimulate receptor recycling. Consistent with this, treatment of HPCs with azide, nystatin, or cytochalasin B increased HA binding, implicating an energy-dependent process involving lipid rafts and the cytoskeleton. Of the sorted HPCs, 66% were adherent and 27% were motile on fibronectin plus HA. HPC adherence was inhibited by MoAbs to beta1 integrin and CD44, but not to RHAMM, whereas HPC motility was inhibited by MoAb to RHAMM and beta1 integrin, but not to CD44. This finding suggests that RHAMM and CD44 play reciprocal roles in adhesion and motility by HPCs. The G-CSF-associated alterations in RHAMM distribution and the RHAMM-dependent motility of HPCs suggest a potential role for HA and RHAMM in trafficking of HPCs and the possible use of HA as a mobilizing agent in vivo.  (+info)

Adherence of Staphylococcus aureus is enhanced by an endogenous secreted protein with broad binding activity. (46/5814)

A novel mechanism for enhancement of adherence of Staphylococcus aureus to host components is described. A secreted protein, Eap (extracellular adherence protein), was purified from the supernatant of S. aureus Newman and found to be able to bind to at least seven plasma proteins, e.g., fibronectin, the alpha-chain of fibrinogen, and prothrombin, and to the surface of S. aureus. Eap bound much less to cells of Staphylococcus epidermidis, Streptococcus mutans, or Escherichia coli. The protein can form oligomeric forms and is able to cause agglutination of S. aureus. Binding of S. aureus to fibroblasts and epithelial cells was significantly enhanced by addition of Eap, presumably due to its affinity both for plasma proteins on the cells and for the bacteria.  (+info)

Microfibril-associated glycoprotein-2 specifically interacts with a range of bovine and human cell types via alphaVbeta3 integrin. (47/5814)

Microfibril-associated glycoprotein (MAGP)-1 and MAGP-2 are small structurally related glycoproteins that are specifically associated with fibrillin-containing microfibrils. MAGP-2, unlike MAGP-1, contains an RGD motif with potential for integrin binding. To determine if the RGD sequence is active, a series of cell binding assays was performed. MAGP-2 was shown to promote the attachment and spreading of bovine nuchal ligament fibroblasts when coated onto plastic wells in molar quantities similar to those of fibronectin. In contrast, approximately 10-fold more MAGP-1 was required to support comparable levels of cell adhesion. The fibroblast binding to MAGP-2 was completely inhibited if the peptide GRGDSP or the MAGP-2-specific peptide GVSGQRGDDVTTVTSET was added to the reaction medium at a 10 microM final concentration. The control peptide GRGESP had no effect on the interaction. These findings indicate that the cell interaction with MAGP-2 is an RGD-mediated event. A monoclonal antibody to human alphaVbeta3 integrin (LM609) almost completely blocked cell attachment to MAGP-2 when added to the medium at 0.5 microgram/ml, whereas two monoclonal antibodies specific for the human beta1 integrin subunit, 4B4 (blocking) and QE2.E5 (activating), had no effect even at 10 microgram/ml. Fetal bovine aortic smooth muscle cells, ear cartilage chondrocytes, and arterial endothelial cells and human skin fibroblasts and osteoblasts were also observed to adhere strongly to MAGP-2. In addition, each cell type was able to spread on MAGP-2 substrate, with the exception of the endothelial cells, which remained spherical after 2 h of incubation. The binding of each cell type was blocked when the anti-alphaVbeta3 integrin antibody was included in the assay, indicating that alphaVbeta3 integrin is the major receptor for MAGP-2 on several cell types. Thus, MAGP-2 may mediate interactions between fibrillin-containing microfibrils and cell surfaces during the development of a variety of tissues.  (+info)

Matrilin-2, a large, oligomeric matrix protein, is expressed by a great variety of cells and forms fibrillar networks. (48/5814)

Matrilin-2 is a member of the protein superfamily with von Willebrand factor type A-like modules. Mouse matrilin-2 cDNA fragments were expressed in 293-EBNA cells, and the protein was purified, characterized, and used to immunize rabbits. The affinity-purified antiserum detects matrilin-2 in dense and loose connective tissue structures, subepithelial connective tissue of the skin and digestive tract, specialized cartilages, and blood vessel walls. In situ hybridization of 35S-labeled riboprobes localizes the matrilin-2 mRNA to fibroblasts of dermis, tendon, ligaments, perichondrium, and periosteum; connective tissue elements in the heart; smooth muscle cells; and epithelia and loose connective tissue cells of the alimentary canal and respiratory tract. RNA blot hybridization and immunoblotting revealed both matrilin-2 mRNA and protein in cultures of a variety of cell types, confirming the tissue distribution. Alternative splicing affects a module unique for matrilin-2 in all of the above RNA sources. SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and electron microscopy reveals matrilin-2 from tissue extracts and cell line cultures as a mixture of mono-, di-, tri-, and tetramers. Matrilin-2 is substituted with N-linked oligosaccharides but not with glycosaminoglycans. Because of other, yet unidentified, cell-type dependent posttranslational modifications, the monomer is heterogeneous in size. Immunofluorescence showed that matrilin-2 functions by forming an extracellular, filamentous network.  (+info)