Homologous low density lipoprotein does not affect proteoglycan metabolism of cultured skin fibroblasts and arterial smooth muscle cells

The relevance of lipoprotein-glycosaminoglycan interactions on the proteoglycan metabolism was investigated. The following results were obtained: 1) Biosynthesis of [35S]proteoglycans by cultured human skin fibroblasts and their distribution to different compartments are neither affected by preincubation of the cells with homologous LDL nor by their presence. The internalisation of LDL was evidenced by a marked depression of [14C]cholesterol synthesis from [1-(14)C]-acetate. 2) Under the conditions of endocytosis experiments the formation of insoluble proteoglycan-LDL complexes is insignificant. Endocytosis and degradation of exogenous proteoglycans by skin fibroblasts or arterial smooth muscle cells proceed at normal rates in the presence of low or excess LDL concentrations. 3) From the results it may be concluded, that internalized LDL and their degradation products neither influence the synthesis and distribution of sulfated proteoglycans nor control expression and function of proteoglycan specific cell surface receptors.

Effect of lectins on the metabolism of sulfated glycosaminolycans in cultured fibroblasts

A short exposure of human skin fibroblasts to Concanavalin A and wheat germ agglutinin led to an intra- and extracellular accumulation of sulfated glycosaminoglycans. The intracellular accumulation was caused by an impaired degradation of sulfated glycosaminoglycans. The increase of extracellular and cell surface associated 35S-labeled proteoglycans could be ascribed to a lectin-mediated inhibition of endocytosis of these polysaccharides. Results obtained with mono- and divalent Concanavalin A derivatives were in agreement with the view that lectins inhibit endocytosis of sulfated proteoglycans by binding to the cell surface receptors specific for these polysaccharides. Proteoglycans secreted by fibroblasts formed precipitable complexes with Concanavalin A. Complex formation reduced markedly the uptake of the proteoglycan. All effects on glycosaminoglycan metabolism mediated by Concanavalin A and wheat germ agglutinin could be prevented by methyl alpha-D-mannoside and N-acetylglucoseamine, respectively.

Endocytosis of sulphated proteoglycans by cultured skin fibroblasts

1. Human skin fibroblasts internalize homologous sulphated proteoglycans by adsorptive endocytosis. Endocytosis rate is half maximal when the concentration of the proteoglycans is 0.1 nM. At saturation, a single fibroblast may endocytose up to 8 X 10(6) proteoglycan molecules/h. 2. The kinetics of prote;glycan binding to the cell surface suggest the presence of 6 X 10(5) high-affinity binding sites per cell. The bulk of sulphated proteoglycans associates to low-affinity binding sites on the cell surface. 3. Glycosaminoglycans and other anionic macromolecules inhibit endocytosis of sulphated proteoglycans non-competitively. The lack of interaction of glycosaminoglycans with the cell-surface receptors for sulphated proteoglycans suggests that the protein core of proteoglycans is essential for binding to the cell surface. 4. The effects of trypsin, cell density, serum concentration and medium pH on endocytosis and degradation of endocytosed sulphated proteoglycans is described. 5. A comparison of the number of the high-affinity binding sites and the number of molecules endocytosed with respect to time suggests a recycling of the proteoglycan receptors between the cell surface and the endocytotic vesicles and/or the lysosomes.

Foliar Iron Spray Potentiates Growth of Seedlings on Iron-free Media

Growth of bean (Phaseolus vulgaris cv. ;Brittle Wax') seedlings in iron-free media caused large reductions in root size and dye reduction capacity. Shoot growth was also severely retarded and the classical symptoms of chlorosis were observed. A single prophylactic spray of FeSO(4), applied to the primary leaves of 7-day seedlings, enabled subsequent growth to equal that obtained when iron was continuously supplied to the roots over a 12-day period, although chlorophyll levels were lower. By adding a silicone-based surfactant to FeSO(4) spray solutions, the burn damage normally caused to seedlings by such sprays was largely eliminated and the irreversible adsorption of iron increased. Foliar spray of an iron chelate (ferric ethylenediaminedi (o-hydroxyphenylacetic acid)) were less effective than those of FeSO(4).

A naturally occurring Cu-thionein in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

A naturally occurring monodisperse Cu-thionein was prepared using ammonium sulfate precipitation followed by ion exchange (DEAE 23) and gel chromatography (Sephadex G-75). The chromatographic steps were repeated at least twice, or until the Cu-thionein remained homogeneous when subjected to analytical polyacrylamide disc electrophoresis. The molecular weight of this copper protein was 9500+/-500. Up to 24.3% cysteine residues were determined, indicating the relationship to the metallothioneins. Aromatic amino acids were virtually absent, while there were about three times as many acidic amino acid residues, including aspartate and glutamate, as in metallothioneins. 10 g atoms of Cu were measured per mole of protein. The copper binding strength of thionein was extremely high. Displacement by protons (pH 1.5) and gel chromatography or dialysis employing EDTA were not effective. Dialysis against diethyldithiocarbamate produced a protein essentially free of copper. Both the ultraviolet properties and the circular dichroism measurements proved identical with those properties reported for artificially prepared Cu-thionein (see ref.[1]. The major absorption was in the far ultraviolet region with a weak shoulder at 270 nm attributable to copper charge-transfer transititions. 6 Cotton extrema were seen at 213, 283 and 302 nm (negative) and 245, 328 and 359 nm (positive). The possible role of Cu-thionein as an electron transport system was discussed.