Suppression of syndecan-1 expression in endothelial cells by tumor necrosis factor-alpha

Alterations in heparan sulfate proteoglycan synthesis and sulfation and the impact on vascular endothelial function

The glycocalyx attached to the apical surface of vascular endothelial cells is a rich network of proteoglycans, glycosaminoglycans, and glycoproteins with instrumental roles in vascular homeostasis. Given their molecular complexity and ability to interact with the intra- and extracellular environment, heparan sulfate proteoglycans uniquely contribute to the glycocalyx's role in regulating endothelial permeability, mechanosignaling, and ligand recognition by cognate cell surface receptors. Much attention has recently been devoted to the enzymatic shedding of heparan sulfate proteoglycans from the endothelial glycocalyx and its impact on vascular function. However, other molecular modifications to heparan sulfate proteoglycans are possible and may have equal or complementary clinical significance. In this narrative review, we focus on putative mechanisms driving non-proteolytic changes in heparan sulfate proteoglycan expression and alterations in the sulfation of heparan sulfate side chains within the endothelial glycocalyx. We then discuss how these specific changes to the endothelial glycocalyx impact endothelial cell function and highlight therapeutic strategies to target or potentially reverse these pathologic changes.

Mild-to-Moderate COVID-19 Convalescents May Present Pro-Longed Endothelium Injury

Background: The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic posed a great threat to public health, healthcare systems and the economy worldwide. It became clear that, in addition to COVID-19 and acute disease, the condition that develops after recovery may also negatively impact survivors’ health and quality of life. The damage inflicted by the viral infection on endothelial cells was identified quite early on as a possible mechanism underlying the so-called post-COVID syndrome. It became an urgent matter to establish whether convalescents present chronic endothelial impairment, which could result in an increased risk of cardiovascular and thrombotic complications. Methods: In this study, we measured the levels of CRP, ICAM-1, VCAM-1, E-selectin and syndecan-1 as markers of inflammation and endothelial injury in generally healthy convalescents selected from blood donors and compared these to a healthy control group. Results: We found higher concentrations of E-selectin and a lower level of syndecan-1 in convalescents in comparison to those of the control group. Conclusion: Based on our results, it can be concluded that, at least 6 months after infection, there is only slight evidence of endothelial dysfunction in COVID-19 convalescents who do not suffer from other comorbidities related to endothelial impairment.

Elevated plasma levels of syndecan-1 and soluble thrombomodulin predict adverse outcomes in thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura

Immune-mediated thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (iTTP) is a potentially fatal blood disorder resulting from acquired deficiency of plasma ADAMTS13 activity. Despite recent advances in early diagnosis and novel therapeutics, the mortality rate of acute iTTP remains as high as 10% to 20%. Moreover, a reliable clinical and laboratory parameter that predicts disease severity and outcomes is lacking. We show in the present study that plasma levels of syndecan-1 (Sdc-1) and soluble thrombomodulin (sTM) on admission were dramatically increased in patients with acute iTTP and remained substantially elevated in a subset of patients compared with healthy controls. The elevated admission plasma levels of Sdc-1 and sTM were associated with abnormal Glasgow coma scale scores, low estimated glomerular filtration rates, the need for intensive care, and in-hospital mortality rates. Moreover, a further simultaneous increase in plasma Sdc-1 and sTM levels at the time of clinical response/remission (eg, when normalization of platelet counts and substantial reduction of serum lactate dehydrogenase activity were achieved) was highly predictive of iTTP recurrence. These results demonstrate that endothelial injury, resulting from disseminated microvascular thromboses, is severe and persistent in patients with acute iTTP. Plasma levels of Sdc-1 and sTM on admission and in remission are predictive of in-hospital mortality and recurrence of acute iTTP, respectively. Thus, an incorporation of such novel plasma biomarkers into the risk assessment in acute iTTP may help implement a more vigorous and intensive therapeutic strategy for these patients.

Estrogen receptor α regulates the expression of syndecan-1 in human breast carcinoma cells

Breast cancer (BC) is the primary cause of cancer-related mortality among women. Patients who express the estrogen receptor (ER), which mediates the tumorigenic effects of estrogens, respond to antihormonal therapy. Loss of ER expression or acquired resistance to E2 is associated with aggressive malignant phenotypes, which lead to relapse. These BC subtypes overexpress syndecan-1 (SDC1), a transmembrane heparan sulfate proteoglycan that mediates angiogenesis as well as the proliferation and invasiveness of cancer cells. We showed here that the activation of ER-alpha (ERα) by estrogens induces downregulation of SDC1 expression in ER(+) MCF7 cells but not in T47D cells. Loss of ERα expression, induced by RNA interference or a selective ER downregulator, led to subsequent SDC1 overexpression. E2-dependent downregulation of SDC1 expression required de novo protein synthesis and was antagonized by treatment with BAY 11-7085, an irreversible inhibitor of IκBα phosphorylation, which inhibits the activation of NFκB. Downregulation of SDC1 expression required ERα and activation of IKK, but was independent to downstream transcriptional regulators of NFκB. BAY 11-7085 prevented E2-mediated phosphorylation of ERα on Ser118, increasing its proteasomal degradation, suggesting that IKK stabilized E2-activated ERα, leading to subsequent downregulation of SDC1 expression. Our results showed that sustained ER signaling inhibits SDC1 expression. Such antagonism elucidates the inverse correlation between SDC1 and ER expression in ER(+) BC as well as the overexpression of SDC1 in hormone receptor-negative BC subtypes with the most aggressive phenotypes. These results identify SDC1 as an attractive therapeutic target for BC as well as for other endocrine-associated cancers.

Plasma-Mediated Gut Protection After Hemorrhagic Shock is Lessened in Syndecan-1-/- Mice

We have shown in a rodent model of hemorrhagic shock (HS) that fresh frozen plasma (FFP) reduces lung inflammation and injury that are correlated with restitution of syndecan-1. As the gut is believed to contribute to distant organ injury and inflammation after shock, the current study sought to determine if the protective effects of plasma would extend to the gut and to elucidate the contribution of syndecan-1 to this protective effect. We also examined the potential role of TNFα, and a disintegrin and metalloproteinase (ADAM)-17, both intestinal sheddases of syndecan-1. Wild-type (WT) and syndecan-1 (KO) mice were subjected to HS followed by resuscitation with lactated Ringer's (LR) or FFP and compared with shock alone and shams. Small bowel and blood were obtained after 3  h for analysis of mucosal injury and inflammation and TNFα and ADAM-17 protein expression and activity. After HS, gut injury and inflammation were significantly increased compared with shams. Resuscitation with LR decreased both injury and inflammation that were further lessened by FFP. KO mice displayed worsened gut injury and inflammation after HS compared with WT mice, and LR and FFP equivalently inhibited injury and inflammation. Both systemic and intestinal TNFα and ADAM-17 followed similar trends, with increases after HS, reduction by LR, and a further decrease by FFP in WT but not KO mice. In conclusion, FFP decreased gut injury and inflammation after hemorrhagic shock, an effect that was abrogated in syndecan-1 mice. Plasma also decreased TNFα and ADAM-17, representing a potential mechanistic link to its protection via syndecan-1.

Syndecan-1 in the mouse parietal peritoneum microcirculation in inflammation

Background

The heparan sulfate proteoglycan syndecan-1 (CD138) was shown to regulate inflammatory responses by binding chemokines and cytokines and interacting with adhesion molecules, thereby modulating leukocyte trafficking to tissues. The objectives of this study were to examine the expression of syndecan-1 and its role in leukocyte recruitment and chemokine presentation in the microcirculation underlying the parietal peritoneum.

Methods

Wild-type BALB/c and syndecan-1 null mice were stimulated with an intraperitoneal injection of Staphylococcus aureus LTA, Escherichia coli LPS or TNFα and the microcirculation of the parietal peritoneum was examined by intravital microscopy after 4 hours. Fluorescence confocal microscopy was used to examine syndecan-1 expression in the peritoneal microcirculation using fluorescent antibodies. Blocking antibodies to adhesion molecules were used to examine the role of these molecules in leukocyte-endothelial cell interactions in response to LTA. To determine whether syndecan-1 co-localizes with chemokines in vivo, fluorescent antibodies to syndecan-1 were co-injected intravenously with anti-MIP-2 (CXCL2), anti-KC (CXCL1) or anti-MCP-1 (CCL2).

Results and Conclusion

Syndecan-1 was localized to the subendothelial region of peritoneal venules and the mesothelial layer. Leukocyte rolling was significantly decreased with LPS treatment while LTA and TNFα significantly increased leukocyte adhesion compared with saline control. Leukocyte-endothelial cell interactions were not different in syndecan-1 null mice. Antibody blockade of β₂ integrin (CD18), ICAM-1 (CD54) and VCAM-1 (CD106) did not decrease leukocyte adhesion in response to LTA challenge while blockade of P-selectin (CD62P) abrogated leukocyte rolling. Lastly, MIP-2 expression in the peritoneal venules was not dependent on syndecan-1 in vivo. Our data suggest that syndecan-1 is expressed in the parietal peritoneum microvasculature but does not regulate leukocyte recruitment and is not necessary for the presentation of the chemokine MIP-2 in this tissue.

Syndecan-1, a cell surface proteoglycan, negatively regulates initial leukocyte recruitment to the brain across the choroid plexus in murine experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis

The cell surface heparan sulfate proteoglycan, syndecan-1, has been reported to be a negative regulator of various inflammatory processes, but its precise mode of action is poorly defined. In this study, we use the murine model of the 35-55 peptide of myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein-induced experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), a T lymphocyte-mediated inflammation where the steps in disease development and recovery are well characterized, to decipher how syndecan-1 impacts on the inflammatory reaction. Syndecan-1 knockout (Sdc-1(-/-)) mice show enhanced disease severity and impaired recovery. The use of bone marrow chimeric mice reveals that both an immune cell and a CNS-resident source of syndecan-1 contribute to this phenotype. Epithelial cells of the choroid plexus, where initial CCL20-induced leukocyte recruitment to the brain occurs, are identified as the predominant site of syndecan-1 expression. Syndecan-1 is lost from this site during the course of EAE by shedding into the cerebrospinal fluid, which correlates with loss of epithelial cell surface-bound CCL20 and is associated with the upregulation of IL-6 expression. In Sdc-1(-/-) mice, early leukocyte recruitment via the choroid plexus is enhanced, and IL-6 is elevated, which collectively results in higher numbers of the disease inducing Th17 cells in the CNS, thereby contributing to enhanced disease severity. Furthermore, Sdc-1(-/-) mice have intrinsically elevated plasma cell numbers and higher myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein-specific Ab levels during EAE, which we propose contributes to impaired recovery. Our data identify the choroid plexus epithelium as a novel source of IL-6 in EAE and demonstrate that its expression negatively correlates with syndecan-1 expression at this site.

Enhanced lymph vessel density, remodeling, and inflammation are reflected by gene expression signatures in dermal lymphatic endothelial cells in type 2 diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is associated with microvascular damage that causes frequent infections in the skin and chronic ulcers as a result of impaired wound healing. To trace the pathological changes, we performed a comprehensive analysis of lymphatic vessels in the skin of type 2 diabetic versus nondiabetic patients. The dermis revealed enhanced lymphatic vessel density, and transcriptional profiling of ex vivo isolated lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs) identified 160 genes differentially expressed between type 2 diabetic and nondiabetic LECs. Bioinformatic analysis of deregulated genes uncovered sets functionally related to inflammation, lymphatic vessel remodeling, lymphangiogenesis, and lipid and small molecule transport. Furthermore, we traced CD68(+) macrophage accumulation and concomitant upregulation of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) levels in type 2 diabetic skin. TNF-α treatment of LECs and its specific blockade in vitro reproduced differential regulation of a gene set that led to enhanced LEC mobility and macrophage attachment, which was mediated by the LEC-derived chemokine CXCL10. This study identifies lymph vessel gene signatures directly correlated with type 2 diabetes skin manifestations. In addition, we provide evidence for paracrine cross-talk fostering macrophage recruitment to LECs as one pathophysiological process that might contribute to aberrant lymphangiogenesis and persistent inflammation in the skin.

The antineoplastic effect of low-molecular-weight heparins - a literature review

There is some evidence for the antitumor effect of heparins, especially the low-molecular-weight ones. The authors discuss the potential mechanism of this antineoplastic effect and present results from several in vitro and in vivo experiments. The clinical trials concerning the impact of low-molecular-weight heparins on the tumor and on the patients' survival are described. The objective was to find out if heparins could be administered as an antitumor drug, independently of their anticoagulatory properties. The antitumor role of tissue factor, heparinase, chemokines, stromal proteins, cellular interactions as well as angiogenesis and immunology seems certain. The results of the available studies seem promising but large clinical trials are necessary in order to confirm the antineoplastic effect of the low-molecular-weight heparins and to approve them for standard anticancer treatment. It could be a breakthrough in modern oncology.

Syndecans in cartilage breakdown and synovial inflammation

Syndecans are transmembrane heparan sulphate proteoglycans (HSPGs) that have gained increasing interest as regulators of a variety of tissue responses, including cartilage development and remodelling. These proteoglycans are composed of a core protein to which extracellular glycosaminoglycan (GAG) chains are attached. Through these GAG chains, syndecans can interact with a variety of extracellular matrix molecules and bind to a number of soluble mediators including morphogens, growth factors, chemokines and cytokines. The structure and post-translational modification of syndecan GAG chains seem to differ not only from cell to cell, but also during different stages of cellular differentiation, leading to a complexity of syndecan function that is unique among membrane-bound HSPGs. Unlike other membrane-bound HSPGs, syndecans contain intracellular signalling motifs that can initiate signalling mainly through protein kinase C. This Review summarizes our knowledge of the biology of syndecans and the mechanisms by which binding of molecules to syndecans exert different biological effects, particularly in the joints. On the basis of the structural and functional peculiarities of syndecans, we discuss the regulation of syndecans and their roles in the developing joint as well as during degenerative and inflammatory cartilage remodelling as understood from expression studies and functional analyses involving syndecan-deficient mice.

Syndecan-1 - A new piece in B-cell puzzle

Syndecans are transmembrane proteoglycans, with core proteins mainly decorated with heparan sulfate chains. Syndecan-1 is expressed in a tissue-, cell-and differentiation-specific manner. Its extra-cellular domain can bind via HS chains to matrix elements, to growth factors (especially "heparin-binding" proteins) and to certain biological agents. The ectodomain released by proteolysis can also be functionally active. The cytoplasmic domain can take part in signaling processes as well as in modifying cell shape. In hematopoietic cells syndecan-1 is expressed in normal pre-B-cells and plasma cells, as well as in plasmocytoid and lymphoplasmocytoid malignancies. According to our study syndecan-1 is expressed in B-CLL cells both in tissue environment and in circulation.

Polyunsaturated fatty acid metabolism in prostate cancer

Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) play important roles in the normal physiology and in pathological states including inflammation and cancer. While much is known about the biosynthesis and biological activities of eicosanoids derived from ω6 PUFA, our understanding of the corresponding ω3 series lipid mediators is still rudimentary. The purpose of this review is not to offer a comprehensive summary of the literature on fatty acids in prostate cancer but rather to highlight some of the areas where key questions remain to be addressed. These include substrate preference and polymorphic variants of enzymes involved in the metabolism of PUFA, the relationship between de novo lipid synthesis and dietary lipid metabolism pathways, the contribution of cyclooxygenases and lipoxygenases as well as terminal synthases and prostanoid receptors in prostate cancer, and the potential role of PUFA in angiogenesis and cell surface receptor signaling.

Syndecan-1 couples the insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor to inside-out integrin activation

Syndecan-1 (Sdc1) engages and activates the αvβ3 (and/or αvβ5) integrin when clustered in human carcinoma and endothelial cells. Although the engagement is extracellular, the activation mechanism is cytoplasmic. This talin-dependent, inside-out signaling pathway is activated downstream of the insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor (IGF1R), whose kinase activity is triggered by Sdc1 clustering. In vitro binding assays using purified receptors suggest that association of the Sdc1 ectodomain with the integrin provides a 'docking face' for IGF1R. IGF1R docking and activation of the associated integrin is blocked by synstatin (SSTN(92-119)), a peptide derived from the integrin engagement site in Sdc1. IGF1R colocalizes with αvβ3 integrin and Sdc1 in focal contacts, but fails to associate with or activate the integrin in cells either lacking Sdc1 or expressing Sdc1(Δ67-121), a mutant that is unable to form the Sdc1-integrin-IGF1R ternary complex. Integrin activation is also blocked by IGF1R inhibitors or by silencing IGF1R or talin expression with small-interfering RNAs (siRNAs). In both cases, expression of the constitutively active talin F23 head domain rescues integrin activation. We recently reported that SSTN(92-119) blocks angiogenesis and impairs tumor growth in mice, therefore this Sdc1-mediated integrin regulatory mechanism might be a crucial regulator of disease processes known to rely on these integrins, including tumor cell metastasis and tumor-induced angiogenesis.

A low molecular weight heparin inhibits experimental metastasis in mice independently of the endothelial glycocalyx

Background

Some low molecular weight heparins (LMWHs) prolong survival of cancer patients and inhibit experimental metastasis. The underlying mechanisms are still not clear but it has been suggested that LMWHs (at least in part) limit metastasis by preventing cancer cell-induced destruction of the endothelial glycocalyx.

Methodology/Principal Findings

To prove or refute this hypothesis, we determined the net effects of the endothelial glycocalyx in cancer cell extravasation and we assessed the anti-metastatic effect of a clinically used LMWH in the presence and absence of an intact endothelial glycocalyx. We show that both exogenous enzymatic degradation as well as endogenous genetic modification of the endothelial glycocalyx decreased pulmonary tumor formation in a murine experimental metastasis model. Moreover, LMWH administration significantly reduced the number of pulmonary tumor foci and thus experimental metastasis both in the presence or absence of an intact endothelial glycocalyx.

Conclusions

In summary, this paper shows that the net effect of the endothelial glycocalyx enhances experimental metastasis and that a LMWH does not limit experimental metastasis by a process involving the endothelial glycocalyx.

Syndecan-1 regulates alphavbeta3 and alphavbeta5 integrin activation during angiogenesis and is blocked by synstatin, a novel peptide inhibitor

Syndecan-1 (Sdc1) is a matrix receptor shown to associate via its extracellular domain with the α_vβ₃ and α_vβ₅ integrins, potentially regulating cell adhesion, spreading, and invasion of cells expressing these integrins. Using Sdc1 deletion mutants expressed in human mammary carcinoma cells, we identified the active site within the Sdc1 core protein and derived a peptide inhibitor called synstatin (SSTN) that disrupts Sdc1's interaction with these integrins. Because the α_vβ₃ and α_vβ₅ integrins are critical in angiogenesis, a process in which a role for Sdc1 has been uncertain, we used human vascular endothelial cells in vitro to show that the Sdc1 regulatory mechanism is also required for integrin activation on these cells. We found Sdc1 expressed in the vascular endothelium during microvessel outgrowth from aortic explants in vitro and in mouse mammary tumors in vivo. Moreover, we show that SSTN blocks angiogenesis in vitro or when delivered systemically in a mouse model of angiogenesis in vivo, and impairs mammary tumor growth in an orthotopic mouse tumor model. Thus, Sdc1 is a critical regulator of these two important integrins during angiogenesis and tumorigenesis, and is inhibited by the novel SSTN peptide.

Syndecan-1 ectodomain shedding is regulated by the small GTPase Rab5

The ectodomain shedding of syndecan-1, a major cell surface heparan sulfate proteoglycan, modulates molecular and cellular processes central to the pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases. Syndecan-1 shedding is a highly regulated process in which outside-in signaling accelerates the proteolytic cleavage of syndecan-1 ectodomains at the cell surface. Several extracellular agonists that induce syndecan-1 shedding and metalloproteinases that cleave syndecan-1 ectodomains have been identified, but the intracellular mechanisms that regulate syndecan-1 shedding are largely unknown. Here we examined the role of the syndecan-1 cytoplasmic domain in the regulation of agonist-induced syndecan-1 shedding. Our results showed that the syndecan-1 cytoplasmic domain is essential because mutation of invariant cytoplasmic Tyr residues abrogates ectodomain shedding, but not because it is Tyr phosphorylated upon shedding stimulation. Instead, our data showed that the syndecan-1 cytoplasmic domain binds to Rab5, a small GTPase that regulates intracellular trafficking and signaling events, and this interaction controls the onset of syndecan-1 shedding. Syndecan-1 cytoplasmic domain bound specifically to Rab5 and preferentially to inactive GDP-Rab5 over active GTP-Rab5, and shedding stimulation induced the dissociation of Rab5 from the syndecan-1 cytoplasmic domain. Moreover, the expression of dominant-negative Rab5, unable to exchange GDP for GTP, interfered with the agonist-induced dissociation of Rab5 from the syndecan-1 cytoplasmic domain and significantly inhibited syndecan-1 shedding induced by several distinct agonists. Based on these data, we propose that Rab5 is a critical regulator of syndecan-1 shedding that serves as an on-off molecular switch through its alternation between the GDP-bound and GTP-bound forms.

Effect of cytokine and antigen stimulation on peripheral blood lymphocyte syndecan-1 expression

INTRODUCTION

Cytokines are not only produced by activated lymphocytes but also interact with a number of cell-surface molecules on the same cells. Syndecan-1 is one such cell-surface molecule, which has the capacity to bind a variety of growth factors as well as cytokines. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta), interleukin-1 (IL-1), IL-2, IL-4, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from Porphyromonas gingivalis and tetanus toxoid on syndecan-1 expression by B and T lymphocytes.

METHODS

B and T lymphocytes were obtained from the peripheral blood of healthy donors. Following exposure to the above growth factors, cytokines and antigens, syndecan-1 expression was determined by flow cytometry.

RESULTS

Subjects could be categorized as high or low expressors of syndecan-1. In the high-responder group TGF-beta1 alone resulted in a significant increase in syndecan-1 expression by both B and T cells. None of the other cytokines and antigens produced a significant response. When analysed in combination, TGF-beta1 in combination with IL-2, IL-4, P. gingivalis LPS and tetanus toxoid all produced significant increases in syndecan-1 expression by B cells. For T cells, combinations of TGF-beta1 with IL-2 and tetanus toxoid resulted in increased syndecan-1 expression.

CONCLUSIONS

Both B and T lymphocytes synthesize the cell-surface proteoglycan syndecan-1 and its expression can be modulated by TGF-beta1, either alone or in combination with IL-2, IL-4 and LPS from P. gingivalis and tetanus toxoid. While these may reflect general responses under inflammatory conditions their biological significance requires further investigation.

Quantitative detection of cell surface protein expression by time-resolved fluorimetry

A method is introduced for quantitative detection of cell surface protein expression. The method is based on immunocytochemistry, the use of long decay time europium(III) chelate and platinum(II) porphyrin labels, and detection of photoluminescence emission from adhered cells by time-resolved fluorimetry. After immunocytochemistry, the assay wells are evaporated to dryness and measured in the dry state. This protocol allows repeated and postponed analysis and microscopy imaging. In order to investigate the performance of the method, we chose expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) of endothelial cell line EAhy926 as a research target. The expression of ICAM-1 on the cells was enhanced by introduction of a cytokine, tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNFalpha). The method gave signal:background ratios (S:B) of 20 and 9 for europium and platinum labels, respectively, whereas prompt fluorescent FITC label gave a S:B of 3. Screening window coefficients (=Z'-factor) were >0.5 for all the three labels, thus indicating a score for an excellent screening assay. In conclusion, the method appears to be an appropriate choice for protein expression analysis, both in high-throughput screening applications, and for detailed sample investigation by fluorescent microscopy imaging.

Syndecans in wound healing, inflammation and vascular biology

Syndecans are heparan sulphate proteoglycans consisting of a type I transmembrane core protein modified by heparan sulphate and sometimes chondroitin sulphate chains. They are major proteoglycans of many organs including the vasculature, along with glypicans and matrix proteoglycans. Heparan sulphate chains have potential to interact with a wide array of ligands, including many growth factors, cytokines, chemokines and extracellular matrix molecules relevant to growth regulation in vascular repair, hypoxia, angiogenesis and immune cell function. This is consistent with the phenotypes of syndecan knock-out mice, which while viable and fertile, show deficits in tissue repair. Furthermore, there are potentially important changes in syndecan distribution and function described in a variety of human vascular diseases. The purpose of this review is to describe syndecan structure and function, consider the role of syndecan core proteins in transmembrane signalling and also their roles as co-receptors with other major classes of cell surface molecules. Current debates include potential redundancy between syndecan family members, the significance of multiple heparan sulphate interactions, regulation of the cytoskeleton and cell behaviour and the switch between promoter and inhibitor of important cell functions, resulting from protease-mediated shedding of syndecan ectodomains.

Endocan or endothelial cell specific molecule-1 (ESM-1): a potential novel endothelial cell marker and a new target for cancer therapy

Endocan, previously called endothelial cell specific molecule-1, is a soluble proteoglycan of 50 kDa, constituted of a mature polypeptide of 165 amino acids and a single dermatan sulphate chain covalently linked to the serine residue at position 137. This dermatan sulphate proteoglycan, which is expressed by the vascular endothelium, has been found freely circulating in the bloodstream of healthy subjects. Experimental evidence is accumulating that implicates endocan as a key player in the regulation of major processes such as cell adhesion, in inflammatory disorders and tumor progression. Inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-alpha, and pro-angiogenic growth factors such as VEGF, FGF-2 and HGF/SF, strongly increased the expression, synthesis or the secretion of endocan by human endothelial cells. Endocan is clearly overexpressed in human tumors, with elevated serum levels being observed in late-stage lung cancer patients, as measured by enzyme-linked immunoassay, and with its overexpression in experimental tumors being evident by immunohistochemistry. Recently, the mRNA levels of endocan have also been recognized as being one of the most significant molecular signatures of a bad prognosis in several types of cancer including lung cancer. Overexpression of this dermatan sulphate proteoglycan has also been shown to be directly involved in tumor progression as observed in mouse models of human tumor xenografts. Collectively, these results suggest that endocan could be a biomarker for both inflammatory disorders and tumor progression as well as a validated therapeutic target in cancer. On the basis of the recent successes of immunotherapeutic approaches in cancer, the preclinical data on endocan suggests that an antibody raised against the protein core of endocan could be a promising cancer therapy.

Porphyromonas gingivalis lipopolysaccharide induces shedding of syndecan-1 expressed by gingival epithelial cells

Syndecans are constitutively shed from growing epithelial cells as the part of normal cell surface turnover. However, increased serum levels of the soluble syndecan ectodomain have been reported to occur during bacterial infections. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from the periodontopathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis to induce the shedding of syndecan-1 expressed by human gingival epithelial cells. We showed that the syndecan-1 ectodomain is constitutively shed from the cell surface of human gingival epithelial cells. This constitutive shedding corresponding to the basal level of soluble syndecan-1 ectodomain was significantly increased when cells were stimulated with P. gingivalis LPS and reached a level comparable to that caused by phorbol myristic acid (PMA), an activator of protein kinase C (PKC) which is well known as a shedding agonist. The syndecan-1 shedding was paralleled by pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-1 beta (IL-1beta), IL-6, IL-8, and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) release. Indeed, secretion of IL-1beta and TNF-alpha increased following stimulation by P. gingivalis LPS and PMA, respectively. When recombinant forms of these proteins were added to the cell culture, they induced a concentration-dependent increase in syndecan-1 ectodomain shedding. A treatment with IL-1beta converting enzyme (ICE) specific inhibitor prevented IL-1beta secretion by epithelial cells stimulated by P. gingivalis LPS and decreased the levels of shed syndecan-1 ectodomain. We also observed that PMA and TNF-alpha stimulated matrix metalloproteinase-9 secretion, whereas IL-1beta and P. gingivalis LPS did not. Our results demonstrated that P. gingivalis LPS stimulated syndecan-1 shedding, a phenomenon that may be mediated in part by IL-1beta, leading to an activation of intracellular signaling pathways different from those involved in PMA stimulation.

Changing paradigms in dermatology: tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) blockade in psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis

Psoriasis is an inflammatory T cell-mediated disease characterized by epidermal hyperplasia and parakeratosis, resulting in lesional areas of thick and scaling skin. Elevated levels of proinflammatory cytokines, including TNF-alpha, are found in psoriatic lesions. TNF-alpha has many effects in producing an inflammatory response such as stimulating production of pro-inflammatory molecules (eg, IL-1, IL-6, IL-8, NF-kappaB) and adhesion molecules (eg, ICAM-1, P-selectin, E-selectin). As such, TNF-alpha is a target for immunotherapy in the treatment of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. The role of TNF-alpha in the pathogenesis of psoriasis is reviewed, along with clinical trials demonstrating the efficacy of new anti-TNF-alpha immunobiologics in the treatment of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis.

Inhibition by the soluble syndecan-1 ectodomains delays wound repair in mice overexpressing syndecan-1

Wound repair is a tightly regulated process stimulated by proteases, growth factors, and chemokines, which are modulated by heparan sulfate. To characterize further the role of the heparan sulfate proteoglycan syndecan-1 in wound repair, we generated mice overexpressing syndecan-1 (Snd/Snd) and studied dermal wound repair. Wound closure, reepithelialization, granulation tissue formation, and remodeling were delayed in Snd/Snd mice. Soluble syndecan-1 was increased, and shedding was prolonged in wounds from Snd/Snd mice. Excess syndecan-1 increased the elastolytic activity of wound fluids. Additionally, cells in the granulation tissue and keratinocytes at wound edges showed markedly reduced proliferation rates in Snd/Snd mice. Skin grafting experiments between Snd/Snd and control mice indicated that the slower growth rate was mainly due to a soluble factor in the Snd/Snd mouse skin. Syndecan-1 immunodepletion and further degradation experiments identified syndecan-1 ectodomain as a dominant negative inhibitor of cell proliferation. These studies indicate that shed syndecan-1 ectodomain may enhance proteolytic activity and inhibit cell proliferation during wound repair.

Inflammation- and ischemia-induced shedding of venular glycocalyx

Alterations in the composition of the glycocalyx of venular endothelium in postcapillary venules (rat mesentery) were explored in models of inflammation and ischemia-reperfusion injury. Lectins were covalently linked to fluorescently labeled microspheres (0.1-μm diameter) or directly labeled with FITC. Adhesion of lectins specific for glucose and galactose residues of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) and other components of the endothelial glycocalyx decreased dramatically after superfusion of the mesentery with the chemoattractant N-formylmethionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine and during reperfusion after 60-min ischemia. These reductions were significantly attenuated by superfusion with pertussis toxin (PTX), suggesting that shedding of glycocalyx was mediated by G proteins. Adhesion of microspheres linked with antibody for syndecan-1, a major proteoglycan to which GAGs are bound, revealed increased labeling as GAGs were lost and permitted greater numbers of spheres to adhere to the protein core, which was not shed. Induction of ischemia by occluding proximal microvessels for 60 min resulted in a 40% increase in galactosaminoglycans and a 15% increase in glucosaminoglycans on the endothelium, which was not inhibited by PTX. Reperfusion of vessels led to a rapid loss of GAGs that was inhibited by pretreatment with PTX, with 40% of galactosaminoglycans and 25% of glucosaminoglycans accumulated being removed by G protein-mediated shedding and the remainder freely convected away by fluid shear. We conclude that the composition of the glycocalyx results from a balance of the rate of biosynthesis of GAGs by the endothelial cell and their shedding, which may be mediated by intracellular and/or membrane-bound proteases or lyases released or activated by G protein signaling.

Altered expression of syndecan-1 in prostate cancer

Syndecan-1 is a cell surface heparan sulfate proteoglycan expressed by epithelial cells. It interacts with growth factors, matrix components, and other extracellular proteins, and is thought to be involved in processes such as cell growth, differentiation and adhesion. The expression of syndecan-1 appears generally downregulated in human carcinomas and in experimental cancer models, whereas transfectional expression of syndecan-1 in cultured cancer cells has been shown to inhibit their growth and other aspects of malignant behavior. These findings suggest that analysis of syndecan-1 expression might be of prognostic value in cancer diagnosis, and studies on some carcinomas indeed point to an inverse correlation between syndecan-1 expression and cancer prognosis. So far, little information has been available on the expression of syndecan-1 in human prostate and prostate disease. We have generated and characterized novel antibodies against syndecan-1 and applied them to immunohistochemical staining of specimens representing normal prostate as well as benign and malignant (n=23) prostate disease. The results indicate that syndecan-1 expression is altered but not uniformly absent in prostate cancer, which is in contrast to the expression of high-molecular-weight cytokeratins. The data initially suggest an inverse correlation between syndecan-1 expression and Gleason grade of the tumor, and warrant a larger study to assess the potential prognostic value of analysing syndecan-1 expression in prostate carcinoma.

Signaling in leukocyte transendothelial migration

Under a variety of (patho) physiological conditions, leukocytes will leave the bloodstream by crossing the endothelial monolayer that lines the vessels and migrate into the underlying tissues. It is now clear that the process of extravasation involves a range of adhesion molecules on both leukocytes and endothelial cells, as well as extensive intracellular signaling that drives adhesion and chemotaxis on the one hand and controls a transient modulation of endothelial integrity on the other. We review here the current knowledge of the intracellular signaling pathways that are activated in the context of transendothelial migration in leukocytes and in endothelial cells. In leukocytes, polarization of receptors and of the signaling machinery is of key importance to drive adhesion and directional migration. Subsequent adhesion-induced signaling in endothelial cells, mediated by Rho-like GTPases and reactive oxygen species, induces a transient and focal loss of endothelial cell-cell adhesion to allow transmigration of the leukocyte. This review underscores the notion that we have likely just scratched the surface in revealing the complexity of the signaling that controls leukocyte transendothelial migration.

Increased syndecan expression following myocardial infarction indicates a role in cardiac remodeling

Finsen, Alexandra Vanessa, Per Reidar Woldbaek, Jian Li, Jiaping Wu, Torstein Lyberg, Theis Tonnessen, and Geir Christensen. Increased syndecan expression following myocardial infarction indicates a role in cardiac remodeling. Physiol Genomics 16: 301-308, 2004. First published November 18, 2003; 10.1152/physi-olgenomics. 00144.2002.—The purpose of this study was to identify essential genes involved in myocardial growth and remodeling following myocardial infarction (MI). Left ventricular noninfarcted tissues from six mice subjected to MI under general anesthesia and from six sham-operated mice were obtained 1 wk after primary surgery and analyzed by means of cDNA filter arrays. Out of a total of 1,176 genes, 641 were consistently expressed, twenty-three were upregulated and thirteen downregulated. Five genes were only expressed following MI. Syndecan-3, a transmembranous heparan sulfate proteoglycan, was found to be upregulated together with a transcriptional activator of syndecans, Wilms tumor protein 1 (WT-1). Northern blotting demonstrated a significant upregulation of syndecan-1, -2, -3, and -4, WT-1, fibronectin, and basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF) receptor 1. Furthermore, Western blot analysis showed statistically significant increases in protein levels for syndecan-3 and -4. In conclusion, we have identified a subset of genes with increased expression in noninfarcted left ventricular tissue following MI, including syndecans 1–4, WT-1, fibronectin, collagen 6A, and FGF receptor 1. Since the syndecans link the cytoskeleton to the extracellular matrix and function as required coreceptors for FGF, we suggest a role for the syndecans in cardiac remodeling following MI.

Syndecans in inflammation

Cell surface heparan sulfate (HS) influences a multitude of molecules, cell types, and processes relevant to inflammation. HS binds to cell surface and matrix proteins, cytokines, and chemokines. These interactions modulate inflammatory cell maturation and activation, leukocyte rolling, and tight adhesion to endothelium, as well as extravasation and chemotaxis. The syndecan family of transmembrane proteoglycans is the major source of cell surface HS on all cell types. Recent in vitro and in vivo data suggest the involvement of syndecans in the modulation of leukocyte-endothelial interactions and extravasation, the formation of chemokine and kininogen gradients, participation in chemokine and growth factor signaling, as well as repair processes. Thus, the complex role of HS in inflammation is reflected by multiple functions of its physiological carriers, the syndecans. Individual and common functions of the four mammalian syndecan family members can be distinguished. Recently generated transgenic and knockout mouse models will facilitate analysis of the individual processes that each syndecan is involved in.

Cell surface heparan sulfate proteoglycans: target and partners of the basic fibroblast growth factor in rat Sertoli cells

Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) regulates diversified biological functions in rat Sertoli cells. This report demonstrates that bFGF inhibits steroidogenesis in developing rat Sertoli cells. Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH)-stimulated estradiol production was reduced by bFGF. Moreover, the amount of cytochrome P450 aromatase, responsible for the irreversible transformation of androgens into estrogens, is decreased by bFGF at the transcriptional level. The bFGF inhibitory effect was also observed in the presence of dibutyryl-cAMP, cholera toxin or RO-20-1724, all inducing high levels of cAMP, the second messenger of FSH. Heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) were shown to be required as cofactors for bFGF signaling. Indeed, sodium chlorate, described to drastically decrease proteoglycan sulfation, abolishes the bFGF downregulation of FSH-stimulated estradiol synthesis previously observed. Glypican-1, syndecan-1 and -4, potential bFGF coreceptors, are mainly regulated at the transcriptional level. This report shows that the bFGF regulation of their expression specifically depends on the nature of HSPG and of the Sertoli cell developmental stage. In conclusion, HSPG are partners and the target of bFGF in rat Sertoli cells.

Immunotherapy of multiple myeloma

The failure of chemotherapy to cure a significant proportion of multiple myeloma (MM) patients and increasing knowledge of tumor immunology and MM biology have generated considerable interest in immunotherapy for this lethal disease. Immunotherapy for MM can be divided into three broad categories: passive antibody-mediated immunotherapy, active specific immunization (vaccination), and adoptive T-cell immunotherapy. Early clinical trials using anti-CD20 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) have met with limited success so far but have also suggested that selected patient subgroups may benefit from this treatment. The availability of a truly tumor-specific antigen such as immunoglobulin idiotype, the recent demonstration that MM cells process and present idiotype to T lymphocytes, and formal evidence of an antitumor effect of idiotypic vaccination in follicular lymphoma provide the framework for applying idiotypic vaccination in MM. The ability to generate ex vivo functional dendritic cells has made it possible to fuse them with patients' MM cells, thus producing a different type of customized vaccine. Dendritic cells are also a pivotal reagent to generate ex vivo MM-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) to be reinfused into the patient for adoptive immunotherapy. This review summarizes achievements in MM immunotherapy based on data reported since 1998.

Growth factors and cytokines modulate gene expression of cell-surface proteoglycans in human periodontal ligament cells

Cell-surface proteoglycans have been known to be involved in many functions including interactions with components of the extracellular microenvironment, and act as co-receptors which bind and modify the action of various growth factors and cytokines. The purpose of this study was to determine the regulation by growth factors and cytokines on cell-surface proteoglycan gene expression in cultured human periodontal ligament (PDL) cells. Subconfluent, quiescent PDL cells were treated with various concentrations of serum, bFGF, PDGF-BB, TGF-beta1, IL-beta1, and IFN-gamma. RT-PCR technique was used, complemented with Northern blot for syndecan-1, to examine the effects of these agents on the mRNA expression of five cell-surface proteoglycans (syndecan-1, syndecan-2, syndecan-4, glypican and betaglycan). Syndecan-1 mRNA levels increased in response to serum, bFGF and PDGF-BB, but decreased in response to TGF-beta1, IL-1beta and IFN-gamma. In contrast, syndecan-2 mRNA levels were upregulated by TGF-beta1 and IL-1beta stimulation, but remained unchanged with the other agents. Betaglycan gene expression decreased in response to serum, but was upregulated by TGF-beta1 and unchanged by the other stimulants. Additionally, syndecan-4 and glypican were not significantly altered in response to the regulator molecules studied, with the exception that glypican is decreased in response to IFN-gamma. These data demonstrate that the gene expression of the five cell-surface proteoglycans studied is differentially regulated in PDL cells lending support to the notion of distinct functions for these cell-surface proteoglycans.

Functions of cell surface heparan sulfate proteoglycans

The heparan sulfate on the surface of all adherent cells modulates the actions of a large number of extracellular ligands. Members of both cell surface heparan sulfate proteoglycan families, the transmembrane syndecans and the glycosylphosphoinositide-linked glypicans, bind these ligands and enhance formation of their receptor-signaling complexes. These heparan sulfate proteoglycans also immobilize and regulate the turnover of ligands that act at the cell surface. The extracellular domains of these proteoglycans can be shed from the cell surface, generating soluble heparan sulfate proteoglycans that can inhibit interactions at the cell surface. Recent analyses of genetic defects in Drosophila melanogaster, mice, and humans confirm most of these activities in vivo and identify additional processes that involve cell surface heparan sulfate proteoglycans. This chapter focuses on the mechanisms underlying these activities and on the cellular functions that they regulate.

Transcriptional regulation of Syndecan-1 expression by growth factors

Syndecan-1 is a prototype member of a family of transmembrane heparan sulfate proteoglycans. Syndecan-1 binds extracellular matrix components and fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) and modifies the function of FGFs. Syndecan-1 is constitutively expressed by several epithelial cells, but expression is also induced during many biological phenomena, such as tissue regeneration and the epithelial-mesenchymal interactions during organ development. Growth factors have been the prime candidates to induce syndecan-1 expression in these situations. In fibroblasts syndecan-1 is induced by FGF-2 and in keratinocytes by epidermal growth factor (EGF) and keratinocyte growth factor (KGF). The search for cis-acting elements regulating the growth factor-induced syndecan-1 expression has led to identification of a novel FGF-inducible response element (FiRE). FiRE is activated in fibroblasts and keratinocytes by the same growth factors that induce syndecan-1 expression in these cells. In adult tissues the activation of FiRE is restricted to migrating keratinocytes of healing wounds. The composition of the transcription factor binding to FiRE differs depending on the cell type and the activating growth factor. The FiRE provides a powerful tool for studies on growth factor specificity and regeneration of tissues. Moreover, it implies a novel transcriptional link that creates an FGF action-controlling autoregulatory loop between the heparan sulfate proteoglycans and the heparin-binding FGFs.

Heparin, cell adhesion, and pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease

Tissue repair involves a close interplay between growth factors and cell adhesion molecules. The normal healing process may be disrupted by pathophysiological states such as inflammation, due to loss of growth factors, cell adhesion molecules, or both, which results in a reduced rate of healing. Such events may occur in inflammatory bowel disease during mucosal restitution. We postulate that the beneficial response to heparin observed in inflammatory bowel disease may result from mechanisms in addition to anticoagulation. These include the restoration of high-affinity receptor binding by antiulcerogenic growth factors, such as basic fibroblast growth factor, that normally rely on the presence of heparan sulphate proteoglycans, such as syndecan-1, as co-receptors. Loss of syndecan-1 has been observed in the ulcerated mucosa of patients with inflammatory bowel disease. This loss may lead to impaired binding of basic fibroblast growth factor and a reduced rate of ulcer healing. We suggest that heparin restores high-affinity receptor binding of basic fibroblast growth, and so increases the rate of mucosal recovery.

Myocyte-dependent regulation of endothelial cell syndecan-4 expression. Role of TNF-alpha

Syndecan-4 is a unique member of the syndecan gene family that has the ability to bind and activate protein kinase C-alpha. Whereas increased syndecan-4 levels have been noted in ischemic hearts, little is known regarding the regulation of its expression. To investigate the role of cardiac myocytes in induction of syndecan-4 expression, human endothelial cells (ECV304) were exposed to a medium conditioned by primary mouse cardiac myocytes or H9c2 cells. The medium conditioned by hypoxic but not normal myocytes was able to induce syndecan-4 expression in ECV cells. Western analysis of the conditioned medium demonstrated an increased presence of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) in the medium conditioned by hypoxic but not normal myoblasts. Primary cardiac myocytes collected from the wild type C57/129 but not the homozygous TNF-alpha-/- knockout mice were able to induce syndecan-4 expression in ECV cells when cultured under hypoxic conditions. In vitro studies demonstrated that TNF-alpha induced endothelial cell syndecan-4 expression by both increasing syndecan-4 gene expression in an NF-kappaB-dependent manner and by prolonging syndecan-4 mRNA half-life. We conclude that TNF-alpha is the principal factor produced by the ischemic myocytes that is responsible for induction of endothelial cell syndecan-4 expression and that this requires both transcriptional and posttranscriptional mechanisms.

Temporal sequence of transcription of perforin, Fas ligand, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha genes in rejecting skin allografts

BACKGROUND

Perforin, Fas ligand (FasL), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) have been implicated in cytolytic T lymphocyte (CTL) effector function. However, the relative roles of these effector molecules in allograft rejection are unclear, and there has been no rigorous quantitation of transcription of the respective genes throughout the period from transplantation to rejection.

METHODS

We orthotopically transplanted mouse tail skin allografts and estimated the numbers of transcripts of these genes expressed by graft-infiltrating T cells with rigorous quantitative, competitive reverse transcribed PCR (QC-RT-PCR) that enabled the comparison of transcription of different genes.

RESULTS

Perforin and FasL mRNA levels correlated closely with the rejection of allografts by normal hosts over the 4 days preceding rejection. Antibody-mediated depletion of host CD4+ T cells retarded perforin transcription and significantly suppressed FasL transcription, suggesting FasL was not required for allograft rejection. TNF-alpha transcription was the highest of these genes in this time period, but these levels were dwarfed by TNF-alpha transcription at 24 hr posttransplant when transcription in both autografts and allografts was 30-fold higher than in allografts on the day before rejection. Elimination of the function of these single or paired genes through genetic mutation or antibody treatment had no significant effect on the speed of rejection.

CONCLUSIONS

The levels of perforin and FasL transcription appeared to be related to the process of allograft rejection in normal hosts. However, TNF-alpha transcription was highest during the posttransplant period suggesting that the principal role of TNF-alpha is in wound-healing rather than the effector phase of rejection.

Transcriptional and posttranscriptional regulation of proteoglycan gene expression

Proteoglycans are among the most complex and sophisticated molecules of mammalian systems in terms of their protein and carbohydrate moieties. These macromolecules are in a continuous interplay with each other and the cell surface signal-transducing pathways, some of which are beginning to be elucidated. Because of their domain structure, catalytic potential, and diversity, these molecules appear to be designed for integrating numerous signaling events. For example, some proteoglycans interact with hyaluronan and lectins, thereby linking cell surfaces and distant matrix molecules. Some interact with collagen during the complex process of fibrillogenesis and regulate this biological process fundamental to animal life. Others interact with growth factors and serve as depot available during growth or tissue remodeling. In this review, we center on the most recent developments of proteoglycan biology, focusing primarily on genomic organization and transcriptional and posttranscriptional control. We discuss only those proteoglycans whose gene and promoter elements have been characterized and proved to be functional. When possible, we correlate the effects of growth factors and cytokines on proteoglycan gene expression with the topology of cis-acting elements in their genomic control regions. The analysis leads to a comprehensive critical appraisal of the principles that underlie the regulation of proteoglycan gene expression and to the delineation of common regulatory mechanisms.

Autoregulation of angiogenesis by cells of the vessel wall

The cells of the vessel wall can regulate angiogenesis by producing growth factors, proteolytic enzymes, extracellular matrix components, cell adhesion molecules, and vasoactive factors. This property enables preexisting blood vessels to generate new vessels in the absence of exogenous angiogenic stimuli. Vascular autoregulation of angiogenesis can be studied by culturing rat aortic or venous explants in collagen gels under serum-free conditions. In this system, the combined effect of injury and exposure of explants to collagen triggers a self-limited angiogenic response. Interactions among endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells, and fibroblasts play a critical role in the regulation of this process. This chapter reviews the literature on angiogenesis, focusing on the vessel wall as a highly specialized and plastic tissue capable of regenerating itself through autocrine, paracrine, and juxtacrine mechanisms.

Collagenase-1, stromelysin-1 and 92 kDa gelatinase are associated with tumor necrosis factor-alpha induced morphological change of human endothelial cells in vitro

Recently, we have shown that the tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha)-induced morphological change of EA.hy 926 human endothelial cells is associated with a decrease in the net synthesis of two proteoglycans (PGs), biglycan and syndecan-1, both of which have been suggested to play a role in cell adhesion. Here we have examined whether this phenotypic modulation of EA.hy 926 cells also involves altered expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) or their tissue inhibitors (TIMPs). We demonstrate that, when forming cobblestone-like monolayer cultures, these cells express and synthesize collagenase-1 (MMP-1), stromelysin-1 (MMP-3) and 72 kDa (MMP-2) and 92 kDa (MMP-9) gelatinases, all of which have previously been found in either normal or pathological human vascular wall. EA.hy 926 cells also express membrane-typel MMP (MT1-MMP), but not matrilysin (MMP-7) and collagenase-3 (MMP-13). As regards TIMPs, we show that these cells express TIMP-1 and TIMP-2, but not TIMP-3 or TIMP-4. Exposure of the cells to TNF-alpha changed the cell morphology from a polygonal shape into a spindle shape and also increased the mRNA levels of MMP-1, MMP-3 and MMP-9, but slightly decreased the MMP-2 mRNA level. No change at the mRNA level of MT1-MMP was observed. Similarly to unstimulated cultures, no mRNA for MMP-7 or MMP-13 was detected in the TNF-alpha treated cultures. TNF-alpha had no effect on the TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 mRNA levels and did not induce TIMP-3 or TIMP-4 expression. Gelatin zymography and Western blot analysis revealed that the increase observed at the mRNA level of MMP-3 and MMP-9 was similar to that of their net protein level; furthermore, the active form of MMP-1 was induced. Our results indicate that the TNF-alpha-induced morphological change of EA.hy 926 cells is associated not only with specific changes in the expression of PGs by the cells, but also with specific changes in the expression of MMPs.

Syndecans: multifunctional cell-surface co-receptors

This review will summarize our current state of knowledge of the structure, biochemical properties and functions of syndecans, a family of transmembrane heparan sulphate proteoglycans. Syndecans bind a variety of extracellular ligands via their covalently attached heparan sulphate chains. Syndecans have been proposed to play a role in a variety of cellular functions, including cell proliferation and cell-matrix and cell-cell adhesion. Syndecan expression is highly regulated and is cell-type- and developmental-stage-specific. The main function of syndecans appears to be to modulate the ligand-dependent activation of primary signalling receptors at the cell surface. Principal functions of the syndecan core proteins are to target the heparan sulphate chains to the appropriate plasma-membrane compartment and to interact with components of the actin-based cytoskeleton. Several functions of the syndecans, including syndecan oligomerization and actin cytoskeleton association, have been localized to specific structural domains of syndecan core proteins.

Syndecan-1 expression is down-regulated during myoblast terminal differentiation. Modulation by growth factors and retinoic acid

Syndecan-1 is an integral membrane proteoglycan involved in the interaction of cells with extracellular matrix proteins and growth factors. It is transiently expressed in several condensing mesenchymal tissues after epithelial induction. In this study we evaluated the expression of syndecan-1 during skeletal muscle differentiation. The expression of syndecan-1 as determined by Northern blot analyses and immunofluorescence microscopy is down-regulated during differentiation. The transcriptional activity of a syndecan-1 promoter construct is also down-regulated in differentiating muscle cells. The decrease in syndecan-1 gene expression is not dependent on the presence of E-boxes, binding sites for the MyoD family of transcription factors in the promoter region, or myogenin expression. Deletion of the region containing the E-boxes or treatment of differentiating cells with sodium butyrate, an inhibitor of myogenin expression, had no effect on syndecan-1 expression. Basic fibroblast growth factor and transforming growth factor type beta, which are inhibitors of myogenesis, had little effect on syndecan-1 expression. When added together, however, they induced syndecan-1 expression. Retinoic acid, an inducer of myogenesis, inhibited syndecan-1 expression and abolished the effect of the growth factors. These results indicate that syndecan-1 expression is down-regulated during myogenesis and that growth factors and retinoic acid modulate syndecan-1 expression by a mechanism that is independent of myogenin.

Expression of small extracellular chondroitin/dermatan sulfate proteoglycans is differentially regulated in human endothelial cells

We have examined the expression of the small extracellular chondroitin/dermatan sulfate proteoglycans (CS/DS PGs), biglycan, decorin, and PG-100, which is the proteoglycan form of colony stimulating factor-1, in the human endothelial cell line EA.hy 926. We have also examined whether modulation of the phenotype of EA.hy 926 cells by tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) is associated with specific changes in the synthesis of these PGs. We demonstrate that EA.hy 926 cells, when they form monolayer cultures typical of macrovascular endothelial cells, express and synthesize detectable amounts of biglycan and PG-100, but not decorin. On SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis both PGs behave like proteins of the relative molecular weight of approximately 250,000. TNF-alpha that changed the morphology of the cells from a polygonal shape into a spindle shape and that also stimulated the detachment of the cells from culture dish, markedly decreased the net synthesis of biglycan, whereas the net synthesis of PG-100 was increased. These changes were parallel with those observed at the mRNA level of the corresponding PGs. The proportions of the different sulfated CS/DS disaccharide units of PGs were not affected by TNF-alpha. Several other growth factors/cytokines, such as interferon-gamma, fibroblast growth factors-2 (FGF-2) and -7 (FGF-7), interleukin-1beta, and transforming growth factor-beta, unlike TNF-alpha, modulated neither the morphology nor the biglycan expression of EA.hy 926 cells under the conditions used in the experiments. However, PG-100 expression was increased also in response to FGF-2 and -7 and transforming growth factor-beta. None of the above cytokines, including TNF-alpha, was able to induce decorin expression in the cells. Our results indicate that the regulatory elements controlling the expression of the small extracellular CS/DS PGs in human endothelial cells are different.