Recombinant expression and properties of the human calcium-binding extracellular matrix protein BM-40

The Tumor Microenvironment: Focus on Extracellular Matrix

The extracellular matrix (ECM) regulates the development and maintains tissue homeostasis. The ECM is composed of a complex network of molecules presenting distinct biochemical properties to regulate cell growth, survival, motility, and differentiation. Among their components, proteoglycans (PGs) are considered one of the main components of ECM. Its composition, biomechanics, and anisotropy are exquisitely tuned to reflect the physiological state of the tissue. The loss of ECM's homeostasis is seen as one of the hallmarks of cancer and, typically, defines transitional events in tumor progression and metastasis. In this chapter, we discuss the types of proteoglycans and their roles in cancer. It has been observed that the amount of some ECM components is increased, while others are decreased, depending on the type of tumor. However, both conditions corroborate with tumor progression and malignancy. Therefore, ECM components have an increasingly important role in carcinogenesis and this leads us to believe that their understanding may be a key in the discovery of new anti-tumor therapies. In this book, the main ECM components will be discussed in more detail in each chapter.

Production and purification of recombinant human SPARC

The matricellular protein SPARC (secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine, also known as osteonectin or as BM-40) is a collagen-binding protein with a capacity to induce cell rounding and influence proliferation in cultured cells. In mice that do not express SPARC, fibrillar collagen is reduced in some adult tissues; notably, a reduction in fibrosis is reported in response to fibrotic stimuli in lungs, heart, skin, liver, and in the eye. Recently, mutations in the gene encoding SPARC were found in patients afflicted with osteogenesis imperfecta. Thus, SPARC appears to be a critical mediator of collagen deposition and assembly in tissues. A useful tool for assessing the function of SPARC in ECM assembly is a source of purified recombinant SPARC. Outlined in this chapter is a brief discussion of different strategies for generating recombinant SPARC and an experimental strategy for producing and purifying human recombinant SPARC driven by baculoviral expression in insect cells.

Identification of a Novel TGF-β-Binding Site in the Zona Pellucida C-terminal (ZP-C) Domain of TGF-β-Receptor-3 (TGFR-3)

The zona pellucida (ZP) domain is present in extracellular proteins such as the zona pellucida proteins and tectorins and participates in the formation of polymeric protein networks. However, the ZP domain also occurs in the cytokine signaling co-receptor transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) receptor type 3 (TGFR-3, also known as betaglycan) where it contributes to cytokine ligand recognition. Currently it is unclear how the ZP domain architecture enables this dual functionality. Here, we identify a novel major TGF-β-binding site in the FG loop of the C-terminal subdomain of the murine TGFR-3 ZP domain (ZP-C) using protein crystallography, limited proteolysis experiments, surface plasmon resonance measurements and synthetic peptides. In the murine 2.7 Å crystal structure that we are presenting here, the FG-loop is disordered, however, well-ordered in a recently reported homologous rat ZP-C structure. Surprisingly, the adjacent external hydrophobic patch (EHP) segment is registered differently in the rat and murine structures suggesting that this segment only loosely associates with the remaining ZP-C fold. Such a flexible and temporarily-modulated association of the EHP segment with the ZP domain has been proposed to control the polymerization of ZP domain-containing proteins. Our findings suggest that this flexibility also extends to the ZP domain of TGFR-3 and might facilitate co-receptor ligand interaction and presentation via the adjacent FG-loop. This hints that a similar C-terminal region of the ZP domain architecture possibly regulates both the polymerization of extracellular matrix proteins and cytokine ligand recognition of TGFR-3.

SPARC fusion protein induces cellular adhesive signaling

Secreted protein, acidic and rich in cysteine (SPARC) has been described as a counteradhesive matricellular protein with a diversity of biological functions associated with morphogenesis, remodeling, cellular migration, and proliferation. We have produced mouse SPARC with a FLAG-tag at the N-terminus of SPARC (Flag-SPARC, FSP) in a Bac-to-Bac baculoviral expression system. After affinity purification, this procedure yields SPARC of high purity, with an electrophoretic mobility of ∼44 kDa under reducing conditions, and ∼38–39 kDa under non-reducing conditions. Unexpectedly, FSP adsorbed to plastic supported cell attachment and spreading, in a calcium-dependent manner. The adhesive activity of native FSP was inhibited by prior incubation with anti-SPARC IgG. Cell adhesion to FSP induced the formation of filopodia and lamellipodia but not focal adhesions that were prominent on cells that were attached to fibronectin. In addition, FSP induced the tyrosine phosphorylation of FAK and paxillin in attached epithelial cells. Erk1/2 and Rac were also activated in cells attached to FSP, but at a lower level in comparison to cells on fibronectin. This study provides new insight into the biological functions of SPARC, a matricellular protein with important roles in cell-extracellualr matrix interactions.

Deletion of Fn14 receptor protects from right heart fibrosis and dysfunction

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a fatal disease for which no cure is yet available. The leading cause of death in PAH is right ventricular (RV) failure. Previously, the TNF receptor superfamily member fibroblast growth factor-inducible molecule 14 (Fn14) has been associated with different fibrotic diseases. However, so far there is no study demonstrating a causal role for endogenous Fn14 signaling in RV or LV heart disease. The purpose of this study was to determine whether global ablation of Fn14 prevents RV fibrosis and remodeling improving heart function. Here, we provide evidence for a causative role of Fn14 in pulmonary artery banding (PAB)-induced RV fibrosis and dysfunction in mice. Fn14 expression was increased in the RV after PAB. Mice lacking Fn14 (Fn14^−/−) displayed substantially reduced RV fibrosis and dysfunction following PAB compared to wild-type littermates. Cell culture experiments demonstrated that activation of Fn14 induces collagen expression via RhoA-dependent nuclear translocation of myocardin-related transcription factor-A (MRTF-A)/MAL. Furthermore, activation of Fn14 in vitro caused fibroblast proliferation and myofibroblast differentiation, which corresponds to suppression of PAB-induced RV fibrosis in Fn14^−/− mice. Moreover, our findings suggest that Fn14 expression is regulated by endothelin-1 (ET-1) in cardiac fibroblasts. We conclude that Fn14 is an endogenous key regulator in cardiac fibrosis and suggest this receptor as potential new target for therapeutic interventions in heart failure.

Mapping of SPARC/BM-40/osteonectin-binding sites on fibrillar collagens

The 33-kDa matrix protein SPARC (BM-40, osteonectin) binds several collagen types with moderate affinity. The collagen-binding site resides in helix alphaA of the extracellular calcium-binding domain of SPARC and is partially masked by helix alphaC. Previously, we found that the removal of helix alphaC caused a 10-fold increase in the affinity of SPARC for collagen, and we identified amino acids crucial for binding by site-directed mutagenesis. In this study, we used rotary shadowing, CNBr peptides, and synthetic peptides to map binding sites of SPARC onto collagens I, II, and III. Rotary shadowing and electron microscopy of SPARC-collagen complexes identified a major binding site approximately 180 nm from the C terminus of collagen. SPARC binding was also detected with lower frequency near the matrix metalloproteinase cleavage site. These data fit well with our analysis of SPARC binding to CNBr peptides, denaturation of which abolished binding, indicating triple-helical conformation of collagen to be essential. SPARC binding was substantially decreased in two of seven alpha2(I) mutant procollagen I samples and after N-acetylation of Lys/Hyl side chains in wild-type collagen. Synthetic peptides of collagen III were used to locate the binding sites, and we found SPARC binding activity in a synthetic triple-helical peptide containing the sequence GPOGPSGPRGQOGVMGFOGPKGNDGAO (where O indicates 4-hydroxyproline), with affinity for SPARC comparable with that of procollagen III. This sequence is conserved among alpha chains of collagens I, II, III, and V. In vitro collagen fibrillogenesis was delayed in the presence of SPARC, suggesting that SPARC might modulate collagen fibril assembly in vivo.

A role for human Sp alpha as a pattern recognition receptor

Human Sp alpha is a soluble protein belonging to group B of the scavenger receptor cysteine-rich (SRCR) superfamily for which little functional information is available. It is expressed by macrophages present in lymphoid tissues (spleen, lymph node, thymus, and bone marrow), and it binds to myelomonocytic and lymphoid cells, which suggests that it may play an important role in the regulation of the innate and adaptive immune systems. In the present study we show that recombinant human Sp alpha (rSp alpha) binds to the surface of several gram-positive and gram-negative bacterial strains. Competition studies indicated that such binding is mediated by the recognition of lipoteichoic acid (LTA) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS), respectively, through nonoverlapping sites on the Sp alpha molecule. The most conserved part of LPS (2-keto-3-deoxyoctulosonic acid and lipid A) was shown to be involved in the recognition by Sp alpha. Bacterial binding studies using the SRCR domain 1 of Sp alpha showed that this domain retains both the LPS and LTA binding activities, indicating that both bacterial interacting sites are retained in a single SRCR domain. Furthermore, rSp alpha induced aggregation of gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria strains. On the other hand, rSp alpha inhibited tumor necrosis factor-alpha secretion by human monocytes stimulated with LPS or LTA. Binding of Sp alpha to conserved components of bacterial surfaces and modulation of the monocyte response indicate that this molecule is an active constituent of the innate immune response of the host.

Spreading of embryologically distinct urothelial cells is inhibited by SPARC

The AON epitope of secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine (SPARC) is a conserved motif expressed by human SPARC in a variety of human cell types. Through the use of a monoclonal antibody that recognizes this epitope, transitional epithelium was found to restrict expression of SPARC to the suprabasal and intermediate layer. Such intracellular expression was defined by immunoreactive signals that localized to the apical plasma membranes of suprabasal and intermediate cells. Polarization of SPARC to apical plasma membranes of suprabasal cells was retained in vitro by a subpopulation of cells that exhibited characteristics of suprabasal cells--cell-cycle quiescence, large cell volumes, and multiple nuclei. In contrast, the basal layer of transitional epithelium in vivo and cycling cells in vitro did not exhibit this apical staining pattern, but instead sequestered the SPARC polypeptide within urothelial cytoplasm and/or nuclei, as revealed by immunohistochemical analysis. Elution of soluble proteins and DNA from urothelial cells revealed the presence of SPARC within the nuclear matrix--and that SPARC colocalized with the nuclear matrix Ki-67 antigen. rSPARC activity was demonstrated and quantified with a rounding assay whereby the spreading of freshly plated cells was inhibited by recombinant SPARC in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. Inhibition of spreading was observed in urothelial cells derived from endoderm (bladder) and mesoderm (ureter) germ layers. Statistically significant differences were seen between urothelial cells from these two layers. Mesodermal cells recovered more slowly from the inhibitory effects of rSPARC, such that at hour 6 endodermal cells underwent significantly more spreading, as shown by a rounding index (RI). These experiments provide new insights about the matricellular trafficking of SPARC and suggest that intra- and extra-cellular localization patterns influence the development, homeostasis, and differentiation of transitional epithelium.

Biochemical characterization of recombinant and circulating human Spalpha

Human Spalpha is a soluble protein expressed by macrophages present in lymphoid tissues (spleen, lymph node, thymus, and bone marrow), for which little functional and structural information is available. It belongs to the group B of the scavenger receptor cysteine-rich superfamily (SRCR-SF) that includes the lymphocyte surface receptors CD5 and CD6 among others. Spalpha is able to bind to different cells of the immune system (monocytes and lymphocytes), which suggests that it may play an important role in the regulation of this system. To study Spalpha, an episomal mammalian expression system (pCEP-Pu/HEK 293-EBNA) was used to produce a recombinant form (rSpalpha) that was utilized for biochemical studies and for the generation of specific hybridomas. Four monoclonal antibodies were selected for their reactivity against rSpalpha by Western blot, immunoprecipitation, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. The monoclonal antibodies recognized three different epitopes on Spalpha. The monoclonal antibodies revealed the existence of two Spalpha isoforms of 38 and 40 kDa, resulting from different sialic acid content. They also showed that Spalpha is a relatively abundant serum protein (60 micro g/ml) that mostly circulates in association with other serum proteins. Accordingly, rSpalpha allowed affinity chromatography isolation of polyclonal and monoclonal immunoglobulin M (IgM). These data indicate that Spalpha is a circulating protein that may play a role in the homeostasis of IgM antibodies.

Relevance of CD6-Mediated Interactions in T Cell Activation and Proliferation

CD6 is a cell surface receptor expressed on immature thymocytes and mature T and B1a lymphocytes. The ultimate function of CD6 has not been deciphered yet, but much evidence supports a role for CD6 in T cell activation and differentiation. In this study, we show that a fraction of CD6 molecules physically associates with the TCR/CD3 complex by coimmunoprecipitation, cocapping, and fluorescence resonance energy transfer experiments. Image analysis of Ag-specific T-APC conjugates demonstrated that CD6 and its ligand, activated leukocyte cell adhesion molecule (CD166), colocalize with TCR/CD3 at the center of the immunological synapse, the so-called central supramolecular activation cluster. The addition of a soluble rCD6 form significantly reduced the number of mature Ag-specific T-APC conjugates, indicating that CD6 mediates early cell-cell interactions needed for immunological synapse maturation to proceed. This was in agreement with the dose-dependent inhibition of CD3-mediated T cell proliferation induced by soluble rCD6. Taken together, our data illustrate the important role played by the intra- and intercellular molecular interactions mediated by CD6 during T cell activation and proliferation processes.

Characterization of assembly of recombinant type IV collagen α3, α4, and α5 chains in transfected cell strains

BACKGROUND

Alport syndrome is caused by mutations in type IV collagen alpha3, alpha4, and alpha5 genes. Immunohistochemical analyses of kidney sections from normal individuals and Alport syndrome patients have suggested that the alpha3(IV), alpha4(IV), and alpha5(IV) chains form a heterotrimer in the glomerular basement membrane (GBM) and that a defect in any one of the chains disrupts the assembly of the three chains, resulting in Alport syndrome.

METHODS

We established stable transformants of HEK293 cells that expressed mouse alpha3(IV) and/or alpha4(IV) and/or alpha5(IV) chains. Using cell extracts and culture media of these cells, experiments were performed to determine whether or not the alpha3(IV) and alpha4(IV) chains were coimmunoprecipitated with the alpha5(IV) chain. Moreover, we examined complex formation of mutant alpha5(IV) chain containing either a deletion or substitution mutation with the alpha3(IV) and alpha4(IV) chains.

RESULTS

The established cell strains were named according to their transfected alpha(IV) chains. The alpha3(IV) and alpha4(IV) chains were coimmunoprecipitated with the alpha5(IV) chain in alpha345 cells but not in alpha35 and alpha45 cells. These chains were not coimmunoprecipitated with the alpha5(IV) chain, which lacked either a collagenous domain or NC1 domain. The ability of the alpha5(IV) chain with either a G1182R or C1573R substitution, corresponding to previously reported mutations in Alport syndrome patients, to form a complex with alpha3(IV) and alpha4(IV) chains was diminished.

CONCLUSION

The findings indicate that alpha3(IV), alpha4(IV), and alpha5(IV) chains form a complex, which is a heterotrimer, and that a defect in complex formation might be one of the molecular mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of Alport syndrome.

Expression of the nidogen-binding site of the laminin gamma1 chain disturbs basement membrane formation and maintenance in F9 embryoid bodies

Basement membranes contain two major molecular networks consisting of laminin and collagen IV. Previous antibody perturbation experiments suggest that the interaction between laminin and nidogen-1 is necessary for proper basement membrane formation and epithelial development, whereas results from gene ablation experiments in mice show that both basement membranes and general development are grossly normal in the absence of nidogen-1. To refine the perturbation approach, we produced F9-teratocarcinoma-cell-derived embryoid bodies in the presence of recombinantly expressed nidogen-binding sites localized within the gamma1III3-5 laminin fragment. We found basement membranes were disrupted in gamma1III3-5-expressing embryoid bodies. As a measurement of basement membrane function, we tested permeability and detected drastically increased diffusion rates in correlation with basement membrane disruption. Furthermore, TROMA-1 localization in embryoid bodies expressing the nidogen-binding site was altered, suggesting separation of epithelium-specific gene expression from the formation of the actual epithelium when occurring in the absence of an organized basement membrane.

Doxycycline-inducible expression of SPARC/Osteonectin/BM40 in MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cells results in growth inhibition

SPARC (secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine)/BM40/Osteonectin is a matricellular protein with multiple effects on cell behaviour. In vitro, its major known functions are anti-adhesive and anti-proliferative, and it is associated with tissue remodelling and cancer in vivo. SPARC is overexpressed in many cancers, including breast cancer, and the effects of SPARC seem to be cell type-specific. To study the effects of SPARC on breast cancer, we transfected SPARC into the MDA-MB-231 BAG, human breast cancer cell line using the Tet-On inducible system. By western analysis, we found low background levels in the MDA-MB-231 BAG and clone X parental cells, and prominent induction of SPARC protein expression after doxycycline treatment in SPARC transfected clones X5, X21, X24 and X75. Induction of SPARC expression did not affect cell morphology or adhesiveness to collagens type I and IV, but it slowed the rate of proliferation in adherent cultures. Cell cycle analysis showed that SPARC slowed the progression to S phase. Doxycycline induction of SPARC also slowed the rate of monolayer wound closure in the cultured wound healing assay. Thymidine inhibition of proliferation abrogated this effect, confirming that it was due to anti-proliferation rather than inhibition of migration. Consistent with this, we were unable to detect any differences in migration and Matrigel outgrowth analysis of doxycycline-stimulated cells. We conclude that SPARC is inhibitory to human breast cancer cell proliferation, and does not stimulate migration, in contrast to its stimulatory effects reported for melanoma (proliferation and migration) and glioma (migration) cells. Similar growth repression by SPARC has been reported for ovarian cancer cells, and this may be a common feature among carcinomas.

The type XIII collagen ectodomain is a 150-nm rod and capable of binding to fibronectin, nidogen-2, perlecan, and heparin

Type XIII collagen consists of a short N-terminal intracellular domain, a transmembrane domain, and a collagenous ectodomain, and it is found at many sites of cell adhesion. We report on the characterization of recombinant type XIII collagen. The shed ectodomain was purified from insect cell culture medium and shown to form 240-kDa trimers with a T(m) of 42 degrees C. Correct chain association into a triple-helical conformation was confirmed by limited pepsin digestion and CD spectroscopy. Rotary shadowing electron microscopy of the ectodomain revealed it to be a 150-nm rod with two flexible hinges separating 31-, 52-, and 68-nm portions. The rods represent the collagenous domains 1-3, and the hinges coincide with the non-collagenous domains 2 and 3. By using surface plasmon resonance analysis, the ectodomain showed interaction with immobilized fibronectin, nidogen-2, and perlecan with K(D) values in the nanomolar range. The binding sites of type XIII collagen for fibronectin were localized to the collagenous domains, whereas the binding activities for nidogen-2 and perlecan resided in the pepsin-sensitive portions of the ectodomain. Furthermore, the ectodomain bound significantly to heparin, which also inhibited shedding of the ectodomain in insect cell cultures. The results reveal that type XIII collagen is notably distinct in its structure compared with other cell-surface proteins, and the in vitro binding with fibronectin, heparin, and two basement membrane components is indicative of multiple cell-matrix interactions in which this ubiquitously expressed protein participates.

The leucine-rich repeat protein PRELP binds perlecan and collagens and may function as a basement membrane anchor

PRELP (proline arginine-rich end leucine-rich repeat protein) is a heparin-binding leucine-rich repeat protein in connective tissue extracellular matrix. In search of natural ligands and biological functions of this molecule, we found that PRELP binds the basement membrane heparan sulfate proteoglycan perlecan. Also, recombinant perlecan domains I and V carrying heparan sulfate bound PRELP, whereas other domains without glycosaminoglycan substitution did not. Heparin, but not chondroitin sulfate, inhibited the interactions. Glycosaminoglycan-free recombinant perlecan domain V and mutated domain I did not bind PRELP. The dissociation constants of the PRELP-perlecan interactions were in the range of 3-18 nm as determined by surface plasmon resonance. As expected, truncated PRELP, without the heparin-binding domain, did not bind perlecan. Confocal immunohistochemistry showed that PRELP outlines basement membranes with a location adjacent to perlecan. We also found that PRELP binds collagen type I and type II through its leucine-rich repeat domain. Electron microscopy visualized a complex with PRELP binding simultaneously to the triple helical region of procollagen I and the heparan sulfate chains of perlecan. Based on the location of PRELP and its interaction with perlecan heparan sulfate chains and collagen, we propose a function of PRELP as a molecule anchoring basement membranes to the underlying connective tissue.

BM-40 and MMP-2 expression are not coregulated in human melanoma cell lines

As published recently, suppression of BM-40 (osteonectin, SPARC) expression reduced the in vitro adhesive and invasive capacities of melanoma cells. In parallel, a decreased production of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) was observed in these cells indicating a close coregulation of these two proteins. However, analysis of 12 independently established melanoma cell lines, exhibiting different metastatic capacities, did not reveal a positive correlation between BM-40 or MMP-2 expression and the metastatic capacities of these cell lines. In addition, direct comparison of BM-40 and MMP-2 mRNA levels did not provide evidence for coregulation of these two proteins. This was further corroborated by the finding that exogenous BM-40 failed to alter synthesis and activation of proMMP-2.

Calcium affinity, cooperativity, and domain interactions of extracellular EF-hands present in BM-40

The structure and function of cytosolic Ca(2+)-binding proteins containing EF-hands are well understood. Recently, the presence of EF-hands in an extracellular protein was for the first time proven by the structure determination of the EC domain of BM-40 (SPARC (for secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine)/osteonectin) (Hohenester, E., Maurer, P., Hohenadl, C., Timpl, R., Jansonius, J. N., and Engel, J. (1996) Nat. Struct. Biol. 3, 67-73). The structure revealed a pair of EF-hands with two bound Ca(2+) ions. Two unusual features were noted that distinguish the extracellular EF-hands of BM-40 from their cytosolic counterparts. An insertion of one amino acid into the loop of the first EF-hand causes a variant Ca(2+) coordination, and a disulfide bond connects the helices of the second EF-hand. Here we show that the extracellular EF-hands in the BM-40 EC domain bind Ca(2+) cooperatively and with high affinity. The EC domain is thus in the Ca(2+)-saturated form in the extracellular matrix, and the EF-hands play a structural rather than a regulatory role. Deletion mutants demonstrate a strong interaction between the EC domain and the neighboring FS domain, which contributes about 10 kJ/mol to the free energy of binding and influences cooperativity. This interaction is mainly between the FS domain and the variant EF-hand 1. Certain mutations of Ca(2+)-coordinating residues changed affinity and cooperativity, but others inhibited folding and secretion of the EC domain in a mammalian cell line. This points to a function of EF-hands in extracellular proteins during biosynthesis and processing in the endoplasmic reticulum or Golgi apparatus.

Perlecan domain V of Drosophila melanogaster. Sequence, recombinant analysis and tissue expression

The C-terminal domain V of the basement membrane proteoglycan perlecan was previously shown to play a major role in extracellular matrix and cell interactions. A homologous sequence of 708 amino-acid residues from Drosophila has now been shown to be 33% identical to mouse perlecan domain V. It consists of three laminin G-type (LG) and epidermal growth factor-like (EG) modules but lacks the EG3 module and a link region found in mammalian perlecans. Recombinant production of Drosophila perlecan domain V in mammalian cells yielded a 100-kDa protein which was folded into a linear array of three globular LG domains. Unlike the mouse counterpart, domain V from Drosophila was not modified by glycosaminoglycans and endogenous proteolysis, due to the absence of the link region. It showed moderate affinities for heparin and sulfatides but did not bind to chick alpha-dystroglycan or to various mammalian basement membrane proteins. A single RGD sequence in LG3 of Drosophila domain V was also incapable of mediating cell adhesion. Production of a proteoglycan form of perlecan (approximately 450 kDa) in one Drosophila cell line could be demonstrated by immunoblotting with antibodies against Drosophila domain V. A strong expression was also found by in situ hybridization and immunohistology at various stages of embryonic development and expression was localized to several basement membrane zones. This indicates, as for mammalian species, a distinct role of perlecan during Drosophila development.

Expression and purification of recombinant human SPARC produced by baculovirus

SPARC (secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine/osteonectin/BM-40), a matrix-associated protein, disrupts cell adhesion and inhibits the proliferation of many cultured cells. We report the expression of recombinant human protein (rhSPARC) in a baculovirus expression system. This procedure routinely yields approximately 1 mg of purified protein per 500 ml of culture supernate. rhSPARC produced by insect cells migrates at the appropriate molecular weight under reducing and nonreducing conditions. The rhSPARC purified from insect cell media appeared structurally similar to SPARC purified from mammalian tissue culture by the criterion of circular dichroism. In addition, a series of anti-SPARC and anti-SPARC peptide antibodies recognized insect cell rhSPARC. We also show that rhSPARC produced in this system is glycosylated and is biologically active, as assessed by inhibition of endothelial cell proliferation and induction of collagen I mRNA in mesangial cells. Significant amounts of rhSPARC can now be generated in the absence of contaminating mammalian proteins for structure/function assays of SPARC activities.

Down-regulation of the extracellular matrix protein SPARC in vSrc- and vJun-transformed chick embryo fibroblasts contributes to tumor formation in vivo

In vitro transformation of primary cultures of chick embryo fibroblasts by the membrane-bound vSrc or the nuclear vJun oncoproteins is correlated with a down-regulation of the secreted glycoprotein SPARC (also called BM-40 or osteonectin). This protein is a nonstructural component of the extracellular matrix that is thought to regulate cell-matrix interaction during development, wound repair, and carcinogenesis. Its precise function remains unclear. To estimate the contribution of SPARC down-regulation to the major aspects of the transformed phenotype, we have reexpressed this protein from a self-replicating retrovirus Rcas, designated R-SPARC, in the transformed cultures. These R-SPARC-infected cultures display the following main properties: (i) they accumulate the SPARC protein to a level identical to or only slightly higher than the level in normal chick embryo fibroblasts; (ii) they retain the main phenotypic properties characteristic of in vitro transformed cells, that is, altered morphology, capacity to grow in a reduced amount of serum, and capacity to develop colonies from single cells in agar; (iii) they display a clearly reduced capacity to develop local fibrosarcomas in vivo. Taken together, these data strongly suggest that down-regulation of SPARC contributes to the transformed phenotype triggered by vSrc and vJun in primary avian fibroblasts, by facilitating in vivo tumorigenesis.

Procollagen binds to both prolyl 4-hydroxylase/protein disulfide isomerase and HSP47 within the endoplasmic reticulum in the absence of ascorbate

In cells, only properly folded procollagen trimers are secreted from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), while improperly folded abnormal procollagens are retained within the ER. Ascorbic acid is a co-factor in procollagen hydroxylation, which in turn is required for trimer formation. We examined chaperone proteins which bound to procollagen in the absence of ascorbic acid, a model which mimics the human disease scurvy at the cellular level. We found that both prolyl 4-hydroxylase (P4-H)/protein disulfide isomerase (PDI) and HSP47 bound to procollagen in the absence of ascorbic acid. However, the binding of PDI to procollagen decreased when HSP47 was co-transfected, suggesting that HSP47 and PDI compete for binding to procollagen. These data indicate that P4-H/PDI and HSP47 have cooperative but distinct chaperone functions during procollagen biosynthesis.

Separate cis-acting DNA elements control cell type- and tissue-specific expression of collagen binding molecular chaperone HSP47

HSP47 is a collagen-binding heat shock protein and is assumed to act as a molecular chaperone in the biosynthesis and secretion of procollagen. As the synthesis of HSP47 is closely correlated with that of collagen in various cell lines and tissues, we performed a promoter/reporter assay using HSP47-producing and nonproducing cells. 280 base pairs (bp(s)) of upstream promoter were shown to be necessary for the basal expression but not to be enough for the cell type-specific expression. When the first and the second introns were introduced downstream of this 280-bp region, marked up-regulation of the reporter activity was observed in HSP47-producing cells but not in nonproducing cells. This was confirmed in transgenic mice by staining the lacZ gene product under the control of the 280-bp upstream promoter and the introns. Staining was observed in skin, chondrocytes, precursor of bone, and other HSP47/collagen-producing tissues. A putative Sp1-binding site at -210 bp in the promoter, to which Sp3 and an unidentified protein bind, was shown to be responsible for this up-regulation when combined with the introns. However no difference in the binding to this probe was observed between HSP47-producing and nonproducing cells. The responsible region for cell type-specific up-regulation was found to be located in a 500-bp segment in the first intron. On electrophoresis mobility shift assay using this 500-bp probe, specific DNA-protein complexes were only observed in HSP47-producing cell extracts. These results suggest that two separate elements are necessary for the cell type-specific expression of the hsp47 gene; one is a putative Sp1-binding site at -210 bp necessary for basal expression, and the other is a 500-bp region within the first intron, required for cell type-specific expression.

SPARC, a matricellular glycoprotein with important biological functions

SPARC (secreted protein, acidic and rich in cysteine) is a unique matricellular glycoprotein that is expressed by many different types of cells and is associated with development, remodeling, cell turnover, and tissue repair. Its principal functions in vitro are counteradhesion and antiproliferation, which proceed via different signaling pathways. SPARC consists of three domains, each of which has independent activity and unique properties. The extracellular calcium binding module and the follistatin-like module have been recently crystallized. Specific interactions between SPARC and growth factors, extracellular matrix proteins, and cell surface proteins contribute to the diverse activities described for SPARC in vivo and in vitro. The location of SPARC in the nuclear matrix of certain proliferating cells, but only in the cytosol of postmitotic neurons, indicates potential functions of SPARC as a nuclear protein, which might be involved in the regulation of cell cycle progression and mitosis. High levels of SPARC have been found in adult eye, and SPARC-null mice exhibit cataracts at 1-2 months of age. This animal model provides an excellent opportunity to confirm and explore some of the properties of SPARC, to investigate cataractogenesis, and to study SPARC-related family proteins, e.g., SC1/hevin, a counteradhesive matricellular protein that might functionally compensate for SPARC in certain tissues.(J Histochem Cytochem 47:1495-1505, 1999)

Tropoelastin binding to fibulins, nidogen-2 and other extracellular matrix proteins

Elastic fibers in vessel walls and other tissues consist of cross-linked tropoelastin in association with several microfibrillar proteins. In order to understand the molecular basis of these structures, we examined the binding of recombinant human tropoelastin to other extracellular matrix ligands in solid phase binding and surface plasmon resonance assays. These studies demonstrated a particularly high affinity (K(d) about 1 nM) of tropoelastin for microfibrillar fibulin-2 and the recently described nidogen-2 isoform. More moderate affinities were observed for fibulin-1, laminin-1 and perlecan, while several other ligands such as collagens, nidogen-1, fibronectin and BM-40 showed little or no binding. In immunogold staining of mouse aortic media, elastic fibers were heavily decorated with tropoelastin, fibulin-2 and nidogen-2, while the reaction with fibulin-1 was lower. The colocalization of these proteins emphasizes the potential for in vivo interactions.

Immunochemical and tissue analysis of protease generated neoepitopes of BM-40 (osteonectin, SPARC) which are correlated to a higher affinity binding to collagens

Proteolytic cleavage at single sites in the extracellular calcium-binding module of BM-40/SPARC/osteonectin either by an unknown endogenous protease (L197-L198) or several matrix metalloproteinases (E196-L197) was previously shown to enhance collagen binding activity 10-fold. Polyclonal rabbit antibodies were now obtained against synthetic peptide antigens containing either an N-terminal L197 or L198 and characterized by radioimmunoassay, ELISA, immunoblots and immunohistology. These neoepitope-specific antibodies reacted with proteolytically processed but not with uncleaved mouse and human BM-40. The cross-reaction between the two different neoepitopes was < 1%, indicating the immunodominant role of the N-terminal residues. Analysis of a basement membrane producing mouse tumor demonstrated extensive cleavage at the L198 site, which correlated with a calcium-dependent binding to the matrix. A variable degree of this cleavage was also detected in BM-40 obtained from adult mouse bone and several other tissues. Negligible or much lower levels of conversion were detected at the MMP-specific L197 site, however. Immunogold staining of mouse heart and a basement membrane-producing mouse tumor showed a distinct extracellular labeling for BM-40 and the L198 neoepitope but only a very weak reaction for the L197 neoepitope. This strongly indicates that these neoepitopes are generated in vivo and emphasizes a specific biological role for the proteolytic activation of BM-40.

Osteonectin/SPARC is overexpressed in human hepatocellular carcinoma

Osteonectin (ON)/SPARC is a glycoprotein involved in extracellular matrix remodelling. ON expression by myofibroblasts has been reported in fibrotic human liver. As ON also plays a role in cell adhesion, differentiation, and proliferation, this study was designed to document its expression in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Tissues from 26 HCCs of various histological grades and architecture and from surrounding non-tumour liver (23 cirrhotic or fibrotic, three non-fibrotic) were tested by in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry. Immunohistochemical detection of alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA) was performed on serial sections or in combination with hybridization. Large amounts of ON mRNA and protein were detected in the tumour capsule, in the fibrous bands, and along capillaries within HCCs. The signal was located in cells suggestive of myofibroblasts, as confirmed by positive staining for alpha-SMA. In HCC, ON protein was always detectable, with strong staining in high-grade tumours, whereas it was mostly undetectable in non-tumour tissues. A clear difference was also shown for ON transcripts, except in a few cases with chronic active hepatitis, where ON transcripts were also expressed at a high level. Overexpression of ON transcripts in HCC vs. non-tumour liver was confirmed by RNA blot in 20/22 patients tested. In conclusion, ON is strongly expressed by the stromal myofibroblasts of human HCC, especially of high grade. This expression could play a role in tumour progression.

Expression of collagens type I and IV, osteonectin and transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGFbeta1) in biliary atresia and paucity of intrahepatic bile ducts during infancy

BACKGROUND/AIMS

Biliary atresia and paucity of intrahepatic bile ducts are the main causes of neonatal cholestasis leading to hepatic fibrosis. Fibrotic evolution is slow in paucity of bile ducts as compared to the rapid progression to biliary cirrhosis in biliary atresia when cholestasis persists despite hepatoportoenterostomy. Our aim was to compare the expression of collagens type I and IV, alpha-smooth muscle actin, osteonectin and transforming growth factor beta1 in biliary atresia and paucity of bile ducts.

METHODS

Liver biopsies were obtained in 12 children with biliary atresia and in five with paucity of bile ducts. Collagens type I and IV, alpha-smooth muscle actin were detected with immunostaining. Collagens type I and IV, osteonectin and transforming growth factor beta1 mRNAs were detected by in situ hybridization.

RESULTS

Expression of mRNA and proteins was roughly parallel. In ductular proliferation areas of biliary atresia: (1) the expression of collagens type I and IV and osteonectin was increased, and was localized to periductular myofibroblasts; (2) transforming growth factor beta1 was expressed around biliary ductules, probably in inflammatory cells, and also in biliary cells. Osteonectin expression was also increased in the lobules. In paucity of bile ducts, there was no overexpression of collagens type I and IV and transforming growth factor beta1, except in the only child with marked fibrosis. However, osteonectin expression was enhanced at the periphery of the lobules, even when fibrosis was mild or absent.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest that in biliary atresia ductular proliferation areas are the site of a marked production of extracellular matrix proteins in periductular myofibroblasts, probably secondary to transforming growth factor beta1 production by inflammatory cells and by biliary cells. The weak expression of transforming growth factor beta1 could explain the slow progression of fibrosis in paucity of bile ducts.

Analysis of heparin, alpha-dystroglycan and sulfatide binding to the G domain of the laminin alpha1 chain by site-directed mutagenesis

The 395-residue proteolytic fragment E3, which comprises the two most C-terminal LG modules of the mouse laminin alpha1 chain, was previously shown to contain major binding sites for heparin, alpha-dystroglycan and sulfatides. The same fragment (alpha1LG4-5) and its individual alpha1LG4 and alpha1LG5 modules have now been obtained by recombinant production in mammalian cells. These fragments were apparently folded into a native form, as shown by circular dichroism, electron microscopy and immunological assays. Fragment alpha1LG4-5 bound about five- to tenfold better to heparin, alpha-dystroglycan and sulfatides than E3. These binding activities could be exclusively localized to the alpha1LG4 module. Side-chain modifications and proteolysis demonstrated that Lys and Arg residues in the C-terminal region of alpha1LG4 are essential for heparin binding. This was confirmed by 14 single to triple point mutations, which identified three non-contiguous basic regions (positions 2766-2770, 2791-2793, 2819-2820) as contributing to both heparin and sulfatide binding. Two of these regions were also recognized by monoclonal antibodies which have previously been shown to inhibit heparin binding. The same three regions and a few additional basic residues also make major contributions to the binding of the cellular receptor alpha-dystroglycan, indicating a larger binding epitope. The data are also consistent with previous findings that heparin competes for alpha-dystroglycan binding.

Binding of the G domains of laminin alpha1 and alpha2 chains and perlecan to heparin, sulfatides, alpha-dystroglycan and several extracellular matrix proteins

The C-terminal G domain of the mouse laminin alpha2 chain consists of five lamin-type G domain (LG) modules (alpha2LG1 to alpha2LG5) and was obtained as several recombinant fragments, corresponding to either individual modules or the tandem arrays alpha2LG1-3 and alpha2LG4-5. These fragments were compared with similar modules from the laminin alpha1 chain and from the C-terminal region of perlecan (PGV) in several binding studies. Major heparin-binding sites were located on the two tandem fragments and the individual alpha2LG1, alpha2LG3 and alpha2LG5 modules. The binding epitope on alpha2LG5 could be localized to a cluster of lysines by site-directed mutagenesis. In the alpha1 chain, however, strong heparin binding was found on alpha1LG4 and not on alpha1LG5. Binding to sulfatides correlated to heparin binding in most but not all cases. Fragments alpha2LG1-3 and alpha2LG4-5 also bound to fibulin-1, fibulin-2 and nidogen-2 with Kd = 13-150 nM. Both tandem fragments, but not the individual modules, bound strongly to alpha-dystroglycan and this interaction was abolished by EDTA but not by high concentrations of heparin and NaCl. The binding of perlecan fragment PGV to alpha-dystroglycan was even stronger and was also not sensitive to heparin. This demonstrated similar binding repertoires for the LG modules of three basement membrane proteins involved in cell-matrix interactions and supramolecular assembly.

Recombinant domain IV of perlecan binds to nidogens, laminin-nidogen complex, fibronectin, fibulin-2 and heparin

Domain IV of mouse perlecan, which consists of 14 immunoglobulin superfamily (IG) modules, was prepared from recombinant human cell culture medium in the form of two fragments, IV-1 (IG2-9, 100 kDa) and IV-2 (IG10-15, 66 kDa). Both fragments bound to a heparin column, being eluted at ionic strengths either below (IV-2) or above (IV-1) physiological level, and could thus be readily purified. Electron microscopy demonstrated an elongated shape (20-25 nm), and folding into a native structure was indicated by immunological assay and CD spectroscopy. Solid-phase and surface plasmon resonance assays demonstrated strong binding of fragment IV-1 to fibronectin, nidogen-1, nidogen-2 and the laminin-1-nidogen-1 complex, with Kd values in the range 4-17 nM. The latter binding apparently occurs through nidogen-1, as shown by the formation of ternary complexes. Only moderate binding was observed for fibulin-2 and collagen IV and none for fibulin-1 and BM-40. Fragment IV-2 showed a more restricted pattern of binding, with only weaker binding to fibronectin and fibulin-2. None of these activities could be demonstrated for recombinant fragments corresponding to the N-terminal perlecan domains I to III. This indicates a special role for domain IV in the integration of perlecan into basement membranes and other extracellular structures via protein-protein interactions.

Nidogen-2: a new basement membrane protein with diverse binding properties

Human nidogen-2 was cloned and sequenced (1375 residues) and found to share 46% sequence identity and a similar domain arrangement with the previously characterized basement membrane protein nidogen-1. Recombinant nidogen-2 was purified as a 200 kDa protein from transfected mammalian cell medium, showed a high level of N and O-glycosylation, and could be clearly distinguished from nidogen-1 (150 kDa) by specific antibodies. Electron microscopy demonstrated that the two isoforms have a similar shape, consisting of three globular domains connected by two threads, but differ somewhat in length. Northern blots and immunological assays demonstrated co-expression of the nidogens in various tissues and cultured cells. Immunofluoresence revealed colocalization in vessel walls and other basement membrane zones but some differences in heart and skeletal muscle. Nidogen-2 interacted with collagens I and IV, and perlecan at a comparable level to nidogen-1 but failed to bind to fibulins. Nidogen-2 bound to laminin-1, but only moderately to the epitope on the laminin gamma1 chain, which promotes high-affinity binding of nidogen-1. Both nidogens were cell-adhesive for a restricted number of cell lines, with nidogen-2 having a higher activity. Together, these data suggest that nidogen-2 can compensate for some but not all functional activities ascribed to nidogen-1.

Structural analysis and proteolytic processing of recombinant G domain of mouse laminin alpha2 chain

Four individual LG modules from the C-terminus of the laminin alpha2 chain (LG1, LG2, LG4 and LG5) and combinations of these modules were prepared as recombinant products from transfected mammalian cells. This demonstrated that LG modules represent autonomously folding protein domains. Successful production depended on proper alignment of module borders and required a sequence correction at the C-terminus which added an extra cysteine. The LG modules were glycosylated and shown by electron microscopy to have a globular shape, indicating proper folding. Evidence is provided for the splicing of a 12 bp exon in LG2, although this did not impair folding. Proteolytic cleavage at the C-terminus of a basic sequence was observed close to the N-terminus of LG3. A similar processing also occurs in tissue-derived laminin-2 and -4 which contain the alpha2 chain.

Mac-2 binding protein is a cell-adhesive protein of the extracellular matrix which self-assembles into ring-like structures and binds beta1 integrins, collagens and fibronectin

Human Mac-2 binding protein (M2BP) was prepared in recombinant form from the culture medium of 293 kidney cells and consisted of a 92 kDa subunit. The protein was obtained in a native state as indicated by CD spectroscopy, demonstrating alpha-helical and beta-type structure, and by protease resistance and immunological analysis. It was highly modified by N- and O-glycosylation but not by glycosaminoglycans. Ultracentrifugation showed non-covalent association into oligomers with molar masses of 1000-1500 kDa. Electron microscopy showed ring-like shapes with diameters of 30-40 nm. M2BP bound in solid-phase assays to collagens IV, V and VI, fibronectin and nidogen, but not to fibrillar collagens I and III or other basement membrane proteins. The protein also mediated adhesion of cell lines at comparable strength with laminin. Adhesion to M2BP was inhibited by antibodies to integrin beta1 subunits but not to alpha2 and alpha6 subunits, RGD peptide or lactose. This distinguishes cell adhesion of M2BP from that of laminin and excludes involvement of lactose-binding galectin-3. Immunological assays demonstrated variable secretion by cultured human cells of M2BP, which was detected in the extracellular matrix of several mouse tissues.

Crystal structure and mapping by site-directed mutagenesis of the collagen-binding epitope of an activated form of BM-40/SPARC/osteonectin

The extracellular calcium-binding domain (positions 138-286) of the matrix protein BM-40 possesses a binding epitope of moderate affinity for several collagen types. This epitope was predicted to reside in helix alphaA and to be partially masked by helix alphaC. Here we show that deletion of helix alphaC produces a 10-fold increase in collagen affinity similar to that seen after proteolytic cleavage of this helix. The predicted removal of the steric constraint was clearly demonstrated by the crystal structure of the mutant at 2.8 A resolution. This constitutively activated mutant was used to map the collagen-binding site following alanine mutagenesis at 13 positions. Five residues were crucial for binding, R149 and N156 in helix alphaA, and L242, M245 and E246 in a loop region connecting the two EF hands of BM-40. These residues are spatially close and form a flat ring of 15 A diameter which matches the diameter of a triple-helical collagen domain. The mutations showed similar effects on binding to collagens I and IV, indicating nearly identical binding sites on both collagens. Selected mutations in the non-activated mutant DeltaI also reduced collagen binding, consistent with the same location of the epitope but in a more cryptic form in intact BM-40.

Role of the bullous pemphigoid antigen 180 (BP180) in the assembly of hemidesmosomes and cell adhesion--reexpression of BP180 in generalized atrophic benign epidermolysis bullosa keratinocytes

Bullous pemphigoid antigen 180 (BP180) is a transmembrane component of hemidesmosomes (HD), cell-substrate attachment complexes in stratified and complex epithelia. To determine the role of BP180 in the assembly of HD and cell adhesion, using SV40 virions we have immortalized BP180-deficient keratinocytes derived from a patient with the inherited skin blistering disorder generalized atrophic benign epidermolysis bullosa (GABEB). The GABEB keratinocytes form HD-like structures, which contain alpha 6 beta 4 integrin and HD1/plectin, but not the bullous pemphigoid antigen 230 (BP230). The expression of integrin subunits by GABEB keratinocytes was comparable to that of an immortalized normal human keratinocyte cell line (NHK), except for alpha 6 and beta 4, which were less strongly expressed in GABEB cells. In short-term adhesion assays, both GABEB keratinocytes and NHK bound strongly and to a similar extent to laminin-1, laminin-5, fibronectin, and type IV and V collagens, which suggests that BP180 is not involved in promoting the initial adhesion to these ligands. Transfection of GABEB keratinocytes with cDNAs for wild-type or a mutant of BP180 lacking the collagenous extracellular domain resulted in the expression of recombinant BP180 proteins that were correctly polarized at the basal cell surface together with alpha 6 beta 4. In addition, restored synthesis of BP180 affected the subcellular localization of BP230, which was no longer diffusely distributed in the cytoplasm, but was found in HD-like structures. In contrast, a BP180 mutant with a 36-amino-acid deletion from the amino terminus of the cytoplasmic domain failed to localize to HD-like structures. These results demonstrate that a region within the cytoplasmic domain of BP180 is essential for its localization into HD and that BP180 may play a critical role in coordinating the subcellular distribution of BP230.

Characterization of human type X procollagen and its NC-1 domain expressed as recombinant proteins in HEK293 cells

Type X collagen is a short-chain, network-forming collagen found in hypertrophic cartilage in the growth zones of long bones, vertebrae, and ribs. To obtain information about the structure and assembly of mammalian type X collagen, we generated recombinant human type collagen X by stable expression of full-length human alpha1(X) cDNA in the human embryonal kidney cell line HEK293 and the fibrosarcoma cell line HT1080. Stable clones were obtained secreting recombinant human type X collagen (hrColX) in amounts of 50 microg/ml with alpha1(X)-chains of apparent molecular mass of 75 kDa. Pepsin digestion converted the native protein to a molecule migrating as one band at 65 kDa, while bands of 55 and 43 kDa were generated by trypsin digestion. Polyclonal antibodies prepared against purified hrColX reacted specifically with type X collagen in sections of human fetal growth cartilage. Circular dichroism spectra and trypsin/chymotrypsin digestion experiments of hrColX at increasing temperatures indicated triple helical molecules with a reduced melting temperature of 31 degrees C as a result of partial underhydroxylation. Ultrastructural analysis of hrColX by rotary shadowing demonstrated rodlike molecules with a length of 130 nm, assembling into aggregates via the globular noncollagenous (NC)-1 domains as reported for chick type X collagen. NC-1 domains generated by collagenase digestion of hrColX migrated as multimers of apparent mass of 40 kDa on SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, even after reduction and heat denaturation, and gave rise to monomers of 18-20 kDa after treatment with trichloroacetic acid. The NC-1 domains prepared by collagenase digestion comigrated with NC-1 domains prepared as recombinant protein in HEK293 cells, both in the multimeric and monomeric form. These studies demonstrate the potential of the pCMVsis expression system to produce recombinant triple helical type X collagens in amounts sufficient for further studies on its structural and functional domains.

BM-40 (osteonectin, SPARC) is expressed both in the epidermal and in the dermal compartment of adult human skin

BM-40 (Osteonectin, SPARC) is the most abundant glycoprotein secreted by human osteoblasts. In situ hybridization studies on the expression of BM-40 mRNA in murine tissues have demonstrated the highest levels of transcripts in bone, but expression was also observed in several other mesenchymal tissues. In contrast, little is known about the expression of BM-40 in human tissues, especially in skin. Total RNA obtained from normal human skin was analyzed by northern blotting and revealed a marked expression of BM-40. To analyze its expression in vivo, in situ hybridization was performed, demonstrating that BM-40 is expressed in fibroblasts, smooth muscle, and endothelial cells in the dermis. Interestingly, BM-40 mRNA was also detected throughout the basal, spinous, and granular layers in the epidermis of adult human skin. Further analysis by immunohistochemistry revealed a marked deposition in the dermis that was most intense directly below the basement membrane in the papillary dermis and around vascular as well as glandular structures. In the epidermis, BM-40 protein could be detected intercellularly in suprabasal layers. This finding is further supported by the intercellular deposition of BM40 detected by immunofluorescence in cultured keratinocytes. This study demonstrates that BM-40 that has previously been thought to be exclusively expressed in extracellular matrix producing cells may in fact play a role in differentiation and maintenance of the epidermis.

Human recombinant alpha1(V) collagen chain. Homotrimeric assembly and subsequent processing

Human embryonic kidney cells (293-EBNA) have been transfected with the full-length human alpha1 chain of collagen V using an episomal vector. High yields (15 microgram/ml) of recombinant collagen were secreted in the culture medium. In presence of ascorbate, the alpha1(V) collagen is correctly folded into a stable triple helix as shown by electron microscopy and pepsin resistance. Circular dichroism data confirm the triple-helix conformation and indicate a melting temperature of 37.5 degrees C for the recombinant homotrimer. The major secreted form is a 250-kDa polypeptide (alpha1FL). N-terminal sequencing and collagenase digestion indicate that alpha1FL retains the complete N-propeptide but lacks the C-propeptide. However, alpha1FL might undergo a further N-terminal trimming into a form (alpha1TH) corresponding to the main triple-helix domain plus the major part of the NC2 domain. This processing is different from the one of the heterotrimeric (alpha1(V))2alpha2(V) and could have some physiological relevance. Analysis of cell homogenates indicates the presence of a 280-kDa polypeptide that is disulfide-linked through its C-terminal globular domain. This C-propeptide is rapidly cleaved after secretion in the medium, giving the first evidence of a C-terminal processing of recombinant fibrillar collagens. Rotary shadowing observations not only confirm the presence of a globular domain at the N-terminal end of the molecule but reveal the presence of a kink within the triple helix in a region poor in iminoacids. This region could represent a target for proteases. Together with the thermal stability data, these results might explain the low amount of (alpha1(V))3 recovered from tissues.

The C-terminal domain V of perlecan promotes beta1 integrin-mediated cell adhesion, binds heparin, nidogen and fibulin-2 and can be modified by glycosaminoglycans

Domain V of the major basement-membrane proteoglycan perlecan, a domain which consists of three laminin type G (LG) and four epidermal-growth-factor-like (EG) modules, was obtained in recombinant form by transfecting embryonic kidney cells with an episomal expression vector. A major 90-kDa fragment V was obtained together with fragments Va (74 kDa) and Vb (26 kDa) which were generated by endogenous proteolysis in front of the most C-terminal LG module. All three fragments bound to a heparin affinity column and could be displaced at a moderate (0.2 M) NaCl concentration. Rotary-shadowing electron microscopy demonstrated a three-globule structure for fragment V. Fragment V also showed a strong immunological cross-reaction with tissue-derived perlecan, indicating that it was folded into a native structure. A further, larger fragment, Vc, was apparently substituted with heparan sulphate and/or chondroitin sulphate chains and failed to bind to heparin. Fragment V but not fragment Vc promoted a distinct adhesion of several cell lines and this could be blocked by antibodies against the integrin beta1 chain. This domain may, however, represent only one of several cell-adhesive sites of perlecan. The recombinant perlecan fragment V bound in surface plasmon resonance assays to fibulin-2, laminin-nidogen complex, nidogen and two nidogen fragments. This indicated two different nidogen-binding epitopes on perlecan domain V with about a 10-fold difference in their affinities (Kd = 0.05-0.2 microM and about 2 microM). Perlecan domain V therefore seems to participate in the supramolecular assembly and cell connections of basement membranes.

Binding of fibulin-1 to nidogen depends on its C-terminal globular domain and a specific array of calcium-binding epidermal growth factor-like (EG) modules

The calcium-binding basement membrane protein fibulin-1C was shown to bind nidogen in a calcium-dependent fashion. Fibulin-1C consists of small N (domain 1) and C-terminal (domain III) globular structures connected by a central rod (domain II) composed of nine epidermal growth factor (EG) modules, eight of which possess a consensus sequence for calcium binding. Several point and deletion mutants and chimeric protein constructs were used to define the nidogen binding epitope of fibulin-1C by surface plasmon resonance and solid phase assays. All recombinant products were obtained from transfected kidney cells in a folded form as shown by CD spectroscopy, electron microscopy and proteolysis. They were used to demonstrate that calcium-binding is essentially due to the EG modules possessing the consensus binding sequence. Deletion of domain III caused a 30-fold reduction in nidogen binding, whereas deletion of domain I had no effect, yet domain III alone was also inactive. Successive deletions of two to seven EG modules of domain II also caused partial of complete inactivation of binding depending on how many were deleted or their position relative to domain III. Site-directed mutagenesis within the calcium binding consensus sequences demonstrated a similar dependence. Replacement of seven of the calcium-binding modules by a similar tandem array from a related protein showed a distinct (fibulin-2) to almost complete loss of binding (fibrillin-1). This indicates a complex epitope structure involving domains II and III, which each may provide binding epitopes or stabilize each other.

Properties of the extracellular calcium binding module of the proteoglycan testican

The extracellular calcium-binding (EC) module of human testican (115 residues) was obtained in native form by recombinant production in mammalian cell culture and thus shown to represent an independently folding domain. This module showed a large loss in alpha-helix upon calcium depletion. Apparently only one of the two EF hands binds calcium, with a moderate affinity (Kd =68 microM) about 100-fold lower than in the homologous BM-40 protein. No clear evidence was obtained for collagen binding, indicating that EC modules found in different proteins may not share similar functions.

Structural and functional characterization of the extracellular calcium-binding protein BM-40/secreted protein, acidic, rich in cysteine/osteonectin from the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans

Caenorhabditis elegans BM-40 (positions 19-264) and its extracellular calcium-binding domain (positions 139-264) were obtained in recombinant form from human kidney cells using an episomal expression vector. The purified proteins showed single bands of 33 kDa [BM-40-(19-264)-peptide] or 14 kDa [BM-40-(139-264)-peptide] on electrophoresis, contained internal disulfide bonds and a helices and were relatively resistant to matrix metalloproteinases. Hexosamine analysis indicated substitution by one N-linked and two O-linked oligosaccharides and recombinant BM-40 was indistinguishable in its immunological epitopes from nematode tissue-derived BM-40, suggesting that it was obtained in native form. Both recombinant C. elegans proteins showed a distinct binding activity for human collagens I and IV in solid-phase and surface-plasmon-resonance assays with an affinity (Kd = 1-2 microM), comparable to that of mammalian BM-40. However, calcium-binding studies revealed only a low-affinity site (Kd = 6.2 mM) and failed to show the characteristic conformational change upon addition of EDTA. These and a few other differences are apparently due to two extra disulfide bonds and two deletions/insertions in C. elegans BM-40 and can be partly interpreted from the X-ray structure of a large part of human BM-40. The immunological assays available and the predictions of the location of the collagen-binding epitope should facilitate a molecular and genetic approach to understand the function of BM-40 in the development of C. elegans.

Differential modulation of cell adhesion by interaction between adhesive and counter-adhesive proteins: characterization of the binding of vitronectin to osteonectin (BM40, SPARC)

Heparin-binding forms of vitronectin, a multifunctional adhesive glycoprotein, are associated with the extracellular matrix (ECM) at different locations in the body and serve to promote cell adhesion and the regulation of pericellular proteolysis at sites of angiogenesis. In the present study we characterized the interactions of vitronectin with the counter-adhesive protein osteonectin (also termed SPARC or BM40). Osteonectin and vitronectin were both found associated with the ECM of cultured endothelial cells and were localized in vessel wall sections of kidney tissue. In vitro, the heparin-binding multimeric isoform of vitronectin bound to immobilized osteonectin in a saturable manner with half-maximal binding at 30-40 nM. Preincubation of plasma vitronectin with plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1), which provoked multimer formation, induced the binding of vitronectin to osteonectin. Binding was optimal at physiological ionic strength, and binary complexes were stabilized by tissue transglutaminase-mediated cross-linking. In a concentration-dependent fashion, PAI-1, CaCl2, heparin and heparan sulphate, but not other glycosaminoglycans, interfered with the binding of vitronectin to osteonectin. Using vitronectin-derived synthetic peptides as well as mutant forms of recombinant osteonectin, we found that the heparin-binding region of vitronectin interacted with the C-terminal region of osteonectin that contains a high-affinity Ca2+-binding site with counter-adhesive properties. Adhesion of cultured endothelial cells was partly abrogated by osteonectin and was correspondingly reversed by vitronectin in a concentration-dependent manner. These results indicate that specific interactions between vitronectin and osteonectin modulate cell adhesion and might thereby regulate endothelial cell function during angiogenesis.

HNK-1 carbohydrate-mediated cell adhesion to laminin-1 is different from heparin-mediated and sulfatide-mediated cell adhesion

The sulfated HNK-1 carbohydrate present on glycolipids and on several neural recognition molecules has been shown to mediate the adhesion of murine small cerebellar neurons and astrocytes to the extracellular matrix molecule laminin-1. In this study, we characterized the binding of the HNK-1 carbohydrate to laminin-1 extracted from the Engelbreth-Holm-Swarm (EHS) sarcoma and distinguished it unequivocally from binding sites for other sulfated carbohydrates. Electron microscopic analysis of rotary shadowed complexes of laminin-1 and a HNK-1 neoglycoprotein revealed a major binding site on the G domain that comprises the C-terminal globule of the laminin alpha1 chain. The HNK-1 carbohydrate also interacted with placental laminin isoforms containing an alpha chain variant. It bound to the proteolytic laminin-1 fragment E8 comprising the domains G1-G3, but not to fragment E3 that carries the major heparin-binding site on domains G4-G5. No binding was observed to the short arm containing fragments E1XNd or P1. Binding studies with native or denatured laminin E8 fragments and proteolytic or recombinant fragments of the G domain localized the HNK-1 carbohydrate binding site to domain G2. The binding could be clearly distinguished from binding sites for other sulfated carbohydrates such as heparin and sulfatides. Further, the binding could not be abolished by reduction and alkylation or by urea treatment of laminin-1 and was independent of the native conformation of laminin-1 and of Ca2+. The G2 domain is also involved in the adhesion of HNK-1 carbohydrate expressing early postnatal cerebellar neurons and is different from heparin- and sulfatide-mediated cell adhesion to laminin-1. HNK-1 carbohydrate-mediated cell adhesion appears, however, to be dependent on the native conformation of laminin-1 indicating a more complex cellular recognition process.

The membrane-spanning proteoglycan NG2 binds to collagens V and VI through the central nonglobular domain of its core protein

NG2 is a membrane-spanning proteoglycan with a primary structure unique among cell surface or extracellular matrix proteins. To characterize the interaction between NG2 and extracellular matrix proteins, we have used a eukaryotic expression system to produce and purify several recombinant fragments covering not only the entire ectodomain of NG2 but also distinct subdomains of the molecule. Using a solid phase binding assay with various extracellular matrix proteins, we have identified two main ligands for NG2, namely, collagens V and VI. Consistent with previous models of glycosaminoglycan attachment, roughly 50% of the recombinant NG2 fragments containing the central domain have chondroitin sulfate chains attached to the protein core. These glycosaminoglycan chains are not directly involved in collagen binding, since chondroitinase-treated fragments exhibit an unimpaired ability to bind to both collagens. Using more restricted recombinant fragments of NG2, we mapped the binding site for both collagens to the central domain of NG2. Electron microscopy after rotary shadowing of native NG2 molecules indicates that this extended nonglobular domain provides a flexible connection joining the two N- and C-terminal globular regions of NG2. Rotary shadowing of mixtures of NG2 and collagen V or VI confirms a direct interaction between the molecules and indicates that the collagens align with the central region of NG2, giving the appearance of a rod between the N- and C-terminal globules.

Limited cleavage of extracellular matrix protein BM-40 by matrix metalloproteinases increases its affinity for collagens

The 33-kDa matrix protein BM-40 (SPARC, osteonectin) consists of an acidic N-terminal domain I, a central cysteine-rich follistatin-like module, and a C-terminal extracellular calcium-binding (EC) module. Previous studies attributed collagen IV and high affinity calcium binding of BM-40 to its EC module, which was shown by x-ray crystallography to consist of an EF-hand pair surrounded by several alpha-helical and loop segments. This module was now shown by surface plasmon resonance assay to bind with similar affinities to collagens I, III, and V. Cleavage of recombinant BM-40 and its EC module by collagenase-3, gelatinases A and B, matrilysin, and stromelysin-1 showed similar fragment patterns, whereas collagenase-1 was inactive. Some differences were, however, observed in cleavage rates and the preference of certain cleavage sites. Edman degradation of fragments demonstrated only three to four major cleavage sites in the central region of domain I and a single uniform cleavage in helix C of the EC module. Cleavage is accompanied by a 7-20-fold increase in binding activity for collagens I, IV, and V but revealed only small effects on calcium-dependent alpha-helical changes in the EC module. The data were interpreted to indicate that helix C cleavage is mainly responsible for enhancing collagen affinity by exposing the underlying helix A of the EC module. A similar activation may also occur in situ as indicated previously for tissue-derived BM-40.

Characterization of recombinant perlecan domain I and its substitution by glycosaminoglycans and oligosaccharides

Recombinant mouse perlecan domain 1(173 residues) was produced in transfected embryonic kidney cells and purified from the culture medium on DEAE-cellulose. It was shown to be modified by glycosaminoglycans and could be partially separated into two protein pools which were either substituted with heparan sulfate (fragment IA) or, to a smaller extent (20%), with chondroitin/dermatan sulfate or a mixture of both glycosaminoglycans (fragment IB). The average molecular mass of the glycosaminoglycans was about 8-10 kDa and, thus, smaller than in tissue-derived perlecans. Sequence and carbohydrate analyses localized the heparan sulfate attachment site to three Ser residues within SGD consensus sequences. Furthermore, the N-terminal part of fragment IA contained six Thr/Ser residues substituted by branched galactosamine-containing oligosaccharides and an N-substituted Asn residue. Fragment I was also shown to contain unique immunological epitopes which are not dependent on glycosaminoglycans and are shared by tissue-derived perlecan. Circular dichroism demonstrated a distinct alpha helix (20%) and beta structure (60%) in fragment IA, consistent with predictions of a novel SEA protein module located in the C-terminal part of domain I.