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H Hörmann

Publications and source records attributed to H Hörmann.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1984

Evidence for a cryptic lectin site in the cell-binding domain of plasma fibronectin.

Various proteolytic fragments from the central region of the fibronectin subunit chains containing the main cell-affinity site were applied in cell binding studies using peritoneal macrophages of guinea pigs. A 125I-labelled 23-kDa peptide was relatively well bound by the cells. Attachment to cells was partially inhibited by wheat germ lectin, suggesting a lectin-like site in the cell-binding domain which recognizes oligosaccharide groups with terminal N-acetylglucosamine or N-acetylneuraminic acid. Binding was inhibited by N-acetylneuraminic acid with half-maximal effect at 2 X 10(-3) M. Other inhibitors were a sialic acid rich ganglioside preparation and fetuin, a sialic acid-containing glycoprotein. In contrast to the 23-kDa peptide a 125I-labelled 125-kDa fragment was only weakly bound, although it included the sequence of the 23-kDa peptide on its C-terminus. The residual binding was weakly inhibited by low concentrations of wheat germ lectin and was remarkably improved by higher concentrations. The behavior of the peptide was explained by the presence of a sialic acid-containing oligosaccharide side chain localized outside of the 23-kDa region and interacting with the lectin-like site in the cell-binding sequence. In accord with this suggestion a 95-kDa fragment representing the oligosaccharide-containing part of the 125-kDa peptide was capable of inhibiting at least partially the cell attachment of the 23-kDa piece. The results indicate a lectin-like affinity site in the cell-binding region of fibronectin which is accessible in the 23-kDa peptide, but is masked in the 125-kDa fragment and in fibronectin by a sialic acid-containing oligosaccharide moiety.

Cathepsin D↗
PubMed1983

A large cathepsin D-derived fragment from the central part of the fibronectin subunit chains.

A mild cathepsin D digest of fibronectin only contained single-chain peptides of 200, 140 and 70 kDa and double-chain fragments of about 300 and 140 kDa containing the C-terminal disulfide link. Among the single-chain fragments the 200 kDa peptide was a precursor of the 140 kDa and 70 kDa peptides. The latter was correlated to the N-terminal and the former to the central region of the fibronectin subunit chains.

Cathepsin D↗
PubMed1983

Discrimination of different domains in fibronectin on the basis of their stability against urea denaturation.

Circular dichroism spectra, thermal transition profiles and proteolytic susceptibility showed that different regions in the multidomain protein fibronectin exhibit different sensitivity against urea denaturation. A 70-kDa fragment obtained by cathepsin D treatment which comprises the N-terminal part of the fibronectin chains, exhibited in 8M urea a spectrum, at 20 degrees C, identical to that of the native fragment and its thermal unfolding was shifted to lower temperatures by only 10 degrees C. The central portions of the fibronectin chains were remarkably unfolded under the same conditions as clearly demonstrated by the spectra and transition profiles of a cathepsin D-raised 125/140-kDa fragment which originates from this region. When fibronectin or its fragments were exposed to 4 or 8M urea at 4 degrees C and the urea subsequently dialysed off, the spectra and transition curves recorded were very similar to those of the native proteins. Nevertheless, this treatment introduced local conformational changes which resulted in the creation of three new cleavage sites for chymotrypsin. The most prominent one was found to be located in the central part of the middle region and no sites were created in the N-terminal 70-kDa region. In the conjunction with sequence information [Petersen et al. (1983) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 80, 137-141] it may be concluded that the disulfide rich domains, made up by regions of internal homology of types I and II in the N-terminal portion of fibronectin, exhibit a remarkable conformational stability, whereas the disulfide free middle region which contains type III domains, is much less stable. Some domains in this region are particularly sensitive to urea denaturation and are irreversibly affected already by 4M urea at 4 degrees C. Therefore, the use of high urea concentrations for the elution of fibronectin from affinity columns may lead to an at least partially irreversible unfolding of some domains and a loss of functions associated with these structural elements.

Chymotrypsin↗
PubMed1983

Generation of fibronectin receptors on macrophages by wheat germ lectin.

A chymotrypsin-derived and 125I-labelled 125-kDa fragment of human plasma fibronectin which contained the cell binding site, was only weakly bound by peritoneal macrophages of guinea pigs and binding was not saturable. In presence of wheat germ lectin binding increased proportionally to the logarithm of the lectin concentration. Association of 125I-fragment with cells was partially prevented by non-labelled fragment indicating a saturable receptor-ligand interaction. An apparent affinity constant of about 2--4 x 10(-5) M was evaluated. A considerable fraction of the cell-bound 125I-fragment resisted removal by proteases suggesting that it was internalized. In order to investigate an influence of wheat germ lectin on the binding of 125I-fibronectin by the cells the macrophages were preincubated with the lectin followed by washing and evaluation of 125I-fibronectin binding. A simultaneous incubation of the cells with 125I-fibronectin and lectin was impractical due to partial interaction of the two proteins giving rise to some unspecific precipitates. Preincubation with wheat germ lectin considerably improved the capacity of the macrophages for binding of 125I-fibronectin. Again the binding of 125I-labelled protein could be restricted by unlabelled one. N-acetyl-glucosamine inhibited the binding of 125I-fibronectin by wheat germ lectin-treated cells if applied in the preincubation phase and more effectively, if applied in the final 125I-fibronectin binding assay. N-Acetylneuraminic acid also inhibited this step. In addition to wheat germ lectin concanavalin A was capable of generating fibronectin receptors on the cell surface. Soy bean lectin, however, was ineffective.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

Shape and stability of fibronectin in solutions of different pH and ionic strength.

At low ionic strength (0.05 M) the sedimentation coefficient of monomeric plasma fibronectin was found to vary from 8S, at pH 3 and 11, to 13.5S at neutral pH. The lower s20,w value indicates a stretched arrangement of the value indicates a stretched arrangement of the two arms of the molecule which was observed in most electron microscopic studies. The higher value is consistent with a still very asymmetric but more condensed shape, which is probably brought about by back-folding and interactions between chain segments of different net charge. A model of this internal association is based on the finding that segments of rather different isoelectric points alternate along the fibronectin chains. A similar pH dependence was observed for a 140-kDa fragment from the middle region of fibronectin which carries segments of low and high isoelectric points at its ends. At high ionic strength (0.35 M) the pH dependence of the sedimentation coefficients was less pronounced and intermediate s20,w values were found. This is expected when both repulsive and attractive interactions are weakened by the electrolyte. It was verified by circular dichroism spectra that the protein was not denatured at pH 3 or 11. Thermal transition curves revealed a destabilization at pH 3 but the thermal denaturation occurred well above 20 degrees C at which the pH dependence of the solution shape was studied.

Drug Stability↗
PubMed1982

Fibronectin--mediator between cells and connective tissue.

Fibronectin, previously also termed LETS-protein, is a high-molecular-weight protein (mol. w. ca. 450,000) present in the form of thin fibrils in the pericellular space of fibroblasts and other adherent cells, as well as in distinct areas of the connective tissue. A soluble form, immunologically identical and chemically at least very similar to the cell-attached protein, is found in plasma in a concentration of about 300 micrograms/ml. It is also denominated cold-insoluble globulin. The protein has affinity both to cell surfaces and to various matrix substances such as fibrin and collagen and, therefore, is capable of mediating cell attachment to these substrates. In addition, it serves as an opsonin for the phagocytosis of gelatin-containing compounds and probably is essential for the removal of soluble fibrin from the circulating blood by the reticulo-endothelial system. Bacterial cell walls are also recognized by fibronectin. A conversion of soluble fibronectin to fibrils is achieved by heparin which also enhances the binding of soluble fibronectin to cells. Heparin or, as suggested, the related heparan sulfate present on the surface of various cells, appears to function as a cofactor in the formation of pericellular fibrils. The fibronectin fibrils precipitated with heparin, compared to soluble fibronectin, show a considerably improved affinity to native collagen, especially to type III. Hyaluronic acid has an antagonistic function which, at higher concentrations, prevents the fibronectin fibrils from interacting with collagen and cell surfaces. Masking of fibronectin fibrils was also achieved by sulfated proteoglycans of cartilage. Virus-transformed fibroblasts produce less fibronectin and are less capable of maintaining surface pericellular fibrils. A reasonable explanation is that they have an elevated secretion of hyaluronic acid. The transformed cells attach only weakly to a surface and exhibit a rounded shape in contrast to healthy ones. This phenotype can be corrected to a great extent with fibronectin. It is suggested that fibronectin also influences the formation of connective tissue by accumulating collagen precursors on the surface of fibroblasts and facilitating fibrillogenesis.

Cell Adhesion↗
PubMed1982

Early and late cathepsin D-derived fragments of fibronectin containing the C-terminal interchain disulfide cross-link.

Fibronectin consists of two very similar subunits connected by disulfide bonds close to their C-terminal ends. After short digestion with cathepsin D a fragment containing an intact subunit linked to a C-terminal piece of the other chain was isolated. Both possible combinations were realized. The remnant chain, removed by reduction, had a relative molecular mass (Mr) of 65000 or 75000, respectively, whether it originated from the shorter or the longer fibronectin subunit. After prolonged cathepsin D digestion another disulfide-linked fragment of Mr 90000 containing peptide chains of Mr 65000 and Mr 36000 was found. The same fragment also formed during prolonged digestion of a previously described cathepsin D-derived heparin-binding piece of Mr 140000 which consisted of disulfide-linked chains of Mr 65000 and Mr 75000. The cut-off material emerged as a mixture of two similar heparin binding peptides of Mr 35000 and Mr 37000. The residual disulfide-linked peptide of Mr 90000 was retained by heparin-Sepharose, too, indicating that the non-degraded chain of Mr 65000 also contained a heparin-binding site. Plasminolysis of the Mr 140000 fragment first liberated the two individual chains and subsequently cleaved the longer one into two domains of nearly equal size. A rather basic one (pI 8.4-8.8) with low cystine content bound to heparin-Sepharose, while the other cystine-rich and more acidic domain (pI 5.0-5.8) was not retained. The shorter peptide chain, also showing affinity to heparin, was attacked by plasmin rather slowly. It, however, also appeared to be composed of two differently charged regions as it had an isoelectric point in the neutral range (pI 6.4-6.8) in spite of its heparin-binding properties. In the longer chain the heparin-binding domain was located in a distal position to the C-terminal disulfide link. The same is assumed for the shorter chain by reason of homology.

Amino Acids↗
PubMed1981

Location of heparin-binding sites of fibronectin. Detection of a hitherto unrecognized transamidase sensitive site.

Resolution of a cathepsin D digest of plasma fibronectin on heparin-Sepharose yielded, in addition to non-bound and weakly retained material (Fraction I and II), various fragments which were not eluted until 0.25M NaCl (Fraction III) and 0.5M NaCl (Fraction IV) was applied. Fraction III contained predominantly a peptide of Mr 70 000 originating from the N-terminus of the fibronectin subunits as well as high molecular weight precursors yielding the Mr 70 000 peptide by further digestion. All those peptides were retained by immobilized denatured collagen, type I, indicating the presence of the known gelatin-binding domain. In addition, they contained a transamidase-sensitive site as revealed from a digest of fibronectin previously labelled with [14C]putrescine by a transamidase-mediated reaction. Plasminolysis of the fragment of Mr 70 000 resulted in two peptides of Mr 30 000 and 40 000, only the former being retained by heparin-Sepharose. Fraction IV contained a fragment of Mr 140 000 which, after reduction, dissociated into two peptides of Mr 75 000 and 65 000. Apparently, it included the disulfide bond(s) connecting the two fibronectin subunits close to their C-terminal ends. Partial digestion of the two electrophoretically separated peptide chains with protease of Staphylococcus aureus V8 yielded for each chain a number of peptides with equal electrophoretic migration rate. In addition, however, some peptides were different in the two digests. The results were consistent with an identical or homologous structure of the two peptide chains with an additional sequence in the longer chain. The latter (Mr 75 000) uniquely contained a transamidase susceptible site as demonstrated by processing of [14C]putrescine-labelled fibronectin.

Binding Sites↗
PubMed1981

Regulation by heparin and hyaluronic acid of the fibronectin-dependent association of collagen, Type III, with macrophages.

Trypsinized peritoneal macrophages of guinea pigs moderately bound soluble native 125I-collagen, type III. The association was slightly improved by plasma fibronectin. An additional considerable enhancement was achieved by heparin or heparan sulfate in presence of fibronectin. The enhancing effect of the two N-sulfated glycosaminoglycans was observed over a broad concentration range and, in case of heparin, exhibited a maximum near 1 mg/ml. Further rise of concentration resulted in a decline of binding. The related heparan sulfate potentiated binding less effectively than heparin. Optimal efficiency was recorded with lower concentrations. Hyaluronic acid, in higher concentrations, suppressed the enhancing effect of heparin or heparan sulfate on collagen binding. The improved attachment of native collagen, type III, to cells in presence of fibronectin and N-sulfated glycosaminoglycans was explained by a heparin/heparan sulfate induced conversion of soluble fibronectin to fibrils which showed an increased affinity to rod-like collagen molecules as well as to cell-surface structures. Hyaluronic acid, probably, inhibited the interaction of fibronectin fibrils with these substrates. Heparin and heparan sulfate, also in the absence of fibronectin, improved within a limited concentration range the binding of native 125I-collagen, type III, to the cells. The amount attached was, however, considerably less than in presence of fibronectin.

Animals↗
PubMed1980

Interaction of fibrinogen/fibrin and fibronectin with collagen.

Interaction of fibrinogen, soluble fibrin and fibronection with native collagen, type I and III, was investigated by means of affinity chromatography and radio binding assay. Among collagens type III was most active. It associated stronger with fibronectin than with fibrinogen and fibrin suggesting that fibronectin might form the nuclei for deposition of plasma proteins on exposed collagen structures.

Adsorption↗