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alphaVbeta6 is a novel receptor for human fibrillin-1. Comparative studies of molecular determinants underlying integrin-rgd affinity and specificity.

Human fibrillin-1, the major structural protein of connective tissue 10-12 nm microfibrils, contains multiple calcium binding epidermal growth factor-like domains interspersed with transforming growth factor beta-binding protein-like (TB) domains. TB4 contains a flexible RGD loop that mediates cell adhesion via alphaVbeta3 and alpha5beta1 integrins. This study identifies integrin alphaVbeta6 as a novel cellular receptor for fibrillin-1 with a K(d) of approximately 0.45 mum. Analyses of this interaction by surface plasmon resonance and immunocytochemistry reveal different module requirements for alphaVbeta6 activation compared with those of alphaVbeta3, suggesting that a covalent linkage of an N-terminal calcium binding epidermal growth factor-like domain to TB4 can modulate alphaV integrin binding specificity. Furthermore, our data suggest alpha5beta1 is a low affinity fibrillin-1 receptor (K(d) > 1 mum), thus providing a molecular explanation for the different alpha5beta1 distribution patterns seen when human keratinocytes and fibroblasts are plated on recombinant fibrillin fragments versus those derived from the physiological ligand fibronectin. Non-focal contact distribution of alpha5beta1 suggests that its engagement by fibrillin-1 may elicit a lesser degree and/or different type of intracellular signaling compared with that seen with a high affinity ligand.

Antigens, Neoplasm↗

alphavbeta3, alphavbeta5, and osteopontin are coordinately upregulated at early time points in a rabbit model of neointima formation.

Both smooth muscle cell migration and replication are known to be responsible for neointima formation. Recent reports based on in vitro studies and animal models of neointima formation highlight the possible importance of alphavbeta3 and alphavbeta5 integrins in mediating neointima formation. Clinical data suggest that specific alphavbeta3 blockade may limit restenosis. The aim of this study was to identify the expression of alphavbeta3 and alphavbeta5 and their ligand osteopontin in the very early phases of neointima formation in a rabbit model. A non-occlusive cuff placed around the rabbit femoral artery resulted in a complete, concentric neointima that formed by 14 days. Antibodies specific for the integrin heterodimers and for osteopontin, along with a probe specific for osteopontin mRNA, were used to identify expression at early time points (6 h, 1 day, 3 days, 5 days) post-cuffing. Immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization expression results were quantitated by image analysis and tested for statistical significance by a two-tailed t-test. The data demonstrated the rapid (within 6 h) and abundant upregulation of alphavbeta3 and alphavbeta5 integrins and their ligand during very early time points of neointima formation. The very early (6 h) upregulation of alphavbeta3 underscores a potentially important clinical intervention point in limiting restenosis following clinical angioplasty procedures.

Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary↗

Staurosporine promotes endothelial cell assembly and FAK phosphorylation during in vitro angiogenesis.

In the present study, we report that staurosporine, a known PKC inhibitor, enhanced in vitro angiogenesis. Endothelial cells plated in a three-dimensional matrix formed cords and enclosed structures within 4-6 hours. The cells in cord structures became elongated during the subsequent incubation. Tube formation was confirmed by confocal microscopy. Addition of VEGF enhanced the early responses of endothelial cells, leading to enhanced formation of cords. Staurosporine unexpectedly also enhanced the early endothelial responses, leading to faster alignment of cells and assembly into tube-like structures. At concentrations inhibitory to endothelial cell PKC activity, staurosporine produced 91% and 203% increases in the number of cords and the enclosed structures, respectively, as compared to the controls. Other selective inhibitors of PKC did not stimulate in vitro angiogenesis in the absence or presence of VEGF. Further investigation showed that inhibition of PI-3 kinase and Raf-1 significantly reduced the effects of staurosporine. Staurosporine-induced in vitro angiogenesis required integrins alpha2 and alphavbeta3 and was associated with significantly enhanced FAK phosphorylation. These data indicate that staurosporine enhances in vitro angiogenesis by a means unrelated to its PKC inhibition. The data suggest that enhancement of in vitro angiogenesis by staurosporine involves integrin-mediated signaling, including the stimulation of FAK phosphorylation.

Cells, Cultured↗

Membrane-proximal {alpha}/{beta} stalk interactions differentially regulate integrin activation.

The affinity of integrin-ligand interaction is regulated extracellularly by divalent cations and intracellularly by inside-out signaling. We report here that the extracellular, membrane-proximal alpha/beta stalk interactions not only regulate cation-induced integrin activation but also play critical roles in propagating inside-out signaling. Two closely related integrins, alphaIIbbeta3 and alphaVbeta3, share high structural homology and bind to similar ligands in an RGD-dependent manner. Despite these structural and functional similarities, they exhibit distinct responses to Mn(2+). Although alphaVbeta3 showed robust ligand binding in the presence of Mn(2+), alphaIIbbeta3 showed a limited increase but failed to achieve full activation. Swapping alpha stalk regions between alphaIIb and alphaV revealed that the alpha stalk, but not the ligand-binding head region, was responsible for the difference. A series of alphaIIb/alphaV domain-swapping chimeras were constructed to identify the responsible domain. Surprisingly, the minimum component required to render alphaIIbbeta3 susceptible to Mn(2+) activation was the alphaV calf-2 domain, which does not contain any divalent cation-binding sites. The calf-2 domain makes interface with beta epidermal growth factor 4 and beta tail domain in three-dimensional structure. The effect of calf-2 domain swapping was partially reproduced by mutating the specific amino acid residues in the calf-2/epidermal growth factor 4-beta tail domain interface. When this interface was constrained by an artificially introduced disulfide bridge, the Mn(2+)-induced alphaVbeta3-fibrinogen interaction was significantly impaired. Notably, a similar disulfide bridge completely abrogated fibrinogen binding to alphaIIbbeta3 when alphaIIbbeta3 was activated by cytoplasmic tail truncation to mimic inside-out signaling. Thus, disruption/formation of the membrane-proximal alpha/beta stalk interface may act as an on/off switch that triggers integrin-mediated bidirectional signaling.

Animals↗

Fibroblasts spread on immobilized fibrin monomer by mobilizing a beta1-class integrin, together with a vitronectin receptor alphavbeta3 on their surface.

Human and murine fibroblasts were found to spread far more avidly on fibrin monomer monolayers than on immobilized fibrinogen, indicating that removal of fibrinopeptides by thrombin is a prerequisite for the fibrin-mediated augmentation of cell spreading. In fact, cell spreading was not efficiently augmented on monolayers of a thrombin-treated dysfibrinogen lacking the release of fibrinopeptide A due to an Aalpha Arg-16 --> Cys substitution. Since a synthetic Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD)-containing peptide inhibited the fibrin-mediated cell spreading, subsequent dissociation of the carboxyl-terminal globular domain of the Aalpha-chains appears to render the RGD segments accessible to the cell-surface integrins. In support of this, fibrin-augmented cell spreading was inhibited by an antibody recognizing a 12-kDa peptide segment with gamma Met-89 at its amino terminus, which is located in close association with the RGD segment at Aalpha 95-97 in the helical coiled-coil interdomainal connector. The fibrin-mediated augmentation of cell spreading was inhibited not only by an antibody against human vitronectin receptor (LM 609) but also by an antibody against the beta1 subunit of integrin (mAb13), suggesting that the beta1-class integrin together with a vitronectin receptor, alphavbeta3, is mobilized onto the surface of fibroblasts upon contact with the fibrin monomer monolayer.

Animals↗

Construction, expression, and characterization of a new targeted bifunctional fusion protein: tumstatin45-132-TNF.

The anti-angiogenic activity of tumstatin45-132 is mediated by binding to alphaVbeta3 on endothelial cells and tumor vascular endothelium showing increased expression of alphaVbeta3. Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) is known to not only possess direct cytotoxicity against tumor cells, but also induces tumor vessel disruption, however, clinical use of TNF-alpha as an anticancer drug is hampered by severe systemic toxicity. In this study, we explore the possibility of fusing tumstatin45-132 with human TNF-alpha in the hope of generating a targeting, bi-functional protein in tumor treatment. Tumstatin45-132-TNF was constructed and expressed in E. coli. The recombinant fusion protein was shown to be insoluble and in an inclusion body form. An effective strategy for refolding and purification of tumstatin45-132-TNF resulted in final purified yields of 3 mg purified fusion protein recovered from 1 liter of E. coli culture. The refolded tumstatin45-132-TNF with a purity of 98% assessed by denaturing SDS - PAGE showed a single band on gels. Endothelial cell proliferation assay and standard cytolytic assays against L929 indicated that the fusion protein maintains tumstatin45-132 and TNF-alpha activity. More importantly, tumstatin45-132-TNF inhibits endothelial cell proliferation more than tumstatin45-132 alone. Cell adhesion assays and competitive binding experiments with anti-integrin antibodies showed that the tumstatin45-132 moiety specifically interacts with alphaVbeta3 integrin. These results lay the solid foundation for further investigation of antitumor activity of tumstatin45-132-TNF in vivo.

Animals↗

Targeting alphavbeta3 and alpha5beta1 for gene delivery to proliferating VSMCs: synergistic effect of TGF-beta1.

TGF-beta1 levels increase after vascular injury and promote vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) proliferation. We define a nonviral gene delivery system that targets alphavbeta3 and alpha5beta1 integrins that are expressed on proliferating VSMCs and strongly induced by TGF-beta1. A 15-amino acid RGDNP-containing peptide from American Pit Viper venom was linked to a Lys(16) peptide as vector (molossin vector) and complexed with Lipofectamine or fusogenic peptide for delivery of luciferase or beta-galactosidase reporter genes to primary cultures of human, rabbit, and rat VSMCs. Preincubation of VSMCs with TGF-beta1 for 24 h, but not with PDGF-BB, interferon-gamma, TNF-alpha, nor PMA, increased alphavbeta3 and alpha5beta1 expressions on VSMCs and enhanced gene delivery of molossin vector. Thus beta-galactosidase activity increased from 35 +/- 5% (controls) to 75 +/- 5% after TGF-beta1 treatment, and luciferase activity increased fourfold over control values. Potential use of this system in vessel bypass surgery was examined in an ex vivo rat aortic organ culture model after endothelial damage. Molossin vector system delivered beta-galactosidase to VSMCs in the vessel wall that remained for up to 12 days posttransfection. The molossin vector system, when combined with TGF-beta1, enhances gene delivery to proliferating VSMCs and might have clinical applications for certain vasculoproliferative diseases.

Aorta↗

alphaV integrins are necessary for eutrophic inward remodeling of small arteries in hypertension.

Human essential hypertension is characterized by eutrophic remodeling of small arteries, with little evidence of hypertrophy. Likewise, vessels of young hypertensive TGR(mRen2)27 animals have undergone similar structural alterations. The role of integrins in resistance arteries of TGR(mRen2)27 during the eutrophic-remodeling process was examined as blood pressure rose. Initially, 8 alpha and 3 beta integrins were identified and levels of expression investigated using RT-PCR. As pressure increased and remodeling advanced, integrin expression profiles revealed that only alphaV was significantly raised. In conjunction, we confirmed elevated integrin alphaV protein levels in TGR(mRen2)27 rat arteries and localization to the media using immunofluorescence. beta1 and beta3, but not beta5 integrin subunits were coprecipitated with integrin alphaV and are implicated in the eutrophic remodeling process. Administration of a peptide antagonist of alphaVbeta3 abolished remodeling but enhanced growth, indicating that hypertrophy supervened as a response to hypertension-induced increases in wall stress. We have established that the only upregulated integrin, the alphaV subunit of integrin alphaVbeta3, has a crucial role in the hypertensive remodeling process of TGR(mRen2)27 rat resistance arteries. During hypertensive remodeling, functions of specific alphaVbeta3-extracellular matrix interactions are likely to allow vascular smooth muscle cell-length autoregulation, which includes a migratory process, to maintain a narrowed lumen after a prolonged constricted state.

Animals↗

Cytotrophoblasts infected with a pathogenic human cytomegalovirus strain dysregulate cell-matrix and cell-cell adhesion molecules: a quantitative analysis.

Studies of intrauterine human cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection have shown suppressed replication in the decidua and placenta of strongly seropositive women. Biopsy specimens often contain CMV virion glycoprotein B and DNA in syncytiotrophoblasts and villus core macrophages without productive infection. Focal replication occurs in placentas of women with low to moderate neutralizing antibody titres. Infected cytotrophoblasts downregulate key adhesion and immune molecules required for invasiveness and maternal immune tolerance and reduce matrix metalloproteinase-9 protein and activity, impairing degradation of the extracellular matrix. Here, we used flow cytometry and quantitative RT-PCR analyses to quantify differentiation molecules expressed in freshly isolated cytotrophoblasts purified from placentas at term and differentiating cells infected in vitro with VR1814, a pathogenic clinical strain. Cell surface proteins including E-cadherin, VE-cadherin, HLA-G, and CMV receptors--epidermal growth factor receptor and integrins beta1 and alphavbeta3--were expressed on purified cells, as were integrins alpha9 and beta6, which were not previously studied. Infected cytotrophoblasts dysregulate the levels of particular cell-matrix and cell-cell adhesion proteins and their transcripts. CMV replication in late gestation placentas with considerable reserves could deplete cytotrophoblast progenitors, thereby impairing syncytiotrophoblast development and increasing the risk of virus transmission to fetal blood vessels.

Cell Adhesion↗

A single immunoglobulin-like domain of the human neural cell adhesion molecule L1 supports adhesion by multiple vascular and platelet integrins.

The neural cell adhesion molecule L1 has been shown to function as a homophilic ligand in a variety of dynamic neurological processes. Here we demonstrate that the sixth immunoglobulin-like domain of human L1 (L1-Ig6) can function as a heterophilic ligand for multiple members of the integrin superfamily including alphavbeta3, alphavbeta1, alpha5beta1, and alphaIIbbeta3. The interaction between L1-Ig6 and alphaIIbbeta3 was found to support the rapid attachment of activated human platelets, whereas a corresponding interaction with alphavbeta3 and alphavbeta1 supported the adhesion of umbilical vein endothelial cells. Mutation of the single Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) motif in human L1-Ig6 effectively abrogated binding by the aforementioned integrins. A L1 peptide containing this RGD motif and corresponding flanking amino acids (PSITWRGDGRDLQEL) effectively blocked L1 integrin interactions and, as an immobilized ligand, supported adhesion via alphavbeta3, alphavbeta1, alpha5beta1, and alphaIIbbeta3. Whereas beta3 integrin binding to L1-Ig6 was evident in the presence of either Ca2+, Mg2+, or Mn2+, a corresponding interaction with the beta1 integrins was only observed in the presence of Mn2+. Furthermore, such Mn2+-dependent binding by alpha5beta1 and alphavbeta1 was significantly inhibited by exogenous Ca2+. Our findings suggest that physiological levels of calcium will impose a hierarchy of integrin binding to L1 such that alphavbeta3 or active alphaIIbbeta3 > alphavbeta1 > alpha5beta1. Given that L1 can interact with multiple vascular or platelet integrins it is significant that we also present evidence for de novo L1 expression on blood vessels associated with certain neoplastic or inflammatory diseases. Together these findings suggest an expanded and novel role for L1 in vascular and thrombogenic processes.

Adult↗

Integrin engagement modulates the phosphorylation of focal adhesion kinase, phagocytosis, and cell spreading in molluscan defence cells.

Integrins play a key role in cellular immune responses in a variety of organisms; however, knowledge of integrins and their effects on cell signalling and functional responses in molluscan defence reactions is poor. Using integrin-mediated cell adhesion kits, alphaVbeta3 and beta1 integrin-like subunits were identified on the surface of Lymnaea stagnalis haemocytes. Haemocyte binding via these integrins was found to be dependent on Ca2+/Mg2+. Western blotting with an anti-phospho (anti-active) focal adhesion kinase (FAK) antibody revealed a 120-125 kDa FAK-like protein in these cells; this protein was transiently phosphorylated upon haemocyte adhesion over 90 min, with maximal phosphorylation occurring after 30 min binding. Also, integrin engagement with the tetrapeptide Arg-Gly-Asp-Ser (RGDS) resulted in a rapid increase in phosphorylation of the FAK-like protein; however, RGDS did not affect the phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase. Treatment of haemocytes with RGDS (2 mM) inhibited phagocytosis of E. coli bioparticles by 88%. Moreover, at this concentration, RGDS reduced cell spreading by 61%; stress fiber formation was also impaired. Taken together, these results demonstrate a role for integrins in L. stagnalis haemocyte adhesion and defence reactions and, for the first time, link integrin engagement to FAK activation in molluscs.

Animals↗

The alphavbeta5 integrin of hematopoietic and nonhematopoietic cells is a transduction receptor of RGD-4C fiber-modified adenoviruses.

Epithelial and endothelial cells expressing the primary Coxsackie virus B adenovirus (Ad) receptor (CAR) and integrin coreceptors are natural targets of human Ad infections. The fiber knob of species A, C, D, E and F Ad serotypes binds CAR by mimicking the CAR-homodimer interface, and the penton base containing arginine-glycine-aspartate (RGD) motifs binds with low affinity to alphav integrins inducing cell activation. Here, we generated seven different genetically modified Ad vectors with RGD sequences inserted into the HI loop of fiber knob. All mutants bound and infected CAR and alphav integrin-positive epithelial cells with equal efficiencies. However, the Ads containing two additional cysteines, both N and C terminals of the RGD sequence (RGD-4C), were uniquely capable of transducing CAR-less hematopoietic and nonhematopoietic human tumor cell lines and primary melanoma cells. Both binding and transduction of RGD-4C Ad were blocked by soluble RGD peptides. Flow cytometry of cell surface integrins and virus binding to CAR-less cells in the presence of function-blocking anti-integrin antibodies indicated that the alphavbeta5 integrin, but not alphavbeta3, alphaIIbbeta3 or beta1,alpha5 or alpha6-containing integrins served as a functional transduction receptor of the RGD-4C Ads. However, in cells with low levels of alphavbeta5 integrin, the function-blocking anti-alphavbeta5 antibodies were not effective, unlike soluble RGD peptides. Collectively, our data demonstrate that the alphavbeta5 integrin is a functional transduction receptor of RGD-4C Ads in the absence of CAR, and that additional RGD receptors are targets of these viruses. The RGD-4C vectors further extend the tropism of Ads towards potential human therapies.

Adenoviridae↗

Transduction of beta3 integrin subunit cDNA confers on human keratinocytes the ability to adhere to gelatin.

alphavbeta3 is a multiligand integrin receptor that interacts with fibrinogen (FG), fibrin (FB), fibronectin (FN), vitronectin (VN), and denatured collagen. We previously reported that cultured normal human keratinocytes, like in vivo keratinocytes, do not express alphavbeta3 on the cell surface, and do not adhere to and migrate on FG and FB. Furthermore, we reported that human keratinocytes transduced with beta3 integrin subunit cDNA by a retrovirus-mediated transduction method express alphavbeta3 on the cell surface and adhere to FG, FB, FN, and VN significantly compared with beta-galactosidase (beta-gal) cDNA-transduced keratinocytes (control). In this study, we determined whether these beta3 integrin subunit cDNA-transduced keratinocytes or normal human keratinocytes adhere to denatured collagen (gelatin) using a 1 h cell adhesion assay. beta3 cDNA-transduced keratinocytes adhered to gelatin, whereas no significant adhesion was observed with the control cells (beta-gal cDNA-transduced keratinocytes and normal human keratinocytes). The adhesion to gelatin was inhibited by LM609, a monoclonal antibody to alphavbeta3, and RGD peptides but not by normal mouse IgG1 nor RGE peptides. Thus, transduction of beta3 integrin subunit cDNA confers on human keratinocytes the ability to adhere to denatured collagen (gelatin) as well as to FG, FB, VN, and FN. Otherwise, normal human keratinocytes do not adhere to gelatin. These data support the idea that beta3 cDNA-transduced human keratinocytes can be a good material for cultured epithelium to achieve better take rate with acute or chronic wounds, in which FG, FB, and denatured collagen are abundantly present.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

Sphingosine-1-phosphate markedly induces matrix metalloproteinase and integrin-dependent human endothelial cell invasion and lumen formation in three-dimensional collagen and fibrin matrices.

Endothelial cell invasion is a key step in angiogenic blood vessel formation. Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) has been previously reported to play a role in endothelial cell proliferation, survival, migration, and angiogenesis. Here, we examine the ability of S1P to regulate human endothelial cell invasion into three-dimensional collagen or fibrin matrices. We show that S1P potently stimulated human endothelial cell invasion, lumen formation, and branching morphogenesis in collagen, and fibrin matrices, (5- and 15-fold increases in invasion were observed, respectively). The S1P-induced invasion response was pertussis-toxin sensitive and completely dependent on integrins. Addition of integrin blocking reagents revealed that the alpha2beta1 integrin regulated invasion in collagen matrices, while a combination of alphavbeta3 and alpha5beta1 integrins regulated invasion in fibrin. Additionally, the S1P-induced invasion response was dependent on matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). Tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-3 (TIMP-3) was the only physiologic inhibitor of metalloproteinases that completely inhibited the potent stimulation of invasion induced by S1P. In contrast, TIMP-1 had no blocking effect on invasion or morphogenesis, while TIMP-2 and TIMP-4 partially reduced invasion but completely blocked lumen formation events. Collectively, these data reveal a marked ability of S1P to induce metalloproteinase- and integrin-dependent human endothelial cell invasion and morphogenesis in both collagen and fibrin three-dimensional matrices, the two most physiologically relevant matrices for angiogenesis.

Cell Division↗

A naturally occurring point mutation in the beta3 integrin MIDAS-like domain affects differently alphavbeta3 and alphaIIIbbeta3 receptor function.

We have investigated the effect of a new Leu196Pro mutation, identified in the MIDAS-like domain of the beta3 integrin subunit in a patient with type II Glanzmann thrombasthenia, on beta3 integrin receptor function. Expression of the mutant beta3Pro196 subunit in CHO cells, either associated with recombinant human alphaIIb or alphav, resulted in normal biosynthesis of beta3 and heterodimerization with alphav or alphaIIb, but selectively interfered with alphaIIbbeta3 maturation and transport to the cell surface. Functional analysis of the beta3 mutant receptors revealed strong inhibition of alphavbeta3-mediated cell spreading on immobilized fibrinogen, focal contact formation, p125FAK phosphorylation and fibrin clot retraction, as opposed to normal alphaIIbbeta3-mediated cell interaction with immobilized fibrinogen, focal contact translocation and signaling. In contrast, antibody- or DTT-activated mutant aIIbbeta3 was unable to bind soluble fibrinogen or the ligand mimetic PAC-1 monoclonal antibody, but underwent a conformational change following RGD peptide binding as demonstrated by AP5-LIBS epitope expression. These results suggest that (1) the highly conserved TL196T motif in the beta3 integrin subunit is located in a domain structurally important for the exposure of a functional binding site for soluble fibrinogen; and (2) that the MIDAS-like contact site in beta3 is not involved in alphaIIbbeta3-mediated cell adhesion to immobilized fibrinogen, while it is essential for alphavbeta3-mediated interaction with this ligand.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Analyses of cellular multimerin 1 receptors: in vitro evidence of binding mediated by alphaIIbbeta3 and alphavbeta3.

Multimerin 1 (MMRN1) is a large, soluble, polymeric, factor V binding protein and member of the EMILIN protein family. In vivo, MMRN1 is found in platelets, megakaryocytes, endothelium and extracellular matrix fibers, but not in plasma. To address the mechanism of MMRN1 binding to activated platelets and endothelial cells, we investigated the identity of the major MMRN1 receptors on these cells using wild-type and RGE-forms of recombinant MMRN1. Ligand capture, cell adhesion, ELISA and flow cytometry analyses of platelet-MMRN1 binding, indicated that MMRN1 binds to integrins alphaIIbbeta3 and alphavbeta3. Endothelial cell binding to MMRN1 was predominantly mediated by alphavbeta3 and did not require the MMRN1 RGD site or cellular activation. Like many other alphavbeta3 ligands, MMRN1 had the ability to support adhesion of additional cell types, including stimulated neutrophils. Expression studies, using a cell line capable of endothelial-like MMRN1 processing, indicated that MMRN1 adhesion to cellular receptors enhanced its extracellular matrix fiber assembly. These studies implicate integrin-mediated binding in MMRN1 attachment to cells and indicate that MMRN1 is a ligand for alphaIIbbeta3 and alphavbeta3.

Blood Platelets↗

PC12 cells utilize the homophilic binding site of L1 for cell-cell adhesion but L1-alphavbeta3 interaction for neurite outgrowth.

Treatment of PC12 cells with nerve growth factor induces their differentiation into sympathetic neuron-like cells and the concomitant expression of the neural cell adhesion molecule L1, a member of the Ig superfamily. To investigate the mechanism of L1-stimulated neurite outgrowth in PC12 cells, substrate-immobilized fusion proteins containing different extracellular domains of L1 were assayed for their neuritogenic activity. Surprisingly, domain Ig2 of L1, which was previously found to contain both homophilic binding and neuritogenic activities, failed to promote neurite outgrowth. In contrast, L1-Ig6 stimulated neurite outgrowth from PC12 cells. Despite this, homotypic binding of PC12 cells was significantly inhibited by antibodies against L1-Ig2, indicating that L1-L1 binding contributed to the intercellular adhesiveness of PC12 cells, but L1-stimulated neurite outgrowth depends on heterophilic interactions. Thus, PC12 cells provide a valuable model for the study of these two distinct functions of L1. Mutagenesis of L1-Ig6 highlighted the importance of the Arg-Gly-Asp motif in this domain for neuritogenesis. Inhibition studies using cyclic Arg-Gly-Asp-containing peptide and anti-integrin antibodies suggested the involvement of alphavbeta3 integrin. Furthermore, neurite outgrowth stimulated by L1-Ig6 was inhibited by lavendustin A and the MEK inhibitor PD98059, suggesting a signaling pathway that involves tyrosine kinase activation and the mitogen-activated protein kinase cascade.

Adrenal Gland Neoplasms↗

Lactadherin promotes VEGF-dependent neovascularization.

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-induced blood vessel growth is involved in both physiological and pathological angiogenesis and requires integrin-mediated signaling. We now show that an integrin-binding protein initially described in milk-fat globule, MFG-E8 (also known as lactadherin), is expressed in and around blood vessels and has a crucial role in VEGF-dependent neovascularization in the adult mouse. Using neutralizing antibodies and lactadherin-deficient animals, we show that lactadherin interacts with alphavbeta3 and alphavbeta5 integrins and alters both VEGF-dependent Akt phosphorylation and neovascularization. In the absence of VEGF, lactadherin administration induced alphavbeta3- and alphavbeta5-dependent Akt phosphorylation in endothelial cells in vitro and strongly improved postischemic neovascularization in vivo. These results show a crucial role for lactadherin in VEGF-dependent neovascularization and identify lactadherin as an important target for the modulation of neovascularization.

Analysis of Variance↗