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J. Biol. Chem., Vol. 278, Issue 36, 34605-34616, September 5, 2003
Cell Adhesion to Fibrillin-1 Molecules and Microfibrils Is Mediated by
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| ABSTRACT |
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5
1 interactions with fibrillin ligands were
identified, but integrin
v
3 also
contributed to cell adhesion. Fluorescence-activated cell sorting analysis
confirmed the presence of abundant
5
1 and
some
v
3 receptors on these cells. Adhesion
to microfibrils and to Arg-Gly-Aspcontaining fibrillin-1 protein fragments
induced signaling events that led to cell spreading, altered cytoskeletal
organization, and enhanced extracellular fibrillin-1 deposition. Differences
in cell shape when plated on fibrillin or fibronectin implied
substrate-specific
5
1-mediated cellular
responses. An Arg-Gly-Asp-independent cell adhesion sequence was also
identified within fibrillin-1. Adhesion and spreading of smooth muscle cells
on fibrillin ligands was enhanced by antibody-induced
1
integrin activation. A375-SM melanoma cells bound Arg-Gly-Asp-containing
fibrillin-1 protein fragments mainly through
v
3, whereas HT1080 cells used mainly
5
1. This study has shown that fibrillin
microfibrils mediate cell adhesion, that
5
1
and
v
3 are both important but cell-specific
fibrillin-1 receptors, and that cellular interactions with fibrillin-1
influence cell behavior. | INTRODUCTION |
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heterodimeric transmembrane receptors that mediate cell adhesion
to the ECM, usually through the characteristic RGD motif, and have widespread
essential functions in development, tissue organization, and the immune system
(7). Integrin-mediated cell
interactions regulate cell adhesion and migration and initiate signaling
pathways that lead to reorganization of actin cytoskeleton and cellular
proliferative and secretory responses.
Fibrillin-1 contains one RGD sequence in the fourth TB module (6). Fibrillin-2 contains two RGD sequences, one in the same position as the fibrillin-1 RGD sequence in the fourth TB module and the other in the third TB module where it is surrounded by hydrophobic amino acids (8). Fibrillin-3 also has two RGD sequences, one in the 19th cbEGF repeat and a second in the fourth TB module (9). The RGD motifs located in the fourth TB modules are surrounded by polar and charged amino acid residues, suggesting that the motif is solvent-exposed. This RGD tripeptide is located in the middle of a 13- to 20-amino acid sequence that is flanked on both ends by cysteine residues. By analogy with the homologous sixth TB module of fibrillin-1 (10), disulfide bonding of these cysteines in the fourth module would produce a finger-like loop structure with the RGD near the end of the loop and available for cellular interactions. The RGD in the third TB motif in fibrillin-2 does not mediate cell adhesion, probably due to its inaccessibility (11).
A cell adhesion role for the RGD motif in the fourth TB module of
fibrillin-1 and fibrillin-2 has been described using recombinant fibrillin-1
peptides (12,
13), or synthetic fibrillin-1
RGD peptides and fibrillin molecules purified from tissues using a reductive
denaturing protocol (11).
These studies identified the integrin receptor
v
3 as the major receptor mediating adhesion
to these molecular fibrillin-1 ligands. One group found that purified
5
1 integrins, when immobilized to wells,
did not bind recombinant fibrillin-1 peptides
(12). The
1
integrin subunit bound a recombinant fibrillin-1 TB4 module expressed in
bacteria (13). Fetal bovine
chondrocytes were stimulated to bind fibrillin-1 using
5
1 after antibody activation
(11).
In early studies, we showed that isolated fibrillin-rich microfibrils
support attachment of vascular smooth muscle cells
(14). Here we have
investigated the molecular basis of integrin-mediated adhesion to fibrillin
microfibrils and molecules using human dermal fibroblasts, smooth muscle
cells, HT1080 fibrosarcoma cells, and A375-SM melanoma cells. We have
demonstrated that
5
1 and
v
3 are both important receptors for
fibrillin ligands, and that RGD-dependent cell adhesion to fibrillin-1
influences cell shape and migration, focal complex formation, signaling, and
ECM deposition. We have also identified a cell adhesion site within
fibrillin-1 exons 4152 that mediates cell adhesion in a non-RGD,
non-cation, and nonheparan sulfate-dependent manner. These studies have
provided new insights into the molecular basis of fibrillin interactions with
cells and suggest a key role for microfibrils in regulating cell behavior in
connective tissues.
| EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURES |
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5
integrin subunit mAb 16, inhibitory rat anti-human
1 integrin
subunit mAb 13, and rat anti-human fibronectin mAb 333 were gifts from Ken
Yamada (NIDCR, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD). The activating
mouse anti-human mAb TS2/16 directed against the
1 integrin
subunit was a gift of Francesco Sanchez-Madrid (Centro de Investigaciones
Biológicas, CSIC, Madrid, Spain). The monoclonal
anti-
2 integrin subunit antibody (JA218), and a recombinant
50-kDa fibronectin peptide comprising type III repeats 610 were
produced as described previously
(15,
16). A non-functional mouse
anti-human
1 monoclonal antibody (K20) was obtained from
Invitrogen (Paisley, Scotland). A mouse anti-human
5
monoclonal antibody (JBS5) was obtained from Serotec (Oxford, UK). A
monoclonal anti-
v
3 integrin antibody
(LM609) was obtained from Chemicon International (Temecula, CA). A monoclonal
antibody to human serum fibronectin (15T4) was obtained from Sigma Chemical
Co. (Dorset, UK). A polyclonal antibody PF2 to a pepsin fragment of
fibrillin-1 was supplied by Dr. R. Glanville (Portland, OR). Monoclonal
antibody 11C1.3 to fibrillin-1 was obtained from Neomarkers Inc. Anti-mouse
IgG horseradish peroxidase-conjugated antibody, anti-mouse IgG FITC-conjugated
secondary antibody, anti-mouse IgG rhodamineconjugated secondary antibody,
anti-rat IgG FITC-conjugated secondary antibody, and anti-rabbit
FITC-conjugated secondary antibody were obtained from Jackson ImmunoResearch
Laboratories (Avondale, PA). Rhodamine-conjugated phalloidin was obtained from
Molecular Probes (Eugene, OR). Human serum, normal mouse IgG, and
FITC-conjugated anti-mouse secondary antibody and were obtained from Sigma
(Poole, Dorset, UK) All mAbs were used as purified IgG. Fibrillin-1 and
fibrillin-2 RGD peptides CYLDIRPRGDNGTA (fibrillin-1) and CYLKFGPRGDGSLS
(fibrillin-2) from the fourth TB module, and antibodies to these peptides,
were produced by Bethyl Laboratories, Inc. (Montgomery, AL). Similar peptides
were previously described
(11). Heparan sulfate was
purchased from Sigma Chemical Co. (Dorset, UK).
CellsPrimary human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs) and human
coronary artery smooth muscle cells were obtained from BioWhittaker
(Berkshire, UK). Low passage cells (p4-10) were used in these studies. HT1080
fibrosarcoma cells and A375-SM melanoma cells, which have both
5
1 and
v
3 receptors but predominantly use
5
1 or
v
3, respectively
(17,
18), were also used in cell
adhesion assays.
Recombinant Fibrillin-1 Protein FragmentsRecombinant human fibrillin-1 protein fragments PF9 (amino acids 15281807), PF10 (amino acids 16892126), and PF11 (amino acids 15282126) (6) were expressed and purified using the mammalian episomal expression system pCEP-pu/AC7 (obtained from Dr. R. Timpl, Munich, Germany) and 293-EBNA cells (Fig. 1A). The pCEP-pu/AC7 vector had been modified by incorporation of N-terminal His6 following the signal peptide, which facilitated rapid peptide purification by nickel chromatography. Site-directed mutagenesis was also used to mutate the Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) sequence in PF9 to RDG. Following sequencing, this mutant (designated RDG PF9) was expressed and purified. The protein fragments were all N-glycosylated, had the correct molecular mass as judged by SDS-PAGE in the presence or absence of 10 mM dithiothreitol, size fractionation on Superdex 200 HR 10/30 columns, and laser light scattering, and they bound calcium, because electrophoretic shifts were apparent following EDTA treatment, as previously shown (19). Fibrillin-1 protein fragments expressed in a similar system are correctly folded (2022).
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Microfibril PurificationNative microfibrils to be used as ligands in cell adhesion assays were isolated and purified from aortae of second trimester fetal calves obtained from a local abattoir, using a modification of a well defined methodology (Fig. 1B) (23, 24). Briefly, microfibrils were isolated in the void volume of a Sepharose CL-2B column or a Sephadex G-25 column and then purified using a CsCl density gradient protocol. Fractions were extensively dialyzed into buffer (0.15 M NaCl, 0.05 M Tris-HCl, pH 7.4, 2 mM Ca2+) at 4 °C for 18 h. Western slot blots of CsCl fractions, prepared as previously described (24), showed that fibrillin-1 was present in the CsCl density gradient fractions 9 and 10 (Fig. 1C). Microfibril purity of these fractions was, in all preparations, confirmed by electron microscopy (Fig. 1D) or by tapping mode atomic force microscopy in air using a Multimode AFM with a Nanoscope IIIa controller at a resonant frequency of 250300 kHz.
Cell Attachment and Spreading AssaysStandard cell attachment assays and cell attachment inhibition assays were performed using microtiter plates (Costar Corp.) according to well defined methodologies (25). Purified microfibrils, recombinant fibrillin-1 protein fragments, and fibronectin adhesion ligands were diluted in column buffer (0.4 M NaCl, 0.01 M Tris-HCl, pH 7.4, 2 mM Ca2+), adsorbed to wells of 96 well microtiter plates, then incubated at room temperature for 1 h. The buffer and unbound ligand were aspirated from wells, and nonspecific binding was blocked by the addition of 200 µl/well of 10 mg/ml heat-denatured BSA diluted in 130 mM NaCl, 3 mM Tris-HCl pH 7.4, at room temperature for 1 h. Cell suspensions were prepared by washing the cell layers with trypsin-EDTA and incubating with 1 ml of trypsin-EDTA/10-cm2 flask area at 37 °C for no more than 4 min. Resulting cell suspensions were neutralized with 5 volumes of DMEM containing 10% fetal calf serum, 2 mM glutamine, then centrifuged at 800 x g for 5 min. Cell pellets were resuspended in 5 ml of warm DMEM/HEPES gassed with 510% (v/v) CO2, and cell numbers were calculated using a hemocytometer. Cell suspensions were centrifuged at 800 x g for 3 min, and the cell pellets were then resuspended in an appropriate volume of warm DMEM/HEPES (contains Mg2+, Ca2+, and Mn2+) gassed with 510% (v/v) CO2 to give a final cell density of 5 x 105 cells/ml. The cell suspensions were then incubated for 20 min at 37 °C with the lid off in a 5% CO2 incubator. The BSA-blocking solution was aspirated from the ligand-coated wells, which were then washed with 200 µl of column buffer. To determine cell attachment to adhesion ligands, 100 µl of cells (mixed prior to use by gentle pipetting) was added to the appropriate wells. Alternatively, to examine the effects of an exogenous agent on attachment, 50 µlof2x exogenous agent (antibody, peptide, or heparan sulfate) followed by 50 µlof2x cells were added to the wells. As controls when examining the effect(s) of exogenous agents, 50 µl of column buffer followed by 50 µl of 2x cells were added to control wells.
To estimate 100% attachment, cells were initially diluted to 5 x 105 cells/ml then further diluted to 20, 50, and 100% of the working cell suspension using warm DMEM/HEPES gassed with 510% (v/v) CO2, and 100 µl of cells was added to uncoated, unblocked wells. The microtiter plates were incubated for 20 min at 37 °C in a 5% CO2 incubator with the lid removed. Cells in the wells to be used for determining 100, 50, and 20% cell attachment were fixed by adding 10 µl of 50% (w/v) glutaraldehyde. Non-adherent and loosely attached cells were removed from the other wells by gentle tapping of the plate and aspirating the solution. Attached cells were then fixed by adding 100 µl of 5% (w/v) glutaraldehyde per well. The microtiter plates were incubated at room temperature for 30 min then washed three times with 200 µl of dH2O. Cells were stained by adding 100 µl of 0.1% (w/v) crystal violet in 0.2 M MES, pH 5.0 to each well and incubating the microtiter plates at room temperature for 1 h, then wells were washed once with 200 µl of dH2O, followed by three times with 400 µl of dH2O. The dye was solubilized in 100 µl of 10% (v/v) acetic acid, and the absorbance at 570 nm measured on a Dionex MRX II microtiter plate reader. Background crystal violet staining readings were subtracted from all experimental and 100% attachment results. Data from 20, 50, and 100% cell number standards were plotted (A570 versus cell density) using Microsoft Excel. The slope of the graph was determined from a linear regression, which was then used to express data as percent attachment. In all experiments, triplicate or quadruplicate wells were prepared. To examine the effects of cations on attachment, 50 µl 2x EDTA or PBS containing cations followed by 50 µl 2 x cells resuspended in PBS minus cations (mixed prior to use by gentle pipetting) were added to ligand-coated and control wells after BSA-blocking.
To determine cell spreading, the wells of microtiter plates were ligand-coated and BSA-blocked as for cell attachment assays. The cells were trypsinized, quenched, and counted as before, then adjusted to 2 x 105 cells/ml with warm DMEM/HEPES gassed with 510% (v/v) CO2. 100-µl aliquots of cells were added to the appropriate wells. As negative controls cells were added to uncoated, BSA-blocked wells. The plate was incubated for 40 min at 37 °C in a 5% CO2 incubator with the lid removed. The cells were immediately fixed with the addition of 10 µl of 37% formaldehyde directly to the well for 20 min. The formaldehyde was aspirated, and the wells were filled with PBS before layering a glass coverslip onto the plate. The level of cell spreading was determined by phase contrast microscopy.
FACS AnalysisCell suspensions were prepared by washing confluent cultured cell layers with PBS and incubating with 1 ml of 5 mM EDTA in Hanks' buffered saline solution/10-cm2 flask area at 37 °C for no more than 30 min. The resulting cell suspensions were neutralized with 5 volumes of DMEM-5 (Dulbecco's minimal essential medium, including 25 mM Hepes, 500 mg/liter glucose, 4 mg/liter pyridoxine) supplemented with 10% (v/v) fetal calf serum and 2 mM L-glutamine and centrifuged at 800 x g for 5 min. The cell pellets were resuspended in 1 ml of supplemented DMEM/HEPES, and the cell density was calculated using a Neubauer hemocytometer. The cell suspension was centrifuged at 800 x g for 3 min, and the cell pellets were resuspended in an appropriate volume of supplemented DMEM/HEPES to give a final cell density of 1 x 107 cells/ml. Cells (50 µl) were added to FACS tubes followed by 50 µl of primary antibody (K20, JBS5, JA218, 12G10, LM609, or mouse IgG control) diluted to 10 µg/ml in PBS-2 containing 0.02% (w/v) sodium azide and incubated at 4 °C for 1 h. The cell-antibody mixtures were centrifuged at 800 x g for 4 min, and the cell pellets were washed three times in PBS-2 (Dulbecco's phosphate-buffered saline (without Ca2+ and Mg2+)) containing 1% (v/v) fetal calf serum. The resulting cell pellets were resuspended in 50 µl of PBS-2 containing FITC-conjugated anti-mouse secondary antibody (1:200 dilution) and 10% (v/v) human serum and incubated at 4 °C for 45 min. The antibody-cell mixtures were centrifuged at 800 x g for 4 min, and the cell pellets were washed twice in PBS with cations containing 1% (v/v) fetal calf serum and once with PBS with cations. Cells were fixed by the addition of 100 µl of 2% (v/v) formaldehyde followed by 400 µl of PBS with cations and incubated at room temperature for 20 min. Cells from each sample (20,000 in total) were counted using a FACScan flow cytometer (BD Biosciences, Oxford, UK) at a flow rate of less than 200 events/s.
ImmunofluorescenceDouble antibody staining was performed on HDF cells plated on fibrillin or fibronectin ligands for up to 6 h. Coated wells were prepared and blocked as outlined under "Cell Attachment and Spreading Assays." Primary antibodies were a rabbit polyclonal antibody (PF2) to a pepsin fragment of fibrillin-1 kindly supplied by Dr. R. Glanville (Portland, OR) (26) and a monoclonal antibody to human serum fibronectin (15T4) obtained from Sigma Chemical Co. (Dorset, UK). Secondary anti-rabbit IgG conjugated FITC (1:100 dilution) and anti-mouse IgG-conjugated rhodamine (1:100 dilution) was used. Cell cultures were then visualized using a Leica DM RXA microscope fitted with a UV lamp and appropriate filters. Basic image acquisition and analysis were performed using IP Lab version 3.2. Advanced image analysis was performed using Adobe Photoshop version 6.0.
| RESULTS |
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HDF Attachment and Spreading on Recombinant Fibrillin-1 Protein FragmentsTo compare HDF attachment to microfibrils and to molecular fibrillin-1, cell adhesion to three overlapping fibrillin-1 recombinant protein fragments (Fig. 1A), two of which contained the RGD sequence, was examined (Fig. 2). The RGD-containing fibrillin-1 recombinant protein fragments PF9 and PF11 supported strong cell attachment, although slightly lower than microfibrils (Fig. 2A). The non-RGD-containing fragment PF10 also supported some cell adhesion, but this was much lower than PF9 and PF11. The RGD-containing protein fragment PF11 had the highest cell adhesion activity, followed by the RGD-containing protein fragment PF9 and then by peptide PF10. HDF spread rapidly on fibrillin-1 fragments PF9 and PF11 but very little on fragment PF10 (Fig. 2, B and C).
HDF Attachment to Fibrillin-1 Ligands Is Divalent Cation- and RGD-dependentDivalent cations are known to regulate integrin-ligand interactions (25). To establish whether integrin receptors mediate cell adhesion to fibrillin-1 molecules and microfibrils, divalent cation dependence was assessed. For HDF attachment to microfibrils and RGD-containing protein fragments PF9 and PF11, calcium was unable to support attachment, whereas magnesium and especially manganese strongly enhanced binding (Fig. 3A). Addition of cations had no effect on HDF attachment to PF10 (data not shown).
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RGD dependence of cell attachment was then examined directly using
synthetic peptides to the fibrillin-1 and fibrillin-2 RGD sequences, and
antibodies raised to these peptides. Immunoblotting demonstrated high
immunoreactivity of each fibrillin isoform antibody for its own peptide but
not for the other fibrillin peptide. HDF attachment to microfibrils was
inhibited in a dose-dependent manner by both fibrillin-1 and fibrillin-2 RGD
antibodies (Fig. 3B)
and by synthetic peptides (not shown). HDF attachment to the RGD-containing
recombinant fibrillin-1 protein fragments PF9 and PF11 was strongly inhibited
by the fibrillin-1 RGD antibody and synthetic peptide but not the
corresponding fibrillin-2 RGD reagents
(Fig. 3B). The low
level of HDF attachment to fibrillin-1 protein fragment PF10 was unaffected by
addition of either peptides or antibodies. These studies confirmed that HDF
attachment to fibrillin-1 fragments PF9 and PF11 is RGD-dependent and showed
that
45% of attachment to microfibrils is RGD-dependent with
contributions from both fibrillin-1 and fibrillin-2.
Integrin Receptors Mediating HDF Attachment to Fibrillin-1
LigandsTheintegrinreceptorsresponsibleformediatingRGD-dependent
cell attachment to microfibrils were identified in cell attachment-inhibition
studies (Fig. 4A).
Microfibrils immobilized onto 96-well microtiter plates were used as ligands
in inhibition assays of HDF cell attachment, with antibodies to integrin
receptors at final concentrations of 20 µg/ml
(
v
3 (LM609),
5 (JBS5 and
mAb16),
2 (JA218), and
1 (mAb13 and K20)).
Antibodies JBS5 and mAb 16 (block
5 integrin subunit) both
strongly inhibited cell attachment, suggesting that
5
1 integrin mediates HDF attachment to
microfibrils. Addition of JBS5 resulted in 84% inhibition of attachment and of
mAb16 led to 97% inhibition. mAb 13, which inhibits
1
integrins, inhibited cell attachment by 78%. No inhibition was observed using
the K20 anti-
1 antibody, as expected, because this antibody does not
block integrin function. A contribution to cell attachment was also shown for
v
3, because antibody LM609 inhibited cell
attachment by 41%. Integrin
2
1 was not
involved, because antibody JA218 did not inhibit cell attachment. Antibody
dose-response curves confirmed the specific antibody effects and that
5
1 and
v
3 integrin receptors are responsible for
the RGD-mediated HDF attachment to microfibrils
(Fig. 4B).
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Similar cell attachment-inhibition assays using anti-integrin antibodies
were conducted with HDF plated on recombinant fibrillin-1 RGD fragments PF9,
PF10, and PF11 (Fig. 4, A and
B) to establish whether the same integrin receptors bind
fibrillin-1 molecules and microfibrils. Neither JA218 nor K20 inhibited
attachment to these protein fragments, as shown using microfibril ligands. mAb
16 caused 95% (PF9) and 86% (PF11) inhibition of HDF attachment, JBS5 caused
89% (PF9) and 96% (PF11) inhibition, and LM609 caused 67% (PF9) and 46% (PF11)
inhibition. Thus, cell attachment to fibrillin-1 fragments PF9 and PF11 is
mediated by
5
1 and
v
3. There was no inhibition of cell
attachment to fragment PF10 with any of these antibodies.
FACS analysis confirmed the presence of
5
1 and
v
3 receptors on HDF cells
(Fig. 4C). Abundant
1 integrin was detected as well as
2 and
5 subunits and low levels of
v
3 integrin.
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The possibility that cell adhesion to
5
1
might be due to endogenous production of fibronectin within the 20-min cell
adhesion assay was excluded using several approaches. Site-directed
mutagenesis of the RGD motif in protein fragment PF9 to RDG, which is
ineffective in binding integrins, showed that the RGD-dependent cell adhesion
activities recorded for these protein fragments are due specifically to the
fibrillin-1 RGD motif (Fig. 5, A
and B). Moreover, mAb 333, which blocks fibronectin
attachment to
5
1, had no effect on HDF
attachment to the fibrillin-1 PF9 and PF11 fragments
(Fig. 5C).
Immunohistochemistry failed to detect any fibronectin by 20 min, with
pericellular fibronectin only detected by 60 min.
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Effects of Heparan Sulfate on Cell Adhesion to Microfibrils Heparan sulfate and heparin have previously been shown to mediate binding to three fibrillin-1 regions (amino acids 40450, 15282731, and 10281486), the first two of which are calcium-independent interactions (27). The potential for heparan sulfate to inhibit HDF adhesion to microfibrils was therefore examined. Addition of heparan sulfate resulted in 18% inhibition of cell binding to microfibrils.
Cellular Consequences of Attachment to Fibrillin Ligands When the morphology of HDF plated on microfibrils for up to 6 h was compared with that of HDF on fibronectin, pronounced shape differences were observed (Fig. 6). The cells on microfibrils were less extensively spread and had very prominent actin filaments and some ruffled edges. The cells on fibronectin were highly spread with well organized cytoskeletal structure. Immunocytochemical analysis revealed increased fibrillin-1 immunoreactivity when plated on microfibrils relative to cells on fibronectin (Fig. 6). On binding microfibrils, focal complexes containing FAK and paxillin were apparent as previously shown (11), and focal adhesion molecules paxillin and FAK were phosphorylated (not shown). These experiments confirmed that adhesion to microfibrils results in cell signaling, cytoskeletal organizational changes, and extracellular matrix expression.
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Adhesion of Smooth Muscle Cells, HT1080 Fibrosarcoma Cells, and A375-SM
Melanoma Cells to Microfibrils and Fibrillin-1 Protein
FragmentsAdhesion of primary human coronary artery smooth muscle
cells, HT1080 fibrosarcoma cells, and A375-SM melanoma cells to microfibrils
and fibrillin-1 protein fragments was also examined
(Fig. 7). HT1080 cells
exhibited 20% cell attachment to PF11 (Fig
7A). This adhesion was strongly inhibited by
anti-integrin
5 antibody mAb16 and anti-integrin
1 antibody mAb13, but anti-integrin
V
3 antibody LM609 had little
effect on cell adhesion. A375-SM melanoma cells exhibited 65% attachment to
PF11 (Fig. 7B). This
adhesion was strongly inhibited by anti-integrin
v
3 antibody LM609, but anti-integrin
5 antibodies had little effect on cell adhesion. For smooth
muscle cells, the percent cell attachment to fibrillin-1 protein fragments and
microfibrils was lower than for HDF, but after pre-treatment with the
1 integrin activating antibody, TS2/16, activated SMC
1 integrins bound and spread on microfibrils and on fragments
PF9 and PF11 (Fig. 7, C and
D).
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| DISCUSSION |
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v
3 integrin was identified as the major
receptor. An aim of this study was to determine whether connective tissue
cells also bind assembled microfibrils and the molecular basis of these
interactions. We have shown that cells strongly adhere and spread on
microfibrils that, in addition to
v
3,
5
1 is an important receptor for
microfibrils as well as for recombinant fibrillin-1 molecules, and that
RGD-dependent adhesion to fibrillin ligands influences cell shape and ECM
deposition.
Although cell adhesion studies generally utilize molecules or peptides as
ligands, this study has examined cell adhesion to native assembled
fibrillin-rich microfibrils which are very large polymers with a complex bead
ultrastructure (1,
20,
26,
29). Using these physiological
ligands, we have shown strong cation- and RGD-dependent adhesion of HDF to
microfibrils, which is comparable to their adhesion to a 50-kDa fibronectin
fragment that contains the central cell binding domain. Because interactions
between cells and microfibrils are inhibited by fibrillin-1 and fibrillin-2
RGD peptides, the RGD sequence within the fourth fibrillin TB module must be
accessible within assembled microfibrils. Such a location is consistent with
proposed models of fibrillin alignment in microfibrils, which predict that the
RGD motif is within the interbead region
(1,
20,
26,
30,
31). Strong inhibition of
microfibril adhesion was seen with both fibrillin-1 and fibrillin-2 RGD
peptide antibodies, which is consistent with fetal aortic microfibrils
containing both molecules (3,
4). Thus for HDF, RGD-dependent
adhesion to microfibrils, as well as to recombinant fibrillin-1 RGD protein
fragments, is mediated mainly by
5
1,
although
v
3 receptors also bind these
ligands. Adhesion to integrin
5
1 is well
known to be highly conformation-dependent
(32). Smooth muscle cells
adhered strongly to
1 integrins only after antibody
activation, indicating cultured cell-specific differences in
5
1-activated status. A similar effect was
noted for bovine auricular chondrocytes
(11). Integrin-dependent HDF
and smooth muscle cells spreading on fibrillin ligands showed that cell
signaling events caused cytoskeletal changes. Prominent differences in cell
shape when plated on microfibrils or on fibronectin indicated subtle
differences in cellular responses to adhesion to these two RGD ligands even
though adhesion was, in both cases, mediated largely by
5
1 integrin. On microfibrils, HDF were
partially migratory with some ruffled edges, whereas on fibronectin the cells
were well spread. These differences have physiological implications for cell
morphology and signaling when adherent to fibronectin or microfibrils in
vivo.
Interactions between fibrillin ligands and
5
1 integrin were confirmed using a
fibrillin-1 RDG mutant which, as expected, showed ablated cell adhesion. These
data allowed us to exclude other ECM molecules such as fibronectin as a
potential
5
1 ligand that might have been
secreted during the 20-min cell adhesion assays. Moreover, mAb 333, which
blocks fibronectin binding to integrins
(33), resulted in no reduction
of cell adhesion to fibrillin-1, although in fibronectin control experiments
adhesion was ablated. Immunofluorescence studies also failed to detect
fibronectin expression within the timeframe of the assays. RGD-dependent
integrin
5
1 binding to fibronectin is known
to involve recognition of a PHSRN synergy site in the ninth fibronectin type
III repeat (34). No similar
synergy sequence is present within the flanking cbEGF domains in fibrillin-1,
so any synergy site in this molecule must be a different sequence or a
conformation-dependent epitope. A recent study of
5
1-mediated binding to fibronectin has
highlighted that the RGD domain serves to activate and align the
5
1-fibronectin interaction, whereas the
synergy site provides the mechanical strength to the interaction
(32). Because fibrillin
microfibrils serve an important mechanical role in connective tissues
(35), it will be of interest
to determine the molecular basis of their mechanical coupling to cells.
Because RGD-mediated cell adhesion accounted for
50% of cell adhesion
to assembled microfibrils, we examined whether microfibrils also interact with
heparan sulfate, which, in turn, would suggest interactions with cell surface
heparan sulfate proteoglycan receptors. Three heparan sulfate binding
sequences have been localized to large regions of fibrillin-1 using
recombinant fibrillin-1 peptides
(27), but it is not clear
whether these sequences are exposed in microfibrils or available for
interactions with cell surface receptors. The N- and C-terminal heparan
sulfate binding regions, in particular, may be located in the microfibril
beads and/or involved in fibrillin-1 assembly
(1,
20,
26,
36). Our data show that
one-fifth of HDF attachment to microfibrils was inhibited by heparan
sulfate. The RGD-independent adhesion to fibrillin-1 exons 4152 that we
have identified was not inhibited by heparan sulfate, so the molecular basis
of this adhesion is unknown but could possibly be mediated by an integrin
receptor that does not recognize the RGD motif. We have shown that cell
adhesion to fetal aortic microfibrils involves interactions with fibrillin-1
and fibrillin-2, but interactions with other potential microfibril-associated
molecules shown to interact with cells in vitro may also, if present,
contribute. These include tropoelastin, which binds cells via the
elastin-binding protein (37),
and MAGP-2, which binds cells via
v
3
(38).
HDF attachment to microfibrils and to fibrillin-1 protein fragments, in
addition to promoting cell spreading and migratory morphology, also enhanced
the extracellular deposition of fibrillin-1 relative to deposition when
attached to fibronectin. This effect suggests a positive feedback mechanism
for fibrillin-1 expression. The integrin
5
1
plays a central role in pericellular fibronectin assembly, mediating
conformational changes that allow linear accretion
(39). It will be of interest
to determine whether
5
1-mediated adhesion
to newly synthesized molecules also influences fibrillin microfibril
assembly.
The physiological importance of fibrillin interactions with cells is clearly highlighted in blood vessel walls. Medial elastic fiber laminae have an outer mantle of microfibrils that is juxtaposed to smooth muscle cells at dense plaques. In a mouse model of Marfan syndrome, microfibril defects resulted in an unusually smooth surface of elastic laminae, loss of cell attachments normally mediated by fibrillin-1, and alterations in smooth muscle cell morphology and expression profiles (40). Subendothelial microfibrils deposited during aortic development interact with endothelial cells at dense plaques (5) and are critical in anchoring endothelial cells to the vessel wall. Juxtaposition of microfibrils and fibroblasts in skin and ligament further confirm the physiological importance of microfibril-cell interactions.
In summary, we have shown that assembled fibrillin-rich microfibrils are
important adhesion ligands for connective tissue cells,
5
1 is a major receptor for fibrillin-1
molecules and microfibrils, and RGD-dependent adhesion to fibrillin ligands
influences cell phenotype. An implication of this study is that reduced or
defective microfibrils in Marfan syndrome may directly alter cellular
phenotype.
| FOOTNOTES |
|---|
¶ Both authors contributed equally to this work. ![]()

To whom correspondence should be addressed. Tel.: 44-161-275-5739; Fax:
44-161-275-5082; E-mail:
cay.kielty{at}man.ac.uk.
1 The abbreviations used are: ECM, extracellular matrix; EGF, epidermal
growth factor; TB, 8-cysteine module similar to TGF-
binding module;
cbEGF, calcium-binding epidermal growth factor-like domain; mAb, monoclonal
antibody; FITC, fluorescein isothiocyanate; HDF, human dermal fibroblast; BSA,
bovine serum albumin; DMEM, Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium; MES,
4-morpholineethanesulfonic acid; FACS, fluorescence-activated cell sorting;
PBS, phosphate-buffered saline. ![]()
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