scholarly journals Functional analysis of posttranslational cleavage products of the neuron-glia cell adhesion molecule, Ng-CAM.

1995 ◽  
Vol 130 (3) ◽  
pp. 733-744 ◽  
Author(s):  
M P Burgoon ◽  
R B Hazan ◽  
G R Phillips ◽  
K L Crossin ◽  
G M Edelman ◽  
...  

Neuron-glia cell adhesion molecule (Ng-CAM) mediates cell adhesion between neurons homophilically and between neurons and glia heterophilically; it also promotes neurite outgrowth. In the chick brain, Ng-CAM is detected as glycoproteins of 190 and 210 kD (Ng-CAM200) with posttranslational cleavage products of 135 kD (F135, which contains most of the extracellular region) and 80 kD (F80, which includes the transmembrane and the cytoplasmic domains). To examine the functions of each of these components, we have expressed Ng-CAM200, F135, and F80 in murine L cells, and F135 and F80 as GST fusion proteins in the pGEX vector in bacteria. Appropriately transfected L cells expressed each of these proteins on their surfaces; F135 was also found in the media of cells transfected with Ng-CAM200 and F135. In addition to binding homophilically, cells transfected with Ng-CAM200 and F135 bound heterophilically to untransfected L cells, suggesting that there is a ligand for Ng-CAM on fibroblasts that may be related to the glial ligand. Detailed studies using the transfected cells and the fusion proteins indicated that both the homophilic and the heterophilic binding activities of Ng-CAM are localized in the F135 fragment of the molecule. The results also indicated that proteolytic cleavage of Ng-CAM200 is not required either for its expression on the cell surface or for cell adhesion and that there is an "anchor" for F135 on L cells (and presumably on neurons). In contrast to the cell binding results, the F80 but not the F135 fusion protein enhanced the outgrowth of neurites from dorsal root ganglion cells; this activity was associated with the FnIII repeats of F80. The observations that a protein corresponding to F135 contains the cell aggregation sites whereas one corresponding to the F80 has the ability to promote neurite outgrowth suggest that proteolytic cleavage may be an important event in regulating these Ng-CAM activities during embryonic development and neural regeneration.

1991 ◽  
Vol 112 (5) ◽  
pp. 1017-1029 ◽  
Author(s):  
M P Burgoon ◽  
M Grumet ◽  
V Mauro ◽  
G M Edelman ◽  
B A Cunningham

The neuron-glia cell adhesion molecule (Ng-CAM) mediates both neuron-neuron and neuron-glia adhesion; it is detected on SDS-PAGE as a predominant 135-kD glycoprotein, with minor components of 80, 190, and 210 kD. We have isolated cDNA clones encoding the entire sequence of chicken Ng-CAM. The predicted extracellular region includes six immunoglobulin-like domains followed by five fibronectin-type III repeats, structural features that are characteristic of several neural CAMs of the N-CAM superfamily. The amino acid sequence of chicken Ng-CAM is most similar to that of mouse L1 but the overall identity is only 40% and Ng-CAM contains a short fibronectin-like segment with an RGD sequence that has no counterpart in L1. These findings suggest that Ng-CAM and L1 may not be equivalent molecules in chicken and mouse. The amino-terminal sequences of the 210-, 190-, and 135-kD components of Ng-CAM are all the same as the predicted amino terminus of the molecule, whereas the 80-kD component begins within the third fibronectin repeat. The cDNA sequence is continuous across the junction between the 135- and 80-kD components, and a single 170-kD Ng-CAM polypeptide was isolated from tunicamycin-treated cells. In addition, all cDNA probes hybridized on Northern blots to a 6-kb RNA, and most hybridized to single bands on Southern blots. These results indicate that the Ng-CAM components are derived from a single polypeptide encoded by a single gene, and that the 135- and 80-kD components are generated from the 210/190-kD species by proteolytic cleavage. The 135-kD component contains most of the extracellular region including all of the immunoglobulin-like domains. It has no transmembrane segment, but it is tightly associated with the membrane. The 80-kD component contains two and a half type III repeats plus the RGD-containing segment, as well as the single transmembrane and cytoplasmic domains. These structural features of Ng-CAM provide a framework for understanding its multiple functions in neuron-neuron interactions, neurite fasciculation, and neuron-glia interactions.


1998 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 277-290 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul M. Yip ◽  
Xiaoning Zhao ◽  
Anthony M.P. Montgomery ◽  
Chi-Hung Siu

The cell adhesion molecule L1 is a potent inducer of neurite outgrowth and it has been implicated in X-linked hydrocephalus and related neurological disorders. To investigate the mechanisms of neurite outgrowth stimulated by L1, attempts were made to identify the neuritogenic sites in L1. Fusion proteins containing different segments of the extracellular region of L1 were prepared and different neuronal cells were assayed on substrate-coated fusion proteins. Interestingly, both immunoglobulin (Ig)-like domains 2 and 6 (Ig2, Ig6) promoted neurite outgrowth from dorsal root ganglion cells, whereas neural retinal cells responded only to Ig2. L1 Ig2 contains a previously identified homophilic binding site, whereas L1 Ig6 contains an Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) sequence. The neuritogenic activity of Ig6 was abrogated by mutations in the RGD site. The addition of RGD-containing peptides also inhibited the promotion of neurite outgrowth from dorsal root ganglion cells by glutathione S-transferase-Ig6, implicating the involvement of an integrin. The monoclonal antibody LM609 against αvβ3integrin, but not an anti-β1 antibody, inhibited the neuritogenic effects of Ig6. These data thus provide the first evidence that the RGD motif in L1 Ig6 is capable of promoting neurite outgrowth via interaction with the αvβ3integrin on neuronal cells.


1992 ◽  
Vol 117 (4) ◽  
pp. 877-887 ◽  
Author(s):  
P Durbec ◽  
G Gennarini ◽  
C Goridis ◽  
G Rougon

The F3 molecule is a member of the immunoglobulin superfamily anchored to membranes by a glycane-phosphatidylinositol, and is predominantly expressed on subsets of axons of the central and peripheral nervous system. In a previous paper (Gennarini, G., P. Durbec, A. Boned, G. Rougon, and C. Goridis. 1991. Neuron. 6:595-606), we have established that F3 fulfills the operational definition of a cell adhesion molecule and that it stimulates neurite outgrowth when presented to sensory neurons as a surface component of transfected CHO cells. In the present study the question as to whether soluble forms of F3 would be functionally active was addressed in vitro on cultures of mouse dorsal root ganglion neurons. We observed that preparations enriched in soluble F3 had no effect on neuron attachment but enhanced neurite initiation and neurite outgrowth in a dose-dependent manner. By contrast, soluble NCAM-120 does not have any measurable effect on these phenomena. Addition of anti-F3 monovalent antibodies reduced the number of process-bearing neurons and the neuritic output per neuron to control values. Addition of cerebrospinal fluid, a natural source of soluble F3, also stimulated neurite extension, and this effect was partially blocked by anti-F3 antibodies. Our results suggest that the soluble forms of adhesive proteins with neurite outgrowth-promoting properties could act at a distance from their site of release in a way reminiscent of growth and trophic factors.


1997 ◽  
Vol 139 (1) ◽  
pp. 219-228 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marek Litwin ◽  
Katherine Clark ◽  
Leanne Noack ◽  
Jill Furze ◽  
Michael Berndt ◽  
...  

Tumor necrosis factor–α, interleukin-1, and endotoxin stimulate the expression of vascular endothelial cell (EC) adhesion molecules. Here we describe a novel pathway of adhesion molecule induction that is independent of exogenous factors, but which is dependent on integrin signaling and cell–cell interactions. Cells plated onto gelatin, fibronectin, collagen or fibrinogen, or anti-integrin antibodies, expressed increased amounts of E-selectin, vascular cell adhesion molecule–1, and intercellular adhesion molecule–1. In contrast, ECs failed to express E-selectin when plated on poly-l-lysine or when plated on fibrinogen in the presence of attachment-inhibiting, cyclic Arg-Gly-Asp peptides. The duration and magnitude of adhesion molecule expression was dependent on EC density. Induction of E-selectin on ECs plated at confluent density was transient and returned to basal levels by 15 h after plating when only 7 ± 2% (n = 5) of cells were positive. In contrast, cells plated at low density displayed a 17-fold greater expression of E-selectin than did high density ECs with 57 ± 4% (n = 5) positive for E-selectin expression 15 h after plating, and significant expression still evident 72 h after plating. The confluency-dependent inhibition of expression of E-selectin was at least partly mediated through the cell junctional protein, platelet/endothelial cell adhesion molecule–1 (PECAM-1). Antibodies against PECAM-1, but not against VE-cadherin, increased E-selectin expression on confluent ECs. Co– culture of subconfluent ECs with PECAM-1– coated beads or with L cells transfected with full-length PECAM-1 or with a cytoplasmic truncation PECAM-1 mutant, inhibited E-selectin expression. In contrast, untransfected L cells or L cells transfected with an adhesion-defective domain 2 deletion PECAM-1 mutant failed to regulate E-selectin expression. In an in vitro model of wounding the wound front displayed an increase in the number of E-selectin–expressing cells, and also an increase in the intensity of expression of E-selectin positive cells compared to the nonwounded monolayer. Thus we propose that the EC junction, and in particular, the junctional molecule PECAM-1, is a powerful regulator of endothelial adhesiveness.


1988 ◽  
Vol 106 (2) ◽  
pp. 487-503 ◽  
Author(s):  
M Grumet ◽  
GM Edelman

The neuron-glia cell adhesion molecule (Ng-CAM) is present in the central nervous system on postmitotic neurons and in the periphery on neurons and Schwann cells. It has been implicated in binding between neurons and between neurons and glia. To understand the molecular mechanisms of Ng-CAM binding, we analyzed the aggregation of chick Ng-CAM either immobilized on 0.5-micron beads (Covaspheres) or reconstituted into liposomes. The results were correlated with the binding of these particles to different types of cells as well as with cell-cell binding itself. Both Ng-CAM-Covaspheres and Ng-CAM liposomes individually self-aggregated, and antibodies against Ng-CAM strongly inhibited their aggregation; the rate of aggregation increased approximately with the square of the concentration of the beads or the liposomes. Much higher rates of aggregation were observed when the ratio of Ng-CAM to lipid in the liposome was increased. Radioiodinated Ng-CAM on Covaspheres and in liposomes bound both to neurons and to glial cells and in each case antibodies against Ng-CAM inhibited 50-90% of the binding. Control preparations of fibroblasts and meningeal cells did not exhibit significant binding. Adhesion between neurons and glia within and across species (chick and mouse) was explored in cellular assays after defining markers for each cell type, and optimal conditions of shear, temperature, and cell density. As previously noted using chick cells (Grumet, M., S. Hoffman, C.-M. Chuong, and G. M. Edelman. 1984 Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 81:7989-7993), anti-Ng-CAM antibodies inhibited neuron-neuron and neuron-glia binding. In cross-species adhesion assays, binding of chick neurons to mouse astroglia and binding of mouse neurons to chick astroglia were both inhibited by anti-Ng-CAM antibodies. To identify whether the cellular ligands for Ng-CAM differed for neuron-neuron and neuron-glia binding, cells were preincubated with specific antibodies, the antibodies were removed by washing, and Ng-CAM-Covasphere binding was measured. Preincubation of neurons with anti-Ng-CAM antibodies inhibited Ng-CAM-Covasphere binding but similar preincubation of astroglial cells did not inhibit binding. In contrast, preincubation of astroglia with anti-astroglial cell antibodies inhibited binding to these cells but preincubation of neurons with these antibodies had no effect. Together with the data on Covaspheres and liposome aggregation, these findings suggested that Ng-CAM-Covaspheres bound to Ng-CAM on neurons but bound to different molecules on astroglia.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)


1991 ◽  
Vol 114 (5) ◽  
pp. 1059-1068 ◽  
Author(s):  
S M Albelda ◽  
W A Muller ◽  
C A Buck ◽  
P J Newman

PECAM-1 is a 130-120-kD integral membrane glycoprotein found on the surface of platelets, at endothelial intercellular junctions in culture, and on cells of myeloid lineage. Previous studies have shown that it is a member of the immunoglobulin gene superfamily and that antibodies against the bovine form of this protein (endoCAM) can inhibit endothelial cell-cell interactions. These data suggest that PECAM-1 may function as a vascular cell adhesion molecule. The function of this molecule has been further evaluated by transfecting cells with a full-length PECAM-1 cDNA. Transfected COS-7, mouse 3T3 and L cells expressed a 130-120-kD glycoprotein on their cell surface that reacted with anti-PECAM-1 polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies. COS-7 and 3T3 cell transfectants formed cell-cell junctions that were highly enriched in PECAM-1, reminiscent of its distribution at endothelial cell-cell borders. In contrast, this protein remained diffusely distributed within the plasma membrane of PECAM-1 transfected cells that were in contact with mock transfectants. Mouse L cells stably transfected with PECAM-1 demonstrated calcium-dependent aggregation that was inhibited by anti-PECAM antibodies. These results demonstrate that PECAM-1 mediates cell-cell adhesion and support the idea that it may be involved in some of the interactive events taking place during thrombosis, wound healing, and angiogenesis.


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