scholarly journals Purification and Partial Characterization of a Paracoccidioides brasiliensis Protein with Capacity To Bind to Extracellular Matrix Proteins

2005 ◽  
Vol 73 (4) ◽  
pp. 2486-2495 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angel González ◽  
Beatriz L. Gómez ◽  
Soraya Diez ◽  
Orville Hernández ◽  
Angela Restrepo ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Microorganisms adhere to extracellular matrix proteins by means of their own surface molecules. Paracoccidioides brasiliensis conidia have been shown to be capable of interacting with extracellular matrix proteins. We aimed at determining the presence of fungal proteins that could interact with extracellular matrix protein and, if found, attempt their purification and characterization. Various extracts were prepared from P. brasiliensis mycelial and yeast cultures (total homogenates, β-mercaptoethanol, and sodium dodecyl sulfate [SDS] extracts) and analyzed by ligand affinity assays with fibronectin, fibrinogen and laminin. Two polypeptides were detected in both fungal forms. SDS extracts that interacted with all the extracellular matrix protein were tested; their molecular masses were 19 and 32 kDa. Analysis of the N-terminal amino acid sequence of the purified 32-kDa mycelial protein showed substantial homology with P. brasiliensis, Histoplasma capsulatum, and Neurospora crassa hypothetical proteins. Additionally, a monoclonal antibody (MAb) produced against this protein recognized the 32-kDa protein in the SDS extracts of both fungal forms for immunoblot. Immunofluorescence analysis revealed that this MAb reacted not only with mycelia and yeast cells, but also with conidia, indicating that this protein was shared by the three fungal propagules. By immunoelectron microscopy, this protein was detected in the cell walls and in the cytoplasm. Both the 32-kDa purified protein and MAb inhibited the adherence of conidia to the three extracellular matrix proteins in a dose-dependent manner. These findings demonstrate the presence of two polypeptides capable of interacting with extracellular matrix proteins on the surface of P. brasiliensis propagules, indicating that there may be common receptors for laminin, fibronectin, and fibrinogen. These proteins would be crucial for initial conidial adherence and perhaps also in dissemination of paracoccidioidomycosis.

1991 ◽  
Vol 261 (3) ◽  
pp. F488-F494 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. A. Bruggeman ◽  
E. A. Horigan ◽  
S. Horikoshi ◽  
P. E. Ray ◽  
P. E. Klotman

The vasoconstrictor eicosanoid thromboxane plays an important role in the pathogenesis of several renal diseases. As an autacoid, its local release alters blood flow and induces platelet aggregation. We report a direct stimulatory effect of thromboxane on extracellular matrix protein production and gene expression in vitro. Treatment of two cell types, differentiated mouse teratocarcinoma cells (F9+) and human glomerular mesangial cells, with two different thromboxane analogues resulted in increased production of components of the extracellular matrix including fibronectin and the basement membrane proteins laminin and type IV collagen. These responses to thromboxane were not the result of a mitogenic effect of thromboxane nor the result of an increase in total cellular protein. The increased production of extracellular matrix proteins was, at least in part, due to an increase in the steady-state level of mRNA for these genes. Furthermore, the effect of thromboxane was markedly inhibited by cotreatment with a thromboxane-receptor antagonist. These results suggest a new potential role for thromboxane as a mediator of the sclerotic and fibrotic responses to injury.


2008 ◽  
Vol 77 (2) ◽  
pp. 657-666 ◽  
Author(s):  
Isabelle Leduc ◽  
Bonnie Olsen ◽  
Christopher Elkins

ABSTRACT Resisting the bactericidal activity of naturally occurring antibodies and complement of normal human serum is an important element in the evasion of innate immunity by bacteria. In the gram-negative mucosal pathogen Haemophilus ducreyi, serum resistance is mediated primarily by the trimeric autotransporter DsrA. DsrA also functions as an adhesin for the extracellular matrix proteins fibronectin and vitronectin and mediates attachment of H. ducreyi to keratinocytes. We sought to determine the domain(s) of the 236-residue DsrA protein required for serum resistance and extracellular matrix protein binding. A 140-amino-acid truncated protein containing only the C-terminal portion of the passenger domain and the entire translocator domain of DsrA exhibited binding to fibronectin and vitronectin and conferred serum resistance to an H. ducreyi serum-sensitive strain. A shorter DsrA construct consisting of only 128 amino acids was unable to bind to extracellular matrix proteins but was serum resistant. We concluded that neither fibronectin binding nor vitronectin binding is required for high-level serum resistance in H. ducreyi.


2021 ◽  
Vol 118 (39) ◽  
pp. e2017460118
Author(s):  
Nathan T. Mortimer ◽  
Mary L. Fischer ◽  
Ashley L. Waring ◽  
Pooja KR ◽  
Balint Z. Kacsoh ◽  
...  

In order to respond to infection, hosts must distinguish pathogens from their own tissues. This allows for the precise targeting of immune responses against pathogens and also ensures self-tolerance, the ability of the host to protect self tissues from immune damage. One way to maintain self-tolerance is to evolve a self signal and suppress any immune response directed at tissues that carry this signal. Here, we characterize the Drosophila tuSz1 mutant strain, which mounts an aberrant immune response against its own fat body. We demonstrate that this autoimmunity is the result of two mutations: 1) a mutation in the GCS1 gene that disrupts N-glycosylation of extracellular matrix proteins covering the fat body, and 2) a mutation in the Drosophila Janus Kinase ortholog that causes precocious activation of hemocytes. Our data indicate that N-glycans attached to extracellular matrix proteins serve as a self signal and that activated hemocytes attack tissues lacking this signal. The simplicity of this invertebrate self-recognition system and the ubiquity of its constituent parts suggests it may have functional homologs across animals.


2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Meenalakshmi M. Mariappan

Renal hypertrophy and accumulation of extracellular matrix proteins are among cardinal manifestations of diabetic nephropathy. TGF beta system has been implicated in the pathogenesis of these manifestations. Among signaling pathways activated in the kidney in diabetes, mTOR- (mammalian target of rapamycin-)regulated pathways are pivotal in orchestrating high glucose-induced production of ECM proteins leading to functional and structural changes in the kidney culminating in adverse outcomes. Understanding signaling pathways that influence individual matrix protein expression could lead to the development of new interventional strategies. This paper will highlight some of the diverse components of the signaling network stimulated by hyperglycemia with an emphasis on extracellular matrix protein metabolism in the kidney in diabetes.


Blood ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 118 (21) ◽  
pp. 698-698 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas A J Mckinnon ◽  
Richard D Starke ◽  
Kushani Ediriwickrema ◽  
Anna Maria Randi ◽  
Michael Laffan

Abstract Abstract 698 Von Willebrand Factor (VWF) is a large multimeric plasma glycoprotein essential for homeostasis, also involved in inflammation and angiogenesis. The majority of VWF is synthesised by endothelial cells (EC) and is either constitutively secreted or stored in Weibel-Palade bodies (WPB), ready to be released in response to endothelial stimulation. Several studies have shown that formation of WPB is dependent on the presence of VWF, and deletion of VWF in human umbilical vein EC (HUVEC) results in loss of WPB. Amongst the other proteins shown to co-localise to WPB is angiopoietin-2 (Ang2), a ligand of the receptor tyrosine kinase Tie-2. Ang2 regulates endothelial cell survival, vascular stability and maturation, by destabilizing quiescent endothelium and facilitating the response to inflammatory and angiogenic stimuli. VWF is required for storage of Ang2, and release of Ang-2 from EC is increased in VWF-deficient HUVEC. Recently, we have shown that VWF itself regulates angiogenesis, raising the hypothesis that some of the angiogenic activity of VWF may be mediated by Ang-2. In the present study we investigated the interaction between Ang2 and VWF. Binding analysis demonstrated that recombinant human Ang2 bound to purified plasma-derived VWF in a pH and calcium dependent manner, with optimal binding occurring at pH 6.5 and 10mM calcium, indicative of binding within the Golgi body. Generation of binding isotherms established that Ang2 bound to VWF with high affinity (KD∼3nM); furthermore binding affinity was not dependent on VWF conformation. Using an array of VWF constructs we determined that Ang2 bound predominantly to the VWF A1 domain, which also contains binding sites to the platelet receptor GPIb and extracellular matrix proteins. Co-immunoprecipitation experiments performed on TNFα- and ionomycin-stimulated HUVECs, to induce WPB exocytosis, confirmed that a portion of Ang2 remained bound to secreted VWF. Moreover, immunofluorescence staining of histamine-stimulated HUVECs to induce VWF release demonstrated the presence of Ang2 on VWF strings secreted from ECs. Finally we demonstrated that Ang2 bound to VWF was still able to interact with Tie-2. These data demonstrate that binding of Ang2 to VWF occurs within the cell; we propose that this is the mechanism mediating storage of Ang2 in WPB. Moreover, the finding that the Ang2-VWF interaction is preserved following secretion raises the intriguing possibility VWF may affect Ang2 function, possibly by localising Ang2 to the Tie 2 receptor under the shear forces experienced in flowing blood. Similarly, Ang-2 binding to VWF may modulate its interaction with receptors and extracellular matrix proteins, and ultimately influence the role of VWF in the angiogenic processes. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.


Microbiology ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 157 (8) ◽  
pp. 2328-2338 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roger Dumke ◽  
Marius Hausner ◽  
Enno Jacobs

In different, phylogenetically unrelated micro-organisms, glycolytic enzymes play a dual role. In the cytosol they are involved in metabolic reactions whereas the surface-localized fraction of the enzymes contributes to adhesion and virulence. Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) is a typical member of this group of multifunctional proteins. In this study, we characterized the GAPDH of Mycoplasma pneumoniae, a common pathogen of the human respiratory mucosa. Full-length GAPDH of M. pneumoniae was successfully expressed and used to produce a polyclonal antiserum. By immunofluorescence, colony blot and ELISA experiments with different fractions of the M. pneumoniae proteins, GAPDH was demonstrated to be present in the cytosol and at even higher concentrations at the surface of mycoplasmas. Nevertheless, antibodies against recombinant GAPDH were not detected in sera of immunized animals or of patients with confirmed M. pneumoniae infection. Recombinant GAPDH bound to different human cell lines in a concentration-dependent manner, and binding was inhibited by specific anti-GAPDH serum. In contrast, this antiserum did not significantly influence the adherence of M. pneumoniae to HeLa cells. When different human extracellular matrix proteins were tested in Western blot assays, GAPDH bound to fibrinogen. The results showed that the GAPDH of M. pneumoniae is a member of the family of cytosol-localized glycolytic enzymes, which also occur at the surface of the bacterium, and mediates interactions with the extracellular matrix proteins of the human host. Thus, the surface-exposed fraction of GAPDH may be a factor that contributes to the successful colonization of the human respiratory tract by M. pneumoniae.


2001 ◽  
Vol 79 (4) ◽  
pp. 399-407 ◽  
Author(s):  
Priti S Shenoy ◽  
Shashi Uniyal ◽  
Kohei Miura ◽  
Christopher McColl ◽  
Tamas Oravecz ◽  
...  

It is well established that chemokines have a major role in the stimulation of cell movement on extracellular matrix (ECM) substrates. However, it is also clear that ECM substrates may influence the ability of cells to undergo migration. Using the migration chamber method, we assessed the migratory response of human embryonic kidney-293 (HEK) transfectant cells expressing the CC chemokine receptor 5 (CCR5) (HEK-CCR5) to stimulation by chemokines (macrophage inflamatory protein (MIP)-1α, MIP-1β, and regulated on activation normal-T cell expressed and secreted (RANTES)) on ECM substrates (collagen type I and fibronectin). Using filters coated with collagen (20 µg/mL), results showed that the chemokines differed in their ability to elicit cell movement according to the order MIP-1β > RANTES [Formula: see text] MIP-1α. In contrast, using filters coated with fibronectin (20 µg/mL), all three chemokines were similar in their ability to stimulate migration of HEK-CCR5 cells. In addition, the migratory response with respect to the concentrations of ECM substrates appeared biphasic; thus, chemokine-stimulated cell movement was inhibited at high ECM concentrations (100 µg/mL). To determine the involvement of β1 integrins, results showed that the migratory response to chemokine stimulation on collagen was largely inhibited by monoclonal antibody (mAb) to α2β1; however, complete inhibition required a combination of mAbs to α1β1 and α2β1. In comparison, migration on fibronectin was inhibited by mAb to α3β1 and α5β1. Our results suggest that the migratory response to CCR5 stimulation may vary quantitatively with both the CCR5 ligand (MIP-1α, MIP-1β, and RANTES), as well as the nature and concentration of the ECM substrate involved.Key words: chemokines, integrins, cell movement, extracellular matrix proteins, CCR5.


RSC Advances ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (97) ◽  
pp. 95337-95341
Author(s):  
Conor M. Gomes ◽  
Leila F. Deravi

A synthetic strategy is described to repurpose human extracellular matrix protein binding domains to catalyse the condensation of silica nanostructures in water for a seamlessly integrated biocomposite material.


1993 ◽  
Vol 122 (4) ◽  
pp. 809-823 ◽  
Author(s):  
JM Ervasti ◽  
KP Campbell

The dystrophin-glycoprotein complex was tested for interaction with several components of the extracellular matrix as well as actin. The 156-kD dystrophin-associated glycoprotein (156-kD dystroglycan) specifically bound laminin in a calcium-dependent manner and was inhibited by NaCl (IC50 = 250 mM) but was not affected by 1,000-fold (wt/wt) excesses of lactose, IKVAV, or YIGSR peptides. Laminin binding was inhibited by heparin (IC50 = 100 micrograms/ml), suggesting that one of the heparin-binding domains of laminin is involved in binding dystroglycan while negatively charged oligosaccharide moieties on dystroglycan were found to be necessary for its laminin-binding activity. No interaction between any component of the dystrophin-glycoprotein complex and fibronectin, collagen I, collagen IV, entactin, or heparan sulfate proteoglycan was detected by 125I-protein overlay and/or extracellular matrix protein-Sepharose precipitation. In addition, laminin-Sepharose quantitatively precipitated purified dystrophin-glycoprotein complex, demonstrating that the laminin-binding site is accessible when dystroglycan is associated with the complex. Dystroglycan of nonmuscle tissues also bound laminin. However, the other proteins of the striated muscle dystrophin-glycoprotein complex appear to be absent, antigenically dissimilar or less tightly associated with dystroglycan in nonmuscle tissues. Finally, we show that the dystrophin-glycoprotein complex cosediments with F-actin but does not bind calcium or calmodulin. Our results support a role for the striated muscle dystrophin-glycoprotein complex in linking the actin-based cytoskeleton with the extracellular matrix. Furthermore, our results suggest that dystrophin and dystroglycan may play substantially different functional roles in nonmuscle tissues.


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