Addition Of Fibronectin Research Articles

Adduct formation between soluble fibrin monomers and elastin

Monomers of fibrin generated from fibrinogen by thrombin reacted with elastin to give a new addition product or adduct. The adduct formation results from a covalent bond between both proteins, formation of which is dependent on elastin, fibrinogen and Ca 2+ concentrations; but, Factor Xllla did not intervene. Addition of fibronectin, together with fibrinogen, as cold insoluble proteins from human plasma, and of soluble collagen from rat tail tendon did not inhibit the first reaction. This enabled us to elaborate a new artificial connective matrix.

Fibronectin restores defective in vitro proliferation of patients' lymphocytes after marrow grafting.

In search for means of improving the impaired lymphocyte function of recipients after marrow grafting, we investigated the effect of fibronectin (FN) on patients' lymphocytes in allogeneic mixed lymphocyte cultures (MLC) and in cell-mediated lympholysis (CML) assays, since these tests are usually defective in transplanted patients. Four subgroups of marrow recipients were tested: patients within the first 100 days of transplantation (short-term) with (n = 16) or without (n = 14) acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), and long-term recipients with (n = 23) or without (n = 15) chronic GVHD. Exogenous FN (25 micrograms/ml) increased the proliferative response in the allogeneic mixed lymphocyte culture (MLC) significantly in cells from short-term patients without acute GVHD (+42%) and in those from long-term recipients with (+117%) and without chronic GVHD (+48%). In cells from patients with chronic GVHD, 3H-thymidine uptake after the addition of FN was enhanced to the level of that in lymphocytes of the corresponding marrow donor without exogenous FN. Fibronectin was effective only if added at the beginning of the MLC. In contrast to the results in MLC, exogenous FN failed to enhance phytohemagglutinin or OKT-3-induced lymphocyte proliferation and had no effect on CML activity. Moreover, FN did not show mitogenic activity in 3-6-day cultures. Our results demonstrate that FN in vitro is capable of restoring defective lymphocyte proliferation in marrow grafted patients, and circumstantial evidence suggests that this effect is mediated by an interaction between FN and monocytes.

Contraction of Collagen Lattice by Skin Fibroblasts from Dystrophic Recessive Epidermolysis Bullosa and Other Dermatoses

Skin fibroblasts incorporated into a lattice of hydrated collagen contract it to form a tissue-like structure. Fibroblasts from patients with skin diseases, including psoriasis, epidermolysis bullosa, and scleroderma, and from control subjects, all showed a similar ability to contract the lattice. The established skin epithelial cell line NCTC 2544, melanoma cells, and 3T6 mouse fibroblasts produced little contraction. Contraction required the presence of serum and was unaffected by the addition of fibronectin (10-20 micrograms/ml). Hyaluronic acid at 50-500 micrograms/ml had no effect, but contraction was inhibited at 1 mg/ml.

The retention and ultrastructural appearances of various extracellular matrix molecules incorporated into three-dimensional hydrated collagen lattices

Artificial extracellular matrices composed of collagen, glycosaminoglycans (GAG), proteoglycans (PG), plasma fibronectin (FN), and a hyaluronate-binding protein (HABP) have been prepared that morphologically resemble embryonic extracellular matrices in vivo at the light and electron microscope level. The effect of each of the above matrix molecules on the structure and “self-assembly” of these artificial matrices was delineated. (1) Matrix components assembled in vitro morphologically resemble their counterparts in vivo, for the most part. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy indicate that under our assembly and fixation conditions, collagen forms striated fibrils that are 125 nm in diameter, FN forms 30- to 60-nm granules, chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan (CSPG) forms 27- to 37-nm granules, chondroitin sulfate (CS) assembles into 100- to 250-nm spheres, and hyaluronate (HA) appears either as granular mats when fixed with cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) or as 1.5- to 3-nm microfibrils when preserved with ruthenium red plus tannic acid. These molecules are known to assume the same configurations in embryonic matrices when the same preservation techniques are used with the exception of FN, which generally forms fibrillar arrays. (2) Addition of various matrix molecules can radically change the appearance of the collagen gels. HA greatly expands the volume of the gel and increases the space between collagen fibrils. CSPG at low concentrations (<1 mg/ml) and CS at high concentrations (>20 mg/ml) bundle the collagen fibrils into twisted ropes. (3) A variety of assays were used to examine binding between various matrix components and retention of these components in the hydrated collagen lattices. These assays included solid-phase binding assays, negative staining of spread mixtures of matrix components, cryostat sections of unfixed mixtures of matrix components, and retention of radiolabeled matrix molecules in fixed and washed gels. A number of these binding interactions may play a role in the assembly and stabilization of the matrix. (a) HA, CSPG, and FN bind to collagen. CS appears to only weakly bind to collagen, if at all. (b) FN promotes the increased retention of HA, CSPG, and to a very small degree, CS, in collagen gels. Conversely, the GAG increase the retention of 3H-FN in the gels. Furthermore, FN binds to HA, CS, and CSPG as demonstrated by solid surface binding assays and morphological criteria. The increased retention of GAG and CSPG by the addition of FN may be due to both stabilization of binding to the collagen and trapping of matrix complexes within the gel. (c) HA binds to both CS and CSPG. Its association with CSPG monomers produces the typical “bead-on-a-string” appearance that has been well characterized in vivo. HA association with CS suggests yet another way that matrix can be stabilized. (d) A 70-kDa protein that has been shown to bind to both HA and collagen increases the retention of HA in the collagen gels and promotes HA fibril formation. Fibronectin, GAG, and CSPG spontaneously organize in the collagen matrices in a manner that is consistent both with binding characteristics that have been previously published and those that are reported here.

Binding of fibronectin to human buccal epithelial cells inhibits the binding of type 1 fimbriated Escherichia coli.

The interaction of purified human plasma fibronectin (FN) with human buccal epithelial cells was studied. Maximal binding of FN occurred at pH 5. The majority of the binding was specific and reversible. The binding of FN to buccal cells was saturable, reaching a maximum when 10(5) buccal cells were incubated with approximately 200 micrograms of radiolabeled protein per ml. The adherence of a type 1 fimbriated strain of Escherichia coli to buccal epithelial cells was inhibited by the addition of FN in a dose-related manner. Our results indicate that exogenous FN can bind to human buccal epithelial cells and block the attachment of a type 1 fimbriated strain of E. coli.

Altered characteristics of B16 melanoma cells induced by chemically crosslinking fibronectin to cell surfaces.

The loss of fibronectin from tumor cell surfaces has been correlated with an increased incidence of metastases. To determine directly whether cell surface fibronectin influences the metastatic potential of solid tumors, we chemically crosslinked fibronectin to B16 murine melanoma cells using a photosensitive heterobifunctional crosslinking reagent, N-succinimidyl-4-azidophenyl-1,3 dithiopropionate (SADP). Cell attachment to plastic surfaces was increased in cells to which fibronectin was attached; cell growth over a 24-hr period was not significantly affected by the addition of fibronectin. When C57BL/6 mice were injected with fibronectin-crosslinked B16 cells, there was a 63% reduction in the number of pulmonary nodules compared to untreated controls. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that fibronectin enhances the recognition and removal of tumor cells from the circulation, possibly by cells of the reticuloendothelial system.

Defective actin organization in cultured skin fibroblasts from individuals with inherited colon adenocarcinoma is not restored by addition of fibronectin.

Cultured skin fibroblasts from patients with hereditary adenomatosis of the colon and rectum (ACR) have a disorganized cytoskeleton. Since fibronectin has been found to restore normal cytoskeletal and cellular morphology to transformed cells, we investigated the fibronectin pattern in ACR cells. We found that although both fibronectin synthesis and binding to the cell surface were apparently normal, addition of fibronectin did not restore a normal distribution of actin cables to ACR cells. The data suggest that coupling of cell surface-bound fibronectin to the cytoskeleton might be constitutively defective in ACR cells.

Inhibition of limb chondrogenesis by fibronectin

This study compares the chondrogenic capacity of high density cultures prepared from either the develop-mentally younger, distal region or more advanced proximal region of stage 23/24 limb mesenchyme in high density cultures. Distal cultures undergo extensive chondrogenesis whether in F 12 medium supplemented with 10% fetal calf serum, 5% fetal calf serum, or fibronectin. On the other hand, proximal cultures fail to undergo chondrogenesis in medium containing 10% fetal calf serum or fibronectin, but do form cartilage in medium containing a decreased serum concentration or no serum. Furthermore, if the cells are cultured at low densities in native type I collagen gels, proximal cells have a reduced chondrogenic capacity in the presence of fibronectin, while chondrogenesis by distal cells is unaffected by the addition of fibronectin. The results demonstrate that proximal and distal cells respond differentially to serum and to fibronectin, and they suggest that the response of the cell to prevalent components of the extracellular matrix might change with development.

Factors influencing astrocyte growth and development in defined media

A previously described serum-free, defined medium (G2 medium) containing transferrin, selenium, hydrocortisone, biotin, fibroblast growth factor (FGF) and fibronectin developed for the growth of human and rat derived glioma cells was investigated for its ability to support proliferation of astrocytes in primary cultures of neonatal rat cerebrum. These cells were able to grow in G2 medium. Enhanced proliferation and repeated subcultivation were obtained after adding insulin and/or epidermal growth factor (EGF) to the G2 medium at concentrations of 5 μg/ml and 10 ng/ml, respectively.In these modified media (called G4 and G5 medium) astrocytes showed a higher degree of morphological differentiation as compared to serum supplemented medium. Cell type specificity was determined by immunocytochemical staining of glial fibrillary acidic (GFA) protein, which could already be demonstrated 5 days after plating cells. G4 and G5 represent the first serum-free defined media in which astrocytes proliferate and differentiate without preceding or intermediate contact to serum supplemented medium. Modification of the culture substratum by adding hyaluronic acid and chondroitin sulfate A to G4 medium (G2 medium + insulin) enhanced proliferation of astroglial cells by a factor of about 1.5. In the presence of epidermal growth factor no response to the altered culture dish surface was observed and the addition of fibronectin, otherwise a stringent plating requirement, was no longer necessary.

Structural alterations in fibronectin correlated with morphological changes in smooth muscle cells

Nontransformed cultures of vascular smooth muscle cells proliferate until they form a confluent sheet of cells. Subsequently, the cells become reorganized to form multicellular nodules that are loosely attached to the substrate. The formation of nodules is facilitated by the addition of medium conditioned by nodular cultures. Nodulation is inhibited by the addition of fibronectin. Fibronectins derived from monolayer culture conditioned medium or from plasma are maximally effective while fibronectin isolated from nodular cell conditioned medium is inactive. Analysis by NaDodSO 4-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis reveals that the nodular cell fibronectin has a molecular weight that is about 20–30 kd less than that of monolayer cell fibronectin. Further, nodular cell conditioned medium contains an activity that can convert both plasma fibronectin and monolayer cell fibronectin to the lower molecular weight correlated with the loss of biological activity.

Fibronectin enhances in vitro monocyte-macrophage-mediated tumoricidal activity

Control of neoplastic proliferation reflects in part monocyte/macrophage destruction of target cells--destruction that evidently requires cell-cell interaction. We herein show it to involve the natural plasma opsonin, fibronectin. With two cultured human tumor lines--Malme melanoma and CAK-I renal carcinoma cells--addition of fibronectin, purified to homogeneity, enhances macrophage-mediated cytotoxicity 2--4-fold (p less than 0.01). Both fresh human monocytes or the U-937-cultured macrophage line become more lethal to tumor cells with added fibronectin. The fibronectin-enhanced monocyte and U-937 tumoricidal activity occurred in a dose-dependent fashion. Specificity of fibronectin's action was validated by use of affinity-purified rabbit antifibronectin antibody, which completely abated its enhancement of tumoricidal activity. Enhancement of tumoricidal activity did not occur when monocytes or U-937 were exposed to fibronectin-coated plates. However, the addition of soluble fibronectin to fibronectin-coated plates was then capable of enhancing cytocidal activity. These studies demonstrate that human fibronectin is capable of increasing both fresh and cultured human monocyte tumor-directed cytotoxicity. Fibronectin appears to be a potentially important circulating molecule that may favorably influence human monocyte tumor cell cytotoxicity.

Fibronectin Enhances In Vitro Monocyte-Macrophage-Mediated Tumoricidal Activity

Control of neoplastic proliferation reflects in part monocyte/macrophage destruction of target cells--destruction that evidently requires cell-cell interaction. We herein show it to involve the natural plasma opsonin, fibronectin. With two cultured human tumor lines--Malme melanoma and CAK-I renal carcinoma cells--addition of fibronectin, purified to homogeneity, enhances macrophage-mediated cytotoxicity 2--4-fold (p less than 0.01). Both fresh human monocytes or the U-937-cultured macrophage line become more lethal to tumor cells with added fibronectin. The fibronectin-enhanced monocyte and U-937 tumoricidal activity occurred in a dose-dependent fashion. Specificity of fibronectin's action was validated by use of affinity-purified rabbit antifibronectin antibody, which completely abated its enhancement of tumoricidal activity. Enhancement of tumoricidal activity did not occur when monocytes or U-937 were exposed to fibronectin-coated plates. However, the addition of soluble fibronectin to fibronectin-coated plates was then capable of enhancing cytocidal activity. These studies demonstrate that human fibronectin is capable of increasing both fresh and cultured human monocyte tumor-directed cytotoxicity. Fibronectin appears to be a potentially important circulating molecule that may favorably influence human monocyte tumor cell cytotoxicity.

Interactions between chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan, fibronectin, and collagen.

A proteoglycan isolated from a rat yolk sac tumor and characterized as a chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan with a smaller amount of dermatan sulfate was studied with respect to complex formation with collagen and fibronectin. The proteoglycan co-precipitated with native collagen from neutral salt solutions at 6 degrees C and 37 degrees C. Addition of fibronectin in such precipitation mixtures resulted in incorporation of fibronectin to the precipitate. Treatment of the proteoglycan with alkali to separate the glycosaminoglycan chains from the protein part and digestion of the protein part with papain greatly reduced the capacity of the proteoglycan to precipitate collagen and fibronectin. A defined extracellular matrix as represented by the complexes of collagen, proteoglycan, and fibronectin constructed here may be useful for studies on the biological effects of extracellular matrices. The multiple interactions of matrix macromolecules exemplified by these results may play a role in the formation of extracellular matrices and in the maintenance of their integrity.

The interaction of human plasma fibronectin with a subunit of the first component of complement, C1q.

Fibronectin is a normal plasma protein that enhances reticuloendothelial system functioning, and may participate in immune complex clearance. The interaction of 125I-fibronectin with human C1 and C1q in vitro was investigated by employing a highly reproducible solid-phase binding assay in microtiter wells. We demonstrated that although fibronectin does not bind to antigen-antibody complex (BSA-anti-BSA) or immune complexes containing C1, a 20-fold increase in binding was obtained when the complexes contained C1q alone. In the absence of antigen-antibody complexes, fibronectin binds to the C1q fixed to the wells in a dose-response fashion but not to intact C1. C1q in the fluid phase inhibits 85% of the fibronectin binding to immobilized C1q. The amount of fibronectin bound by immobilized C1q or gelatin is approximately equal. The binding of fibronectin to C1q could be inhibited by the restoration of C1r + C1s to the C1 macromolecular complex before the addition of fibronectin. The inhibition was dependent on the concentration of C1r + C1s and achieved a maximum of 70% at 100 micrograms/ml. This inhibition could be reversed by the removal of C1r and C1s subunits with EDTA or C1 inhibitor. Digestion of C1q with pepsin resulted in an 85% loss of fibronectin binding. It therefore appears that at least one site of fibronectin binding to C1q is in the globular portion of this complement component.

The relationship of serum fibronectin and cell shape to thrombin-induced inhibition of DNA synthesis in human fibroblasts.

AbstractIn a previous report it was shown that inhibited DNA synthesis and altered morphology resulted when human fibroblasts (HF) were plated in 3% fetal calf serum (FCS) medium preincubated with thrombin (Hall and Ganguly, 1980a). This was in contrast to the stimulatory effects of this enzyme when added to cells several hours after subculture. Those observations suggested that thrombin may act upon serum components of the growth medium necessary for initial culture establishment following cell plating. In this report, the relationship of serum fibronectin (FN) to this thrombin‐mediated inhibitory phenomena was investigated. It was found that the development of altered morphology and inhibited DNA synthesis could be completely prevented by the addition of this glycoprotein to medium preincubated with thrombin. Cell shape and DNA synthesis appeared to be closely related and both parameters showed a dose‐dependent sensitivity to added fibronectin. To further investigate this, a technique was developed in which cell shape could be selectively varied and DNA synthesis measured in the absence of serum or thrombin. These studies indicated that cell shape was closely related to DNA synthesis and morphologies identical to that seen in thrombin‐treated medium were produced. As observed in the thrombin system, normal cellular appearance and DNA synthesis could be restored by the addition of fibronectin. The results of this work suggest that thrombin acts upon medium components necessary for normal morphological development, possibly fibronectin, in cells following subculture. Inhibited DNA synthesis and growth seem to arise as a direct consequence of this effect.

Modification of shear modulus and creep compliance of fibrin clots by fibronectin.

Shear moduli and creep compliances have been measured for four types of clots of human fibrin (about 7 mg/ml) clotted with and without human plasma fibronectin (usually 1.2 mg/ml). Fine clots (with little lateral aggregation of the fibrin protofibrils) were found at pH 8.5, ionic strength 0.45; coarse clots (with substantial lateral aggregation) were formed at pH 7.5, ionic strength 0.15; in both cases with and without ligation by fibrinoligase. In fine clots, the addition of fibronectin without ligation scarcely affected the shear modulus; with ligation, the modulus was decreased by a factor of 0.48. In coarse clots, the shear modulus was increased by addition of fibronectin. The increase was by a factor of 2.0 without ligation and by a factor of 2.4 with ligation. Creep and creep recovery in clots formed with and without fibronectin were similar except for the scale factor represented by the change in modulus.