Glycosaminoglycan Side Chains Of Proteoglycans Research Articles

Tumor microenvironmental cytokines bound to cancer exosomes determine uptake by cytokine receptor-expressing cells and biodistribution

Metastatic spread of a cancer to secondary sites is a coordinated, non-random process. Cancer cell-secreted vesicles, especially exosomes, have recently been implicated in the guidance of metastatic dissemination, with specific surface composition determining some aspects of organ-specific localization. Nevertheless, whether the tumor microenvironment influences exosome biodistribution has yet to be investigated. Here, we show that microenvironmental cytokines, particularly CCL2, decorate cancer exosomes via binding to surface glycosaminoglycan side chains of proteoglycans, causing exosome accumulation in specific cell subsets and organs. Exosome retention results in changes in the immune landscape within these organs, coupled with a higher metastatic burden. Strikingly, CCL2-decorated exosomes are directed to a subset of cells that express the CCL2 receptor CCR2, demonstrating that exosome-bound cytokines are a crucial determinant of exosome-cell interactions. In addition to the finding that cytokine-conjugated exosomes are detected in the blood of cancer patients, we discovered that healthy subjects derived exosomes are also associated with cytokines. Although displaying a different profile from exosomes isolated from cancer patients, it further indicates that specific combinations of cytokines bound to exosomes could likewise affect other physiological and disease settings.

Atheroregressive Potential of the Treatment with a Chimeric Monoclonal Antibody against Sulfated Glycosaminoglycans on Pre-existing Lesions in Apolipoprotein E-Deficient Mice.

The retention of lipoprotein particles in the intima, in particular to glycosaminoglycan side chains of proteoglycans, is a critical step in atherosclerosis initiation. Administration of chP3R99, a chimeric mouse/human monoclonal antibody inducing an anti-idiotypic network response against glycosaminoglycans was previously shown to prevent atherosclerotic lesion progression, yet its effect in the late-stage progression of lesions remains unknown. This study investigated the effect of chP3R99 at a late stage of disease development in apolipoprotein E-deficient mice and the vascular mechanisms involved. Male apolipoprotein E-deficient mice were fed a high-fat high-cholesterol diet from 4 to 19 weeks old, at which time mice were fed normal chow and 5 doses of chP3R99 (50 μg) or isotype-matched IgG (hR3) were administered subcutaneously weekly for the first 3 administrations, then at weeks 24 and 26 before sacrifice (week 28). Lesions progression was reduced by 88% in treated mice with no change in total plasma cholesterol levels, yet with increased sera reactivity to chP3R99 idiotype and heparin, suggesting the induction of an anti-idiotype antibody cascade against glycosaminoglycans, which was likely related with the atheroprotective effect. chP3R99 treatment initiated regression in a significant number of mice. Circulating levels of interleukin-6 were reduced along with a striking diminution of inflammatory cell accumulation in the vessel wall, and of VCAM-1 labeling in vivo. The ratio of IL-10/iNOS gene expression in aortas increased in chP3R99-treated mice. In conclusion, our results show that treatment with chP3R99 reduces vascular inflammatory burden and halts lesion progression with potential for regression in the late phase of the disease in atherosclerotic mice, and support the therapeutic intervention against glycosaminoglycans as a novel strategy to reverse atherosclerosis.

Abstract 466: Therapeutic Immunization with an Antiglycosaminoglycan Antibody Reduces Atherosclerotic Lesion Progression in Apolipoprotein E-Deficient Mice

Subendothelial retention of apoB-containing lipoproteins by interaction with glycosaminoglycan-side chains of proteoglycans is considered the key initiating step of atherogenesis. Previously, we characterized the antiatherogenic properties of the chimeric mAb chP3R99, which binds sulfated GAG, inhibits LDL-chondroitin sulfate (CS) association, and abrogates LDL oxidation in vitro and in vivo. In preventive settings, rabbits and mice immunized with this mAb showed reduced atherosclerotic lesions, related with the induction of anti-chondroitin sulfate (CS) antibodies. Now we focus in define the immunization schedule which can induce in apolipoprotein E-deficient (apoE-/-) the highest anti-CS antibody response and the greater reduction of atherosclerotic lesion progression. ApoE - / - mice (6-8 wk. old) fed a chow diet received four s.c. injections of 50 or 200 μg of chP3R99 mAb. Autologous antichondroitin sulfate (CS) antibody response was evaluated in sera by ELISA. Mice who were immunized with 200 μg generated a significant higher response against CS than the ones that received 50 μg. Then, to evaluate the association of the induction of a higher anti-CS response in the atherosclerotic lesion progression, apoE-/- mice fed with a high-fat high-cholesterol diet from 4 to 18 wk. of age, received 6 doses of 50, 100 or 200 μg of the mAb starting when 5% of the aortic area was covered by lesions. Animals were sacrificed and aortas isolated to determine the presence of lesions by histologic studies. Mean aortic lesion areas of 50 and 100 μg chP3R99-treated mice were significant reduced by ~40% in comparison with mice treated with an isotype-matched control mAb. In contrast, 62% reduction in total lesion area was observed in mice treated with 200 μg of chP3R99. Again, there was an association between the level of anti-CS antibody response and the reduction of atherosclerotic lesion progression. In conclusion, this study demonstrated the dose dependence of the anti-CS antibody response and its relationship with the arresting of the atherosclerotic progression induced by chP3R99 mAb immunization. Our results also supports the potential use of this antiglycosaminoglycan antibody-based immunotherapy as a novel approach to target advanced atherosclerosis

Targeting glycosaminoglycans in the lung by an engineered CXCL8 as a novel therapeutic approach to lung inflammation

It is broadly recognized that chemokine-activated neutrophils play a crucial role in the inflammation and disruption of lung tissue observed in several acute and chronic lung diseases. Since glycosaminoglycan side chains of proteoglycans act as chemokine co-receptors in inflammation, we have used a CXCL8-based dominant-negative mutant, dnCXCL8, to displace neutrophil-related chemokines in murine lungs using models of lung inflammation. Treatment with dnCXCL8 resulted in a dose-dependent reduction of neutrophil counts in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) of mice exposed to lipopolysaccharide after intravenous, subcutaneous and intratracheal administration. A strong and significant therapeutic effect was achieved already at a dose of 40µg/kg of dnCXCL8. A similar dose response, but showing a broader spectrum of reduced inflammatory cells and soluble inflammatory markers, was observed in a murine model of tobacco smoke (TS)-induced lung inflammation. The broad spectrum of reduced inflammatory cells and markers can be due to the strong inhibition of neutrophil extravasation into the lung parenchyma, and/or to a relatively broad protein displacement profile of dnCXCL8 which may compete not only with wtCXCL8 for glycosaminoglycan-binding but possibly also with other related glycosaminoglycan-binding pro-inflammatory chemokines. Overall our results demonstrate that antagonizing CXCL8/glycosaminoglycan binding reduces lung inflammation as well as associated lung tissue damage due to LPS and TS and may therefore be a new therapeutic approach for lung pathologies characterized by a neutrophilic inflammatory phenotype.

Effects of DS‐modified agarose gels on neurite extension in 3D scaffold through mechanisms other than changing the pore radius of the gels

Dermatan sulfate is widely distributed as glycosaminoglycan side chains of proteoglycans, which are the main components of glial scar and inhibit neurite regeneration after nerve injury. However its role in the inhibiting process is not clear. Understanding neurite extension in three-dimensional scaffolds is critical for neural tissue engineering. This study used agarose gels modified with dermatan sulfate as the three-dimensional culture scaffold. We explored structure-function relationship between the three-dimensional scaffold and neurite extension and examined the role of dermatan sulfate on neurite extension in the three-dimensional scaffold. A range of agarose concentrations was used to generate varied gel physical structures and the corresponding neurite extension of embryonic day (E9) chick dorsal root ganglia was examined. We measured gel stiffness and gel pore size to determine whether dermatan sulfate changed the gels' conformation. As gel concentration increased, neurite length and gel pore size decreased, and gel stiffness increased. At 1.00 and 1.25% (wt/vol) concentrations, dermatan sulfates both immobilized with agarose gels and dissolved in culture medium inhibit neurite extension. While at 1.50 and 1.75% (wt/vol) concentrations, only immobilized dermatan sulfate worked. Immobilized dermatan sulfate could modify molecular shape of agarose gels, decrease gel pore size statistically, but did not influence gel stiffness. We have proved that the decrease of gel pore size is insufficient to inhibit neurite extension. These results indicate that dermatan sulfate inhibits neurite extension not through forming a mechanical barrier. Maybe its interaction with neuron membrane is the key factor in neurite extension.

Induction of Anti-Anti-Idiotype Antibodies Against Sulfated Glycosaminoglycans Reduces Atherosclerosis in Apolipoprotein E–Deficient Mice

The pathogenesis of atherosclerosis is associated with the early retention of low-density lipoproteins that are trapped in the extracellular matrix of the arterial intima by interaction with glycosaminoglycan side chains of proteoglycans. Mutant mouse/human chimeric antibodies of the murine monoclonal antibody P3, which react with N-glycolyl-containing gangliosides and sulfated glycosaminoglycans, were tested for their potentially antiatherogenic properties through the induction of an idiotypic antibody network that may specifically interfere with the binding of low-density lipoproteins to proteoglycan side chains, low-density lipoprotein modification, and foam cell formation. Apolipoprotein E-deficient mice fed a high-fat, high-cholesterol diet received 5 to 6 doses of chP3R99 or chP3S98 mutant antibodies, showing high and low reactivity, respectively, against their respective antigens. Both chimeric antibodies elicited an immunodominant anti-idiotypic response in the absence of adjuvant. A striking (40%-43%) reduction (P<0.01) in total lesion areas was observed in 18-week-old mice immunized with chP3R99, but not chP3S98, compared with PBS-treated mice. The antiatherosclerotic effect was associated with increased mice sera reactivity against heparin and sulfated glycosaminoglycans, including chondroitin and dermatan sulfate. In addition, purified IgG from chP3R99-immunized mice blocked the retention of apolipoprotein B-containing lipoproteins within the arterial wall of apolipoprotein E(-/-) mice. The present study supports use of active immunization and the mounting of an idiotypic antibody network response against glycosaminoglycans as a novel approach to target atherosclerosis.

Heparanase expression in periapical granulomas and radicular cysts

Heparanase is an endo-β-D-glucuronidase enzyme which degrades heparan sulfate glycosaminoglycan side chains of proteoglycans in the extracellular matrix and in basement membranes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the expression of heparanase in periapical granulomas (PGs) and radicular cysts (RCs). Immunohistochemistry was used to assess heparanase expression in PGs and RCs. Parameters including stain intensity, location and cell type were used to characterize heparanase expression in the periapical lesions. Ordered categories (from weak to strong) were used to compare the level of heparanase staining in the PG and RC groups. Both epithelial cells and inflammatory cells were positive for heparanase. The relative staining of the epithelial cells was strong, whereas the relative staining of the inflammatory cells was weak. Significant differences in immunohistochemical staining of epithelial cells were observed between RCs and PGs (p=0.002). The relative expression of heparanase in epithelial cells in RCs was strong. In PGs, lesions with few or no epithelial cells, heparanase was predominantly expressed weakly by inflammatory cells. PGs and RCs have the same infectious origin. Therefore, the different cellular sources of heparanase in these periapical lesions may imply that this enzyme has specific pathogenetic functions in RCs and PGs.

Faulty Initiation of Proteoglycan Synthesis Causes Cardiac and Joint Defects

Proteoglycans are a major component of extracellular matrix and contribute to normal embryonic and postnatal development by ensuring tissue stability and signaling functions. We studied five patients with recessive joint dislocations and congenital heart defects, including bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) and aortic root dilatation. We identified linkage to chromosome 11 and detected a mutation (c.830G>A, p.Arg277Gln) in B3GAT3, the gene coding for glucuronosyltransferase-I (GlcAT-I). The enzyme catalyzes an initial step in the synthesis of glycosaminoglycan side chains of proteoglycans. Patients' cells as well as recombinant mutant protein showed reduced glucuronyltransferase activity. Patient fibroblasts demonstrated decreased levels of dermatan sulfate, chondroitin sulfate, and heparan sulfate proteoglycans, indicating that the defect in linker synthesis affected all three lines of O-glycanated proteoglycans. Further studies demonstrated that GlcAT-I resides in the cis and cis-medial Golgi apparatus and is expressed in the affected tissues, i.e., heart, aorta, and bone. The study shows that reduced GlcAT-I activity impairs skeletal as well as heart development and results in variable combinations of heart malformations, including mitral valve prolapse, ventricular septal defect, and bicuspid aortic valve. The described family constitutes a syndrome characterized by heart defects and joint dislocations resulting from altered initiation of proteoglycan synthesis (Larsen-like syndrome, B3GAT3 type).

Identification of proteoglycans as the APRIL-specific binding partners

B cell activating factor of the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) family (BAFF) and a proliferation-inducing ligand (APRIL) are closely related ligands within the TNF superfamily that play important roles in B lymphocyte biology. Both ligands share two receptors—transmembrane activator and calcium signal–modulating cyclophilin ligand interactor (TACI) and B cell maturation antigen (BCMA)—that are predominantly expressed on B cells. In addition, BAFF specifically binds BAFF receptor, whereas the nature of a postulated APRIL-specific receptor remains elusive. We show that the TNF homology domain of APRIL binds BCMA and TACI, whereas a basic amino acid sequence (QKQKKQ) close to the NH2 terminus of the mature protein is required for binding to the APRIL-specific “receptor.” This interactor was identified as negatively charged sulfated glycosaminoglycan side chains of proteoglycans. Although T cell lines bound little APRIL, the ectopic expression of glycosaminoglycan-rich syndecans or glypicans conferred on these cells a high binding capacity that was completely dependent on APRIL's basic sequence. Moreover, syndecan-1–positive plasma cells and proteoglycan-rich nonhematopoietic cells displayed high specific, heparin-sensitive binding to APRIL. Inhibition of BAFF and APRIL, but not BAFF alone, prevented the survival and/or the migration of newly formed plasma cells to the bone marrow. In addition, costimulation of B cell proliferation by APRIL was only effective upon APRIL oligomerization. Therefore, we propose a model whereby APRIL binding to the extracellular matrix or to proteoglycan-positive cells induces APRIL oligomerization, which is the prerequisite for the triggering of TACI- and/or BCMA-mediated activation, migration, or survival signals.

Direct Visualization of Collagen-Bound Proteoglycans by Tapping-Mode Atomic Force Microscopy

Most studies on the interaction of collagen with proteoglycans, two universal components of connective tissues, use technical approaches which substantially modify the shape and size of the proteoglycans themselves. In the present study unfixed, untreated collagen fibrils from rat tail tendon were dehydrated and observed by tapping-mode atomic force microscopy. The surface of collagen fibrils immediately reveals a periodic alternation of gap and overlap zones. A thin, transverse ridge decorates the gap zone, while other filamentous structures run on the fibril surface, either parallel or perpendicular to the fibril axis. These surface structures are much enhanced by Cupromeronic Blue preincubation, while pretreatment with chondroitinase ABC removes them completely, leaving barely detectable transverse ridges. The ridge and filaments are likely to represent, respectively, the core protein and the glycosaminoglycan side chains of proteoglycans, displayed with a far better resolution than with conventional histochemical or immunohistochemical techniques. Our data suggest that proteoglycan molecules are capable of different, multiple interactions with the collagen fibril surface as well as with each other.