scholarly journals Stepwise proteolytic activation of type I procollagen to collagen within the secretory pathway of tendon fibroblasts in situ

2011 ◽  
Vol 441 (2) ◽  
pp. 707-717 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth G. Canty-Laird ◽  
Yinhui Lu ◽  
Karl E. Kadler

Proteolytic cleavage of procollagen I to collagen I is essential for the formation of collagen fibrils in the extracellular matrix of vertebrate tissues. Procollagen is cleaved by the procollagen N- and C-proteinases, which remove the respective N- and C-propeptides from procollagen. Procollagen processing is initiated within the secretory pathway in tendon fibroblasts, which are adept in assembling an ordered extracellular matrix of collagen fibrils in vivo. It was thought that intracellular processing was restricted to the TGN (trans-Golgi network). In the present study, brefeldin A treatment of tendon explant cultures showed that N-proteinase activity is present in the resulting fused ER (endoplasmic reticulum)–Golgi compartment, but that C-proteinase activity is restricted to the TGN in embryonic chick tendon fibroblasts. In late embryonic and postnatal rat tail and postnatal mouse tail tendon, C-proteinase activity was detected in TGN and pre-TGN compartments. Preventing activation of the procollagen N- and C-proteinases with the furin inhibitor Dec-RVKR-CMK (decanoyl-Arg-Val-Lys-Arg-chloromethylketone) indicated that only a fraction of intracellular procollagen cleavage was mediated by newly activated proteinases. In conclusion, the N-propeptides are removed earlier in the secretory pathway than the C-propeptides. The removal of the C-propeptides in post-Golgi compartments most probably indicates preparation of collagen molecules for fibril formation at the cell–matrix interface.

2003 ◽  
Vol 25 (5) ◽  
pp. 11-13
Author(s):  
Karl E. Kadler ◽  
Elizabeth G. Canty ◽  
Yinhui Lu

The secretory pathway operates like a well-oiled machine when it comes to secreting small proteins. But how does it cope with stiff rod-like molecules such as type I collagen, which spontaneously self-assembles into the millimetre-long collagen fibrils that are characteristic of the extracellular matrix (ECM)? A recent study in our laboratory shows that the secretory pathway adapts exquisitely to intracellular fibril formation by creating tubular vesicles that dock to specialized secretory nozzles in the plasma membrane (E.G. Canty, Y. Lu, R.M. Meadows, M. Shaw, D.F. Holmes and K.E. Kadler, unpublished work). This article gives a brief account of the biochemical and structural work that led up to these new observations.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (5) ◽  
pp. 2685
Author(s):  
Lisa Adams ◽  
Julia Brangsch ◽  
Bernd Hamm ◽  
Marcus R. Makowski ◽  
Sarah Keller

This review outlines recent preclinical and clinical advances in molecular imaging of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) with a focus on molecular magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the extracellular matrix (ECM). In addition, developments in pharmacologic treatment of AAA targeting the ECM will be discussed and results from animal studies will be contrasted with clinical trials. Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is an often fatal disease without non-invasive pharmacologic treatment options. The ECM, with collagen type I and elastin as major components, is the key structural component of the aortic wall and is recognized as a target tissue for both initiation and the progression of AAA. Molecular imaging allows in vivo measurement and characterization of biological processes at the cellular and molecular level and sets forth to visualize molecular abnormalities at an early stage of disease, facilitating novel diagnostic and therapeutic pathways. By providing surrogate criteria for the in vivo evaluation of the effects of pharmacological therapies, molecular imaging techniques targeting the ECM can facilitate pharmacological drug development. In addition, molecular targets can also be used in theranostic approaches that have the potential for timely diagnosis and concurrent medical therapy. Recent successes in preclinical studies suggest future opportunities for clinical translation. However, further clinical studies are needed to validate the most promising molecular targets for human application.


Author(s):  
Michel Haagdorens ◽  
Elle Edin ◽  
Per Fagerholm ◽  
Marc Groleau ◽  
Zvi Shtein ◽  
...  

Abstract Purpose To determine feasibility of plant-derived recombinant human collagen type I (RHCI) for use in corneal regenerative implants Methods RHCI was crosslinked with 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethyl aminopropyl) carbodiimide (EDC) and N-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS) to form hydrogels. Application of shear force to liquid crystalline RHCI aligned the collagen fibrils. Both aligned and random hydrogels were evaluated for mechanical and optical properties, as well as in vitro biocompatibility. Further evaluation was performed in vivo by subcutaneous implantation in rats and corneal implantation in Göttingen minipigs. Results Spontaneous crosslinking of randomly aligned RHCI (rRHCI) formed robust, transparent hydrogels that were sufficient for implantation. Aligning the RHCI (aRHCI) resulted in thicker collagen fibrils forming an opaque hydrogel with insufficient transverse mechanical strength for surgical manipulation. rRHCI showed minimal inflammation when implanted subcutaneously in rats. The corneal implants in minipigs showed that rRHCI hydrogels promoted regeneration of corneal epithelium, stroma, and nerves; some myofibroblasts were seen in the regenerated neo-corneas. Conclusion Plant-derived RHCI was used to fabricate a hydrogel that is transparent, mechanically stable, and biocompatible when grafted as corneal implants in minipigs. Plant-derived collagen is determined to be a safe alternative to allografts, animal collagens, or yeast-derived recombinant human collagen for tissue engineering applications. The main advantage is that unlike donor corneas or yeast-produced collagen, the RHCI supply is potentially unlimited due to the high yields of this production method. Lay Summary A severe shortage of human-donor corneas for transplantation has led scientists to develop synthetic alternatives. Here, recombinant human collagen type I made of tobacco plants through genetic engineering was tested for use in making corneal implants. We made strong, transparent hydrogels that were tested by implanting subcutaneously in rats and in the corneas of minipigs. We showed that the plant collagen was biocompatible and was able to stably regenerate the corneas of minipigs comparable to yeast-produced recombinant collagen that we previously tested in clinical trials. The advantage of the plant collagen is that the supply is potentially limitless.


2003 ◽  
Vol 77 (5) ◽  
pp. 2981-2989 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xinyong Zhang ◽  
Martin Fugère ◽  
Robert Day ◽  
Margaret Kielian

ABSTRACT The alphavirus Semliki Forest virus (SFV) infects cells via a low-pH-dependent membrane fusion reaction mediated by the E1 envelope protein. Fusion is regulated by the interaction of E1 with the receptor-binding protein E2. E2 is synthesized as a precursor termed “p62,” which forms a stable heterodimer with E1 and is processed late in the secretory pathway by a cellular furin-like protease. Once processing to E2 occurs, the E1/E2 heterodimer is destabilized so that it is more readily dissociated by exposure to low pH, allowing fusion and infection. We have used FD11 cells, a furin-deficient CHO cell line, to characterize the processing of p62 and its role in the control of virus fusion and infection. p62 was not cleaved in FD11 cells and cleavage was restored in FD11 cell transfectants expressing human furin. Studies of unprocessed virus produced in FD11 cells (wt/p62) demonstrated that the p62 protein was efficiently cleaved by purified furin in vitro, without requiring prior exposure to low pH. wt/p62 virus particles were also processed during their endocytic uptake in furin-containing cells, resulting in more efficient virus infection. wt/p62 virus was compared with mutant L, in which p62 cleavage was blocked by mutation of the furin-recognition motif. wt/p62 and mutant L had similar fusion properties, requiring a much lower pH than control virus to trigger fusion and fusogenic E1 conformational changes. However, the in vivo infectivity of mutant L was more strongly inhibited than that of wt/p62, due to additional effects of the mutation on virus-cell binding.


2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Wei Dai ◽  
Shenglan Liu ◽  
Shubo Wang ◽  
Li Zhao ◽  
Xiao Yang ◽  
...  

AbstractColonization is believed a rate-limiting step of metastasis cascade. However, its underlying mechanism is not well understood. Uveal melanoma (UM), which is featured with single organ liver metastasis, may provide a simplified model for realizing the complicated colonization process. Because DDR1 was identified to be overexpressed in UM cell lines and specimens, and abundant pathological deposition of extracellular matrix collagen, a type of DDR1 ligand, was noted in the microenvironment of liver in metastatic patients with UM, we postulated the hypothesis that DDR1 and its ligand might ignite the interaction between UM cells and their surrounding niche of liver thereby conferring strengthened survival, proliferation, stemness and eventually promoting metastatic colonization in liver. We tested this hypothesis and found that DDR1 promoted these malignant cellular phenotypes and facilitated metastatic colonization of UM in liver. Mechanistically, UM cells secreted TGF-β1 which induced quiescent hepatic stellate cells (qHSCs) into activated HSCs (aHSCs) which secreted collagen type I. Such a remodeling of extracellular matrix, in turn, activated DDR1, strengthening survival through upregulating STAT3-dependent Mcl-1 expression, enhancing stemness via upregulating STAT3-dependent SOX2, and promoting clonogenicity in cancer cells. Targeting DDR1 by using 7rh, a specific inhibitor, repressed proliferation and survival in vitro and in vivo outgrowth. More importantly, targeting cancer cells by pharmacological inactivation of DDR1 or targeting microenvironmental TGF-β1-collagen I loop exhibited a prominent anti-metastasis effect in mice. In conclusion, targeting DDR1 signaling and TGF-β signaling may be a novel approach to diminish hepatic metastasis in UM.


1988 ◽  
Vol 91 (2) ◽  
pp. 281-286
Author(s):  
M.C. Copeman ◽  
H. Harris

It has been shown that when malignant tumour cells are fused with normal fibroblasts the suppression of malignancy in the hybrids is linked to their ability to produce a collagenous extracellular matrix in vivo. When, as a consequence of chromosome loss, segregants arise that reacquire malignancy, these do not produce any detectable matrix. In this paper we examine the main components of the extracellular matrix produced in vitro by hybrids between malignant mouse melanoma cells and normal mouse fibroblasts. Hybrids in which malignancy is suppressed synthesize about ten times as much type 1 procollagen as the malignant segregants derived from them; they also retain more fibronectin in the cell layer and release less protease activity into the medium. Malignant segregants more closely resemble the parental melanoma cells in producing fibronectin and mainly types IV and V procollagen. When hybrid cells in which malignancy is initially suppressed are grown continuously in vitro, the production of type I procollagen declines, and the production of type V procollagen and the release of protease activity into the medium increase. These changes, which are associated with the loss from the hybrid cells of both copies of the chromosome 4 derived from the parental fibroblast, predict the reacquisition of malignancy when the cells are inoculated into mice. It is possible that one gene or set of genes located on chromosome 4 determines both the execution of the fibroblast differentiation programme and the suppression of malignancy.


1994 ◽  
Vol 107 (9) ◽  
pp. 2623-2634 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.M. Hurle ◽  
G. Corson ◽  
K. Daniels ◽  
R.S. Reiter ◽  
L.Y. Sakai ◽  
...  

In this work we have analyzed the presence of elastic components in the extracellular matrices of the developing chick leg bud. The distributions of elastin and fibrillin were studied immunohistochemically in whole-mount preparations using confocal laser microscopy. The association of these constituents of the elastic matrix with other components of the extracellular matrix was also studied, using several additional antibodies. Our results reveal the transient presence of an elastin-rich scaffold of extracellular matrix fibrillar material in association with the establishment of the cartilaginous skeleton of the leg bud. The scaffold consisted of elastin-positive fibers extending from the ectodermal surface of the limb to the central cartilage-forming regions and between adjacent cartilages. Fibrillin immunolabeling was negative in this fibrillar scaffold while other components of the extracellular matrix including: tenascin, laminin and collagens type I, type III and type VI; appeared codistributed with elastin in some regions of the scaffold. Progressive changes in the spatial pattern of distribution of the elastin-positive scaffold were detected in explant cultures in which one expects a modification in the mechanical stresses of the tissues related to growth. A scaffold of elastin comparable to that found in vivo was also observed in high-density micromass cultures of isolated limb mesodermal cells. In this case the elastic fibers are observed filling the spaces located between the cartilaginous nodules. The fibers become reoriented and attach to the ectodermal basal surface when an ectodermal fragment is located at the top of the growing micromass. Our results suggest that the formation of the cartilaginous skeleton of the limb involves the segregation of the undifferentiated limb mesenchyme into chondrogenic and elastogenic cell lineages. Further, a role for the elastic fiber scaffold in coordinating the size and the spatial location of the cartilaginous skeletal elements within the limb bud is also suggested from our observations.


Dermatology ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 221 (2) ◽  
pp. 160-171 ◽  
Author(s):  
Soyun Cho ◽  
Dong Hun Lee ◽  
Chong-Hyun Won ◽  
Sang Min Kim ◽  
Serah Lee ◽  
...  

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