人纤溶酶原激活剂抑制物2型(PAI-2)在Pichia pastoris中的表达

用ＰＣＲ方法从ｐＰＡＩＪ．７中扩增人纤溶酶原激活剂抑制物２型（ＰＡＩ－２）基因,与ｐＰＵＣ１８重组,经限制性内切酶片段分析与核苷酸序列分析,获得全长人ＰＡＩ－２基因．ＰＡＩ－２基因与表达载体ｐＰＩＣ９重组,构建受乙醇氧化酶１基因（ＡＯＸ１）启动子与转录终止区控制的酵母表达质粒,转化ＧＳ１１５宿主菌,经表型筛选和ＰＣＲ扩增筛选阳性克隆,用甲醇诱导表达,重组ＰＡＩ－２以分泌型表达,占分泌总蛋白的３０％,具ＰＡＩ－２抗原性,与低分子量尿激酶形成了抗ＳＤＳ复合物,具抑制纤溶的活性（９１．４ＡＩＵ／ｍｌ）．对培养条件也进行了探讨．     

肝癌细胞-胞外基质粘附性与粘附识别序列的相关性

以微管吸吮技术研究了人肝癌细胞在ＩＶ型胶原／层粘连蛋白（ＬＮ）／纤维连结蛋白（ＦＮ）裱衬表面的粘附性。进一步,用四种人工合成肽精－甘－天冬－丝（ＲＧＤＳ）、甘－精－甘－天冬－苏－脯ＧＲＧＤＴＰ）、酪－异亮－甘－丝－精（ＹＩＧＳＲ０和半胱－天冬－脯－甘－酪－异亮－甘－丝－精（ＣＤＰＧＹＩＧＳＲ）研究了肝癌细胞粘附性对两种粘附识别序列ＲＧＤ和ＹＩＧＳＲ的依赖性。为了归纳和整理实验结果,根据竞争性抑制的     

人PSP94全长cDNA的获得及PSP94-TNF~Δ融合蛋白的构建

利用ＲＴ－ＰＣＲ从人肥大前列腺组织钓取９４个氨基酸的人前列腺分泌蛋白（ＰＳＰ９４）全长ｃＤＮＡ,序列分析结果与文献报道的完全一致．将ＰＳＰ９４成熟肽与人ＴＮＦα衍生物（ＴＮＦΔ）通过Ｌｉｎｋｅｒ－ＳＡＰＧＴＰ在基因水平上融合成５′ＰＳＰ９４－ＴＮＦΔ,融合基因ＤＮＡ序列分析结果与设计的相符合．５′ＰＳＰ９４－ＴＮＦΔ在大肠杆菌中表达产物分子量约为３１ｋＤ,表达量约占菌体总蛋白量的３５％．以Ｌ９２９细胞和人前列腺癌细胞株ＰＣ－３为靶细胞进行细胞毒分析结果表明,５′ＰＳＰ９４－ＴＮＦΔ融合蛋白既具有ＴＮＦ的细胞毒活性,又具有对前列腺癌细胞ＰＣ－３的杀伤作用     

NMR法研究天花粉蛋白TDK肽片段的溶液构象

用ＨＮＭＲ法测定ＴＤＫ肽在Ｈ２Ｏ（ＨＯＤＫ）,５０％六氟丙醇（ＦＰＤＫ）和２ｍｏｌ／ＬＧｕ．ＨＣｌ（ＧＵＤＫ）溶液构象。在ＨＯＤＫ和ＦＰＤＫ中,ＴＤＫ肽的两段序列Ａｓｐ０－Ｉｌｅ４,Ｓｅｒ９－Ｉｌｉ１７分别具有较稳定的α－螺旋含量;而ＧＵＤＫ的ＳＡＬＳ序列仍能检测到有序残存结构。并假设ＳＡＬＳ序列是肽链形成二级结构的原始核心。     

豆薯种子中两种蛋白质的分离纯化及其性质研究

豆薯（Ｐａｃｈｙｒｒｈｉｚｕｓｅｒｏｓｕｓ）种子经磷酸盐缓冲液抽提,Ｓ－ＳｅｐｈａｒｏｓｅＦａｓｔＦｌｏｗ柱,ＤＥ－５２纤维素柱和ＳｅｐｈａｄｅｘＧ－７５柱层析,提取出两种高纯度的蛋白成分,命名为ＰａｃｈｙｒｉｎⅠ和Ⅱ．ＳＤＳ－ＰＡＧＥ测得其分子量分别为３３ｋＤ和１４．５ｋＤ,但ＨＰＬＣ分子筛的结果显示ＰａｃｈｙｒｉｎⅡ的分子量为２８ｋＤ,无论在还原条件下,还是在非还原条件下,ＰａｃｈｙｒｉｎⅡ电泳的结果都完全相同,表明该蛋白的亚基不是以二硫键相连。两种蛋白的等电点分别为４．５和６．５．用酸解法测定了它们的氨基酸组成。在无细胞体系中,它们对蛋白合成有较弱的抑制活性,显示它们可能是核糖体失活蛋白（ＲＩＰｓ）家族中的新成员。     

利用GFP示踪细胞内源性P53活性检测DNA损伤

ＤＮＡ损伤的检测对预防癌症和遗传病等非常重要。采用分子克隆技术,将报告基因—绿色荧光蛋白（ＧＦＰ）置于ＳＶ４０基本启动子调控下,构建成对照载体ｐＳＶ－ＧＦＰ。在ＳＶ４０基本启动子上游插入寡核苷酸Ｐ５３ＲＥ,构建成示踪载体ｐ５３ＲＥ－ＧＦＰ。转染ＮＩＨ３Ｔ３细胞,以ＧＦＰ示踪细胞内源性Ｐ５３的转录激活活性。紫外线照射或Ｈ２Ｏ２处理转化细胞使ＤＮＡ损伤,诱导细胞内源性Ｐ５３的表达。用激光扫描共聚焦成像系统（ＬＳＣＩＳ）对细胞进行红、绿、蓝三色光融合成像,并测定ＧＦＰ经４８８ｎｍ激发后发出的绿色荧光光密度,验证ＧＦＰ示踪Ｐ５３的特异性。ｐ５３ＲＥ－ＧＦＰ转化细胞３Ｔ３－ＲＥＧ经紫外线照射或Ｈ２Ｏ２处理后,ＧＦＰ的表达增高,处理后１ｈｒ光密度即达到最高水平,随后逐渐降低。血清“饥饿”—非ＤＮＡ损伤处理的３Ｔ３－ＲＥＧ细胞,以及经紫外和Ｈ２Ｏ２处理的对照载体ｐＳＶ－ＧＦＰ转化细胞３Ｔ３－ＳＶＧ,ＧＦＰ的表达无明显增强。实验表明：ＧＦＰ示踪内源性Ｐ５３转录激活活性用于检测ＤＮＡ损伤有很高的灵敏度和特异性,适宜推广应用。     

LAK细胞中一种自由基清除剂——SLP的分离纯化与抗体制备

ＳＯＤ样蛋白（ＳＯＤ－ｌｉｋｅ ｐｒｏｔｅｉｎ,ＳＬＰ）是从ＬＡＫ 细胞中发现的一种具有自由基清除功能的蛋白．为阐明ＳＬＰ的生化特性和确定其蛋白序列或基因序列,采用ＤＥＡＥ－Ｓｅｐｈａｒｏｓｅ ＦＦ层析从ＬＡＫ 细胞中得到部分纯化的ＳＬＰ,并采用ＩＥＦ等电聚焦电泳,活性染色,将含有活性蛋白的胶条直接免疫Ｂａｌｂ／ｃ 小鼠,制备抗血清并筛选得到多株有中和ＳＬＰ清除自由基活性的单克隆抗体．Ｗｅｓｔｅｒｎ ｂｌｏｔ结果表明ＳＬＰ分子量约为６７ ｋＤ,并测得ｐＩ约为４．２．     

重组人MCAF／GM－CSF融合蛋白表达及其生物学活性研究

利用ＰＣＲ技术和ＤＮＡ体外重组方法,把作为导向效应细胞到靶部位的单核细胞趋化激活因子（ＭＣＡＦ）和粒细胞巨噬细胞集落刺激因子（ＧＭ－ＣＳＦ）进行基因融合,置于ｐＢＶ２２０载体的λＰＲＰＬ串联启动子下游,构建了ＳＤ序列与ＡＴＧ之间含有不同核苷酸组成的重组质粒ｐＭＧ０１、ｐＭＧ０２和ｐＭＧ０３。ｐＭＧ０１、ｐＭＧ０２和ｐＭＧ０３的翻译起始区都不存在稳定的二级结构,但ＤＨ５α（ｐＭＧ０２、ＤＨ５α（ｐＭＧ０３）的表达水平远远高于ＤＨ５α（ｐＭＧ０１）,ＤＨ５α（ＰＭＧ０１）几乎没有表达。表达产物经Ｗｅｓｔｅｒｎｂｌｏｔ检测表明,它能分别与ＭＣＡＦ和ＧＭ－ＣＳＦ抗体发生特异反应。生物学活性测定表明,表达产物具有明显的单核细胞趋化活性和维持ｈＧＭ－ＣＳＦ依赖的ＴＦ１细胞生长的特性,说明ＭＣＡＦ和ＧＭ－ＣＳＦ的生物学功能是相容的．     

天花粉蛋白Glu160在N-糖苷酶活性中的作用

用浸泡法得到了（Ｅ１６０Ａ）天花粉蛋白（ｔｒｉｃｈｏｓａｎｔｈｉｎ, ＴＣＳ）,（Ｅ１６０Ｄ）ＴＣＳ与Ａｄｅ 和（Ｅ１６０Ａ）ＴＣＳ与ＦＭＰ复合物的晶体．在Ｍａｒ Ｒｅｓｅａｒｃｈ 面探测器系统上分别收集了０．２０ ｎｍ ,０．１９ｎｍ 和０．２０５ ｎｍ 分辨率的Ｘ 射线衍射数据,数据处理用Ｍａｒ Ｓｃａｌｅ 程序系统完成．用同晶差值Ｆｏｕｒｉｅｒ法解析了（Ｅ１６０Ａ）ＴＣＳ－Ａｄｅ,（Ｅ１６０Ｄ）ＴＣＳ－Ａｄｅ 和（Ｅ１６０Ａ）ＴＣＳ－ＦＭＰ的晶体结构,结构修正利用Ｘ－ＰＬＯＲ程序,修正结果,晶体学Ｒ因子分别为０．１６６,０．１７６,０．１７９．键长和键角的ＲＭＳ偏差分别为０．００１０ ｎｍ 和２．５０３°,０．００１３ ｎｍ 和２．６６５°,０．００１２ ｎｍ 和２．６７６°．在这三个结构中均未见到Ｇｌｕ１８９侧链方向的改变．Ａｄｅ 或ＦＭＰ仍结合在Ｎ－糖苷酶活性口袋之中,它夹在Ｔｙｒ７０和Ｔｙｒ１１１两个侧链环之间,与Ｔｙｒ７０环近乎平行．这一结果表明：ＴＣＳ中的Ｇｌｕ１６０分别突变成Ａｌａ 和Ａｓｐ,仍能与ＡＭＰ发生Ｎ－糖苷酶反应,但是活性降低了一些．可见Ｇｌｕ１６０对ＴＣＳ与ＡＭＰ的作用是重要的,但不是必要的．     

粒细胞—巨噬细胞集落刺激因子／白细胞介素—3融合蛋白的表达研究

利用ＰＣＲ扩增得到粒细胞－巨噬细胞集落刺激因子（ＧＭ－ＣＳＦ）、白细胞介素－３（ＩＬ－３）完整基因片段,将其分别克隆ｐＧＥＭ－Ｔ构建成ＧＭ－ＣＳＦ／ＩＬ－３融合蛋白基因,ＤＮＡ序列与设计预期一致。将得到的融合蛋白基因克隆对７２ＲＮＡ聚合酶表达载体ｐＴ７ｚｚ,得到表达质粒ｐＦｕ,经转化至表达宿主Ｅ．ｃｏｌｉ ＢＬ２１（ＤＥ３）,在ＩＰＴＧ诱导下获得融合蛋白目的产物的直接表达。经ＳＤＳ－ＰＡＧＥ电泳鉴     

纤维蛋白单体D区与E区聚合后E区结构的变化

应用纤维蛋白单克隆抗体IF 5 3,观察当纤维蛋白的“A”位点与另一纤维蛋白D区域的“a”位点结合后纤维蛋白E区的变化 .纤维蛋白原Aα链经赖氨酰肽链内切酶消化后 ,应用反相HPLC分离纯化 ;通过ELISA法检测单克隆抗体IF 5 3与纤维蛋白原及其衍生物的反应情况 ;应用放射免疫法检测RGD合成肽抑制纤维蛋白单体与IF 5 3反应的情况 .发现IF 5 3能与纤维蛋白原Aα链的一个片段反应 ,该片段经氨基酸序列分析显示为纤维蛋白原Aα链氨基末端 (1～ 2 9) .该抗体能与酸溶解的纤维蛋白单体和可溶性纤维蛋白及XDP反应 ,但不能与酸化纤维蛋白原或GPRP反应 ,因此IF 5 3的抗原决定簇在Aα 2 0～ 2 9,与凝血酶作用于纤维蛋白肽A ,暴露出的聚合位点“A”(Aα17～19)紧邻 .当GPRP存在于纤维蛋白原溶液时 ,经凝血酶作用产生这种纤维蛋白单体不能与IF 5 3反应 .Aα(93～ 99) (ILRGDFS)合成肽部分抑制纤维蛋白单体与IF 5 3的反应 .实验结果提示 ,当纤维蛋白单体相互聚合 ,或纤维蛋白单体与纤维蛋白原聚合时 ,纤维蛋白单体结构会发生变化 ,其中Aα2 0～ 2 9片段成为新抗原暴露于E区表面 ,并且Aα2 0～ 2 9与纤维蛋白原细胞粘附区域RGD1片段邻近     

Detection of soluble fibrin monomer complexes. Comparison of a haemagglutination assay with the ethanol gelation test

Hypercoagulability and disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) are characterized by the presence of circulating fibrin monomer complexes in plasma. In 342 patients with possible DIC fibrin monomers, fibrinogen, Reptilase Time, antithrombin III and other coagulation parameters were determined at frequent intervals. Testing of soluble fibrin monomer complexes was performed using a sensitive and reliable hemagglutation assay with red cells sensitized by fibrin monomers (FM-Test) and the ethanol gelation test (EGT). Method comparison regarding the influence of fibrinogen levels and fibrin degradation products shows that high fibrinogen levels lead to false-positive results with EGT. The same effect is observed for fibrin degradation products and EGT whereas no influence of fibrinogen level and fibrin degradation products on the FM-Test occurs. It is well-known that during DIC AT III level decreases caused by proteolytic activity. In this study it could be shown that fibrin monomer increases parallel to the decrease of AT III. The same effect does not occur due to fibrin degradation products.     

Monoclonal antibody characterization of two distant sites required for function of the central cell-binding domain of fibronectin in cell adhesion, cell migration, and matrix assembly

Site-directed mutagenesis studies have suggested that additional peptide information in the central cell-binding domain of fibronectin besides the minimal Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) sequence is required for its full adhesive activity. The nature of this second, synergistic site was analyzed further by protein chemical and immunological approaches using biological assays for adhesion, migration, and matrix assembly. Fragments derived from the cell-binding domain were coupled covalently to plates, and their specific molar activities in mediating BHK cell spreading were compared with that of intact fibronectin. A 37-kD fragment purified from chymotryptic digests of human plasma fibronectin had essentially the same specific molar activity as intact fibronectin. In contrast, other fragments such as an 11.5-kD fragment lacking NH2-terminal sequences of the 37-kD fragment had only poor spreading activity on a molar basis. Furthermore, in competitive inhibition assays of fibronectin-mediated cell spreading, the 37-kD fragment was approximately 325-fold more active than the GRGDS synthetic peptide on a molar basis. mAbs were produced using the 37-kD protein as an immunogen and their epitopes were characterized. Two separate mAbs, one binding close to the RGD site and the other to a site approximately 15 kD distant from the RGD site, individually inhibited BHK cell spreading on fibronectin by greater than 90%. In contrast, an antibody that bound between these two sites had minimal inhibitory activity. The antibodies found to be inhibitory in cell spreading assays for BHK cells also inhibited both fibronectin-mediated cell spreading and migration of human HT-1080 cells, functions which were also dependent on function of the alpha 5 beta 1 integrin (fibronectin receptor). Assembly of endogenously synthesized fibronectin into an extracellular matrix was not significantly inhibited by most of the anti-37-kD mAbs, but was strongly inhibited only by the antibodies binding close to the RGD site or the putative synergy site. These results indicate that a second site distant from the RGD site on fibronectin is crucial for its full biological activity in diverse functions dependent on the alpha 5 beta 1 fibronectin receptor. This site is mapped by mAbs closer to the RGD site than previously expected.     

Heparin binding domain in vitronectin is required for oligomerization and thus enhances integrin mediated cell adhesion and spreading

Vitronectin is a multi-functional protein found predominantly as a monomer in blood and as an oligomer in the extracellular matrix. We have dissected the minimal regions of vitronectin protein needed for effective integrin dependent cell adhesion and spreading. A fragment of vitronectin containing the RGD integrin binding site showed similar binding affinity as that of full vitronectin protein to purified integrin αvβ3 but had diminished cell adhesion and spreading function in vivo. We demonstrate that the oligomeric state of the protein is responsible for this effect. We provide compelling evidence for the involvement of the heparin binding domain of vitronectin in the oligomerization process and show that such oligomerization reinforces the activity of vitronectin in cell adhesion and spreading.

Structured summary

MINT-7905703: Vn (uniprotkb:P04004) and Vn (uniprotkb:P04004) bind (MI:0407) by molecular sieving (MI:0071)     

Incorporation of thrombospondin into fibrin clots

Thrombospondin is a major platelet glycoprotein which is released from platelets during blood coagulation. We examined the interaction of thrombospondin with polymerizing fibrin. Thrombospondin, purified from human platelets and labeled with 125I, became incorporated into clots formed from both plasma and purified fibrinogen. Plasma clots contained somewhat less thrombospondin than clots formed from equivalent concentrations of fibrinogen. In plasma clots and fibrin clots formed in the presence of factor XIII, thrombospondin was cross-linked in the clot; thrombospondin in the supernatant remained largely monomeric. Cross-linking of thrombospondin by factor XIII, however, only slightly increased the amount of thrombospondin which was incorporated into the clot. In contrast, incorporation of 125I-fibronectin into clots was dependent upon cross-linking. Most of the incorporation of 125I-thrombospondin occurred during fibrin polymerization as judged by parallel studies of the incorporation of 125I-fibrinogen. The amount of thrombospondin incorporated into a clot was directly related to thrombospondin concentration and was only weakly dependent on fibrinogen concentration. Incorporation was not saturated at thrombospondin:fibrin (mol/mol) ratios as high as 2/1. Thrombospondin, however, modified the final structure of fibrin clots in a concentration-dependent manner as monitored by opacity. When tryptic digests of 125I-thrombospondin were studied, the 270-kilodalton core became incorporated into fibrin whereas the 30-kilodalton heparin binding fragment was excluded. These results indicate that thrombospondin specifically co-polymerizes with fibrin during blood coagulation and may be an important modulator of clot structure.     

Distinct biological consequences of integrin alpha v beta 3-mediated melanoma cell adhesion to fibrinogen and its plasmic fragments.

Fibrinogen/fibrin and its proteolytic fragments serve as potential adhesive substrates during thrombosis, wound healing, and cancer. In this report we examined the biological response of human melanoma cells exposed to fibrinogen and its naturally occurring plasmic breakdown products that are known constituents of the tumor stroma. Plasmin treatment of fibrinogen first results in fragment X, which is characterized by removal of the COOH-terminal portion of the alpha chain including an RGD sequence (A alpha 572-575). Further digestion leads to fragment D comprising primarily an intact COOH-terminal stretch of the gamma chain containing the platelet adhesion sequence HHLGGAKQAGDV. In a sensitive adhesion assay M21 human melanoma cells utilized integrin alpha v beta 3 to attach to all three of these ligands. However, only intact fibrinogen promoted significant cell spreading, while fragment X produced minimal spreading and fragment D promoted only adhesion. These results indicate that fibrinogen contains at least two alpha v beta 3-dependent adhesive sites and these promote distinct biological responses of human melanoma cells. The differential functional properties of these ligands directly correlate to their relative binding affinity for purified alpha v beta 3 as measured in a solid-phase receptor binding assay. These results provide evidence that a single integrin can promote distinct biological signals depending on the molecular nature of the ligand binding event.     

Three-dimensional migration of neurites is mediated by adhesion site density and affinity

Three-dimensional neurite outgrowth rates within fibrin matrices that contained variable amounts of RGD peptides were shown to depend on adhesion site density and affinity. Bi-domain peptides with a factor XIIIa substrate in one domain and a RGD sequence in the other domain were covalently incorporated into fibrin gels during coagulation through the action of the transglutaminase factor XIIIa, and the RGD-dependent effect on neurite outgrowth was quantified, employing chick dorsal root ganglia cultured two- and three-dimensionally within the modified fibrin. Two separate bi-domain peptides were synthesized, one with a lower binding affinity linear RGD domain and another with a higher binding affinity cyclic RGD domain. Both peptides were cross-linked into fibrin gels at concentrations up to 8.2 mol of peptide/mol of fibrinogen, and their effect on neurite outgrowth was measured. Both two- and three-dimensional neurite outgrowth demonstrated a bi-phasic dependence on RGD concentration for both the linear and cyclic peptide, with intermediate adhesion site densities yielding maximal neurite extension and higher densities inhibiting outgrowth. The adhesion site density that yielded maximal outgrowth depended strongly on adhesion site affinity in both two and three dimensions, with lower densities of the higher affinity ligand being required (0.8-1.7 mol/mol for the linear peptide versus 0.2 mol/mol for the cyclic peptide yielding maximum neurite outgrowth rates in three-dimensional cultures).     

Role of plasminogen, plasmin, and plasminogen activators in the migration of fibroblasts into plasma clots

Human diploid fibroblasts were seeded onto or into plasma clots and different aspects of cell adhesion and migration were measured. The roles of plasminogen activators and plasmin were studied by either the removal of plasminogen from plasma prior to clotting or by the addition of 10 mM epsilon-aminocaproic acid, which brings about an inhibition of plasmin in this system. When cells were seeded onto the surface of plasma clots, rates of attachment, spreading, and migration were unaffected by plasminogen depletion or plasmin inhibition. In contrast, when cells were seeded into plasma clots, then, although the rates of cells spreading were unaffected, cell migration was abolished by plasminogen depletion or by plasmin inhibition. When cells were seeded onto the surface of plasma clots and the rate of migration into the clots was measured, there was an absolute requirement for plasmin activity; while fibroblasts migrated rapidly into the fibrin lattice of control clots, in the case of plasminogen-depleted clots, cells failed to penetrate the lattice. Focussing through a plasma clot revealed that fibroblasts do not migrate through the fibrin lattice but instead, localized areas of fibrinolysis are generated and cells migrate over the surface of the area of lysis.     

The Platelet Integrin αIIbβ3 Differentially Interacts with Fibrin Versus Fibrinogen

Fibrinogen binding to the integrin αIIbβ3 mediates platelet aggregation and spreading on fibrinogen-coated surfaces. However, in vivo αIIbβ3 activation and fibrinogen conversion to fibrin occur simultaneously, although the relative contributions of fibrinogen versus fibrin to αIIbβ3-mediated platelet functions are unknown. Here, we compared the interaction of αIIbβ3 with fibrin and fibrinogen to explore their differential effects. A microscopic bead coated with fibrinogen or monomeric fibrin produced by treating the immobilized fibrinogen with thrombin was captured by a laser beam and repeatedly brought into contact with surface-attached purified αIIbβ3. When αIIbβ3-ligand complexes were detected, the rupture forces were measured and displayed as force histograms. Monomeric fibrin displayed a higher probability of interacting with αIIbβ3 and a greater binding strength. αIIbβ3-fibrin interactions were also less sensitive to inhibition by abciximab and eptifibatide. Both fibrinogen- and fibrin-αIIbβ3 interactions were partially inhibited by RGD peptides, suggesting the existence of common RGD-containing binding motifs. This assumption was supported using the fibrin variants αD97E or αD574E with mutated RGD motifs. Fibrin made from a fibrinogen γ′/γ′ variant lacking the γC αIIbβ3-binding motif was more reactive with αIIbβ3 than the parent fibrinogen. These results demonstrate that fibrin is more reactive with αIIbβ3 than fibrinogen. Fibrin is also less sensitive to αIIbβ3 inhibitors, suggesting that fibrin and fibrinogen have distinct binding requirements. In particular, the maintenance of αIIbβ3 binding activity in the absence of the γC-dodecapeptide and the α-chain RGD sequences suggests that the αIIbβ3-binding sites in fibrin are not confined to its known γ-chain and RGD motifs.     

Human spreading factor: synthesis and response by HepG2 hepatoma cells in culture

Human serum spreading factor (SF) is a cell adhesion and spreading-promoting glycoprotein purified from serum or plasma that mediates effects in a wide variety of animal cell culture systems. HepG2 human hepatoma cells were found to synthesize and secrete SF into culture medium. Quantitative immunoassay of the protein indicated a concentration of about 1 microgram/ml in 48 hr-conditioned medium from confluent cultures. Although fibronectin also was synthesized and secreted into the culture medium, HepG2 cell spreading was observed in response to human serum SF, but not in response to human plasma fibronectin. Immunoprecipitation of SF from culture medium of cells metabolically-labeled with leucine, fucose or glucosamine identified a single form of the molecule of approximately 70,000 daltons. Treatment of cultures with tunicamycin inhibited incorporation of fucose and glucosamine into immunoprecipitated SF, but did not prevent synthesis and secretion of the protein. Electrophoretic analysis and cell spreading assays showed that SF secreted by tunicamycin-treated HepG2 cells was of molecular weight (mw) approximately 60,000, and was biologically active.