Localization of Urokinase Type Plasminogen Activator to Focal Adhesions Requires Ligation of Vitronectin Integrin Receptors

Previous studies have shown that the adhesion protein, vitronectin, directs the localization of urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) to areas of cell-substrate adhesion, where uPA is thought to regulate cell migration as well as pericellular proteolysis. In the present study, HT-1080 cell lines expressing either wild-type vitronectin or vitronectin containing a single amino-acid substitution in the integrin binding domain were used to assess whether ligation of the α_vβT₅ integrin was required for uPA localization to focal adhesions. The synthesis of wild-type vitronectin by HT-1080 cells adherent to either collagen or fibronectin resulted in the redistribution of both the α_vβT₅ integrin as well as uPA to focal adhesion structures. In contrast, cells synthesizing mutant vitronectin, containing the amino-acid substitution in the integrin binding domain, were unable to direct the redistribution of either α_vβT₅ or uPA to focal adhesions. Recombinant forms of wild-type and mutant vitronectin were prepared in a baculovirus system and compared for their ability to direct the redistribution of vitronectin integrin receptors as well as uPA on human skin fibroblasts. In the absence of vitronectin, fibroblast cells adherent to fibronectin assemble focal adhesions which contain the βT₁ integrin but do not contain uPA. Addition of recombinant wild-type, but not mutant, vitronectin to fibroblasts adherent to fibronectin resulted in the redistribution of α_vβT₃, α_vβT₅, and uPA into focal adhesions. However, when cells were plated directly onto antibodies directed against either the α_vβT₃ or α_vβT₅ integrins, uPA was not localized on the cell surface. These data indicate that ligation of vitronectin integrin receptors is necessary but not sufficient for the localization of uPA to areas of cell-matrix adhesion, and suggest that vitronectin may promote cell migration by recruiting vitronectin integrin receptors and components of the plasminogen activator system to areas of cell matrix contact.     

Effects of fibrin on the angiogenesis in vitro of bovine endothelial cells in collagen gel

Summary The effect of fibrin on angiogenesis in vitro was investigated using an experimental model of tube formation by bovine capillary endothelial cells (BCEs) in type I collagen gel. One milligram per milliliter of fibrin added into type I collagen gel significantly increased the length of the tubular structures formed by BCEs in the gel by about 180% compared with type I collagen only. The facilitating effect of fibrin on tube formation by BCEs was inhibited by either anti-basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) IgG (25 μg/ml) or anti-urokinase type plasminogen activator (uPA) IgG (10 μg/ml) added to the gel and culture medium, but not by anti-tissue type plasminogen activator (10 μg/ml) or non-immune IgG. The Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) containing peptides (100 μg/ml) added to the culture medium also suppressed tube formation by BCEs in fibrin-containing type I collagen gel, but not in type I collagen gel. These results suggest that the increased release of bFGF and uPA by BCEs therefore plays a role in the angiogenic effect of fibrin in vitro, and the angiogenic effect of fibrin is mediated by the RGD sequence in fibrin, probably via the function of integrin receptor of the BCEs.     

Altered structure and function of fibrinogen after cleavage by Factor VII Activating Protease (FSAP)

Factor VII Activating Protease (FSAP) is a plasma protease affecting both coagulation and fibrinolysis. Although a role in hemostasis is still unclear, the identification of additional physiologic substrates will help to elucidate its role in this context. FSAP has been reported to cleave fibrinogen, but the functional consequences of this are not known. We have therefore undertaken this study to determine the implications of this cleavage for fibrin-clot formation and its lysis. Treatment of human fibrinogen with FSAP released an N-terminal peptide from the Bβ chain (Bβ1-53) and subsequently the fibrinopeptide B; within the Aα chain a partial truncation of the αC-region by multiple cleavages was seen. The truncated fibrinogen showed a delayed thrombin-catalyzed polymerization and formed fibrin clots of reduced turbidity, indicative of thinner fibrin fibers. Confocal laser scanning and scanning electron microscopy of these clots revealed a less coarse fibrin network with thinner fibers and a smaller pore size. A lower pore size was also seen in permeability studies. Unexpectedly, FSAP-treated fibrinogen or plasma exhibited a significantly faster tPA-driven lysis, which correlated exclusively with cleavage of fibrinogen and not with activation of plasminogen activators. Similar observations were also made in plasma after activation of endogenous zymogen FSAP, but not in plasma of carrier of the rare Marburg I single nucleotide polymorphism. In conclusion, altering fibrin clot properties by fibrinogenolysis is a novel function of FSAP in the vasculature, which facilitates clot lysis and may in vivo contribute to reduced fibrin deposition during thrombosis.     

6-Substituted amiloride derivatives as inhibitors of the urokinase-type plasminogen activator for use in metastatic disease

The oral K+-sparing diuretic amiloride shows anti-cancer side-activities in multiple rodent models. These effects appear to arise, at least in part, through moderate inhibition of the urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA, K_i = 2.4 µM), a pro-metastatic trypsin-like serine protease that is upregulated in many aggressive solid malignancies. In applying the selective optimization of side-activity (SOSA) approach, a focused library of twenty two 6-substituted amiloride derivatives were prepared, with multiple examples displaying uPA inhibitory potencies in the nM range. X-ray co-crystal structures revealed that the potency increases relative to amiloride arise from increased occupancy of uPA’s S1β subsite by the appended 6-substituents. Leading compounds were shown to have high selectivity over related trypsin-like serine proteases and no diuretic or anti-kaliuretic effects in rats. Compound 15 showed anti-metastatic effects in a xenografted mouse model of late-stage lung metastasis.     

水蛭素12肽与低分子量单链尿激酶融合基因的构建、表达及产物特性分析

用化学合成的方法合成了水蛭素12肽基因的编码序列,通过DNA重组技术将水蛭素12肽基因片段与低分子量单链尿激酶cDNA片段连接构建了融合基因。融合基因在大肠杆菌中获得表达。体外实验结果表明,表达的融合蛋白具有溶纤活性和抗凝活性。     

An urokinase receptor antagonist that inhibits cell migration by blocking the formyl peptide receptor

Urokinase receptor (uPAR) plays a key role in physiological and pathological processes sustained by an altered cell migration. We have developed peptides carrying amino acid substitutions along the Ser(88)-Arg-Ser-Arg-Tyr(92) (SRSRY) uPAR chemotactic sequence. The peptide pyro glutamic acid (pGlu)-Arg-Glu-Arg-Tyr-NH2 (pERERY-NH(2)) shares the same binding site with SRSRY and competes with N-formyl-Met-Leu-Phe (fMLF) for binding to the G-protein-coupled N-formyl-peptide receptor (FPR). pERERY-NH(2) is a dose-dependent inhibitor of both SRSRY- and fMLF-directed cell migration, and prevents agonist-induced FPR internalization and fMLF-dependent ERK1/2 phosphorylation. pERERY-NH(2) is a new and potent uPAR inhibitor which may suggest the generation of new pharmacological treatments for pathological conditions involving increased cell migration.     

液胶色谱柱复性在低分子量尿激酶原突变体（DscuPA—32K）中的应用

将构建一种具溶栓和抗栓以重功能尿激酶原突变体（DscuPA-32K)基因,在大肠杆菌中进行表达。由于DscuPA-32K分子较大并且表达量较高,目的的性质基本以包涵体的形式存在。包涵体中的蛋白质是无活性的蛋白质,为了获得有活性的蛋白质,就需要对包涵体进行变性及复性。尝试了一种新的凝胶色谱柱复性方法,并通过柱复性方法与常规的稀释复性方法进行了比较,发现柱复性方法明显优于稀释复性方法,具有成本低,效率高,并对目的的蛋白质（DscuPA-32K)进行了初步纯化等优点,尤其对酶这一类容易失活降解的蛋白质进行复性时,很值得进行推广应用。     

溶血栓酶活性测定的一种新方法

根据血栓溶解会引起吸光度下降的特性,在细胞培养板上制作小血栓,利用酶标仪同时检测多个样品的吸光度变化.发现反应初期,血栓吸光度的降低同时间呈线性关系,其回归方程的斜率k与酶活性成正比.因此可用k来表示酶活性.此方法与蛋白凝块溶解时间法(CLT法)相关性很好.该法省时,成本低,是一种较好的、实用的检测溶血栓酶活性的方法.     

急性缺血性中风早期中小剂量溶栓治疗的初步研究

目的 研究用中、小剂量尿激酶（UK）溶栓治疗急性缺血性中风的临床效果,寻找一个安全的适合静脉溶栓的UK剂量和方法。方法 净急性缺血性中风患者分为两组：溶栓组18例,中小剂量UK溶栓,视病情变化予以追加。常规治疗组（对照组）12例,除不用UK外,其它治疗措施相同。每例患者于治疗前后进行欧洲卒中量表（ESS）评分,以评价疗效。结果 溶栓组溶栓后2h、6h、1天、2天、3天、7天和14天的ESS评分均比溶栓前升高,无并发出血现象,溶栓组治疗后第1天、第2天、第3天、第7天和第14天ESS评分与治疗前ESS评分的差值明显高于常规治疗组治疗后第1天、第2天、第3天、第7天和第14天ESS评分与治疗前ESS评分的差值。结论 用中小剂量UK溶栓,实行剂量个体化,效果较好,且副作用小。     

Hic-5, an adaptor protein expressed in vascular smooth muscle cells, modulates the arterial response to injury in vivo

Focal adhesion components are targets for biochemical and mechanical stimuli that evoke crucial injury. Hic-5 (hydrogen peroxide-inducible clone 5) is a multidomain adaptor protein which is implicated in the regulation of integrin signaling in focal adhesion. The aim of this research was to test the hypothesis that Hic-5, a focal adhesion LIM protein expressed in smooth muscle cells, is involved in dynamic processes by pathological stimuli in the vessel wall. Here, we describe the analysis of the function of Hic-5 using a mouse model of vascular injury that may mimic balloon angioplasty. At 4 days after vascular injury, marked down-regulation of the Hic-5 expression was observed in the smooth muscle layer, and local delivery of the Hic-5 using adenovirus vectors repressed injury-induced neointimal expansion. In addition, Hic-5 reduced cells migration into three-dimensional collagen gels, and the forced expression of Hic-5 in cells embedded in the collagen gel matrix repressed the expression of uPA that participates in smooth muscle cell migration. These results suggest that Hic-5 modulates cellular responses to pathological stimuli in the vessel wall.