The kinetics of FGF-2 binding to heparan sulfate proteoglycans and MAP kinase signaling

Binding of growth factors to specific cell surface receptors is the first step in initiating cell signaling cascades that ultimately result in diverse activities such as proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. Dimerization and phosphorylation of tyrosine kinase transmembrane receptors is the typical paradigm for this activation but, for many growth factors, cell surface interactions are not limited to a single receptor type. In particular, heparin-binding growth factors, such as fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2), bind to heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPG) on the cell surface and within the extracellular matrix (ECM), and these molecules have been viewed as accessory co-receptors serving to facilitate tyrosine kinase receptor binding. Recent studies, however, have indicated that HSPG can directly participate in signal transduction in response to FGF-2 binding. Thus, in the present study, we used mathematical modeling to examine whether the kinetics of formation of the various FGF-2 bound complexes on the cell surface correlate with the activation of the downstream mediators of FGF-2 response, Erk1/2. We find that FGF-2 binding to its receptor correlates well with Erk1/2 activation and that HSPG can modulate this response through its ability to stabilize these ligand receptor complexes. Moreover, we also observed that FGF-2 binding to HSPG correlates strongly with Erk1/2 activation under conditions where there is a loss of receptor activity, and we demonstrate that the relative amounts of signaling and non-signaling HSPG on the cell surface, as well as the presence of competing HSPG in the ECM, can impact the signal potential via this pathway. Thus, the selective regulation of specific HSPG might provide a mechanism for fine tuned modulation of heparin-binding growth factor signaling in cells where signal intensity and duration could direct cellular response toward growth, migration or differentiation.     

The cell surface proteoglycan syndecan-1 mediates fibroblast growth factor-2 binding and activity

Binding of fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) to receptor tyrosine kinases (FGFRs) and signaling is facilitated by binding of FGF to heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs). There are multiple families of HSPGs, including extracellular and cell surface forms. An important and potentially controversial question is whether cell surface forms of HSPGs act as positive or negative regulators of FGF signaling. This study examines the ability of the cell surface HSPG syndecan-1 to regulate FGF binding and signaling. HSPG-deficient Raji lymphoma cells, expressing a transfected syndecan-1 cDNA (Raji S1 cells), were used as HSPG “donor” cells. BaF3 cells, expressing an FGFR1 cDNA (FR1C-11 cells), were used as FGFR “reporter” cells. Using Raji S1 cells preincubated with FGF, it was found that they formed heterotypic aggregates with FR1C-11 cells in the presence of FGF-2, but not FGF-1. In addition, the FR1C-11 cells demonstrated FGF-2, but not FGF-1, dependent survival when cultured on fixed Raji S1 cells. Thus, Raji syndecan-1 (1) differentially regulates the binding and signaling of FGFs 1 and 2 and (2) acts as a positive regulator of FGF-2 signaling. J. Cell. Physiol. 174:310–321, 1998. © 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Similarities and differences between the effects of heparin and glypican-1 on the bioactivity of acidic fibroblast growth factor and the keratinocyte growth factor

The keratinocyte growth factor (KGF or FGF-7) is unique among its family members both in its target cell specificity and its inhibition by the addition of heparin and the native heparan-sulfate proteoglycan (HSPG), glypican-1 in cells expressing endogenous HSPGs. FGF-1, which binds the FGF-7 receptor with a similar affinity as FGF-7, is stimulated by both molecules. In the present study, we investigated the modulation of FGF-7 activities by heparin and glypican-1 in HS-free background utilizing either HS-deficient cells expressing the FGF-7 receptor (designated BaF/KGFR cells) or soluble extracellular domain of the receptor. At physiological concentrations of FGF-7, heparin was required for high affinity receptor binding and for signaling in BaF/KGFR cells. In contrast, binding of FGF-7 to the soluble form of the receptor did not require heparin. However, high concentrations of heparin inhibited the binding of FGF-7 to both the cell surface and the soluble receptor, similar to the reported effect of heparin in cells expressing endogenous HSPGs. The difference in heparin dependence for high affinity interaction between the cell surface and soluble receptor may be due to other molecule(s) present on cell surfaces. Glypican-1 differed from heparin in that it stimulated FGF-1 but not FGF-7 activities in BaF/KGFR cells. Glypican-1 abrogated the stimulatory effect of heparin, and heparin reversed the inhibitory effect of glypican-1, indicating that this HSPG inhibits FGF-7 activities by acting, most likely, as a competitive inhibitor of stimulatory HSPG species for FGF-7. The regulatory effect of glypican-1 is mediated at the level of interaction with the growth factor as glypican-1 did not bind the KGFR. The effect of heparin and glypican-1 on FGF-1 and FGF-7 oligomerization was studied employing high and physiological concentrations of growth factors. We did not find a correlation between the effects of these glycosaminoglycans on FGFs biological activity and oligomerization. Altogether, our findings argue against the heparin-linked dimer presentation model as key in FGFR activation, and support the notion that HSPGs primarily affect high affinity interaction of FGFs with their receptors.     

Cellular specificity for the activation of fibroblast growth factor-2 by heparan sulfate proteoglycan

Heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) promote cellular proliferation through interaction with FGF-2. To examine the role of cellular specificity of HSPG in FGF-2 function, a recombinant soluble isoform of CD44 (rsCD44v3,8-10) was expressed in various cell types; 293 T fibroblasts, the epithelial carcinoma cell lines A431 and HOTZ, the myelomonocytic cell line THP-1, and the Ig-secreting B lymphoblast IM9. The capacity of the recombinant HSPGs expressed in these cell lines to bind and present FGF-2 to the high-affinity receptor FGFR1 was addressed. This novel approach showed a minor difference in the binding and in the FGF-2 stimulating activity of rsCD44v3,8-10 HSPGs from fibroblasts and epithelial cells. However, FGF-2 binding of rsCD44v3,8-10 from IM9 and THP-1 cells was significantly lower, and stimulation of FGF-2 by rsCD44v3,8-10 from these two cell types could not be detected. We tested the possibility that the differences among cell types were related to the functional profile of endogenous HSPGs. The initial survey of a wider panel of cell types revealed high levels of HSPGs synthesis on the surface of 293 T, epithelial and IM9 cells, but low levels on the surface of other cells of hematopoietic origin. Surprisingly, native HSPGs from fibroblasts and epithelial cell lines promoted FGF-2 biological activity to vastly different extents, and cell surface HSPGs from IM9 cells induced an FGF-2 response. Altogether, the results suggested a role for cell-specific HS modification in addition to synthesis as regulatory mechanisms for the cellular specificity of proteoglycan function.     

Potential mechanisms for the regulation of growth factor binding by heparin

Heparin and heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPG) bind many soluble growth factors and this binding is now recognized as an important mechanism for modulation of cell activity. Fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2) is one of the best characterized of the heparin-binding growth factors and it has been shown experimentally that heparin regulation of FGF-2 activity is dependent on the level of cell HSPG and the concentration of heparin. In this paper, we explore, using mathematical modeling, proposed mechanisms for heparin regulation and determine how they impact FGF receptor binding. We demonstrate that the experimentally observed receptor binding phenomena can be reproduced if cells (1) express heparin-binding cell surface molecules and if either (2) these heparin binding sites are FGFR and bind heparin and FGF-2-heparin complexes or (3) are surface molecules able to bind FGF-2 and couple with FGF-2 receptors to form high-affinity FGF-2-bound surface complexes. The ability of heparin to directly interact with the FGFR and bind FGF-2 in the absence of this coupling function was not sufficient to explain heparin activity. These findings have implications with regard to regulation of heparin-binding growth factors and could help guide the development of highly specific growth regulatory molecules through specific regulation by heparin and HSPG.     

Specificity for fibroblast growth factors determined by heparan sulfate in a binary complex with the receptor kinase.

A divalent cation-dependent association between heparin or heparan sulfate and the ectodomain of the FGF receptor kinase (FGFR) restricts FGF-independent trans-phosphorylation and supports the binding of activating FGF to self-associated FGFR. Here we show that in contrast to heparin, cellular heparan sulfate forms a binary complex with FGFR that discriminates between FGF-1 and FGF-2. FGFR type 4 (FGFR4) in liver parenchymal cells binds only FGF-1, whereas FGFR1 binds FGF-1 and FGF-2 equally. Cell-free complexes of heparin and recombinant FGFR4 bound FGF-1 and FGF-2 equally. However, in contrast to FGFR1, when recombinant FGFR4 was expressed back in epithelial cells by transfection, it failed to bind FGF-2 unless heparan sulfate was depressed by chlorate or heparinase treatment. Isolated heparan sulfate proteoglycan (HSPG) from liver cells in cell-free complexes with FGFR4 restored the specificity for FGF-1 and supported the binding of both FGF-1 and FGF-2 when complexed with FGFR1. In contrast, FGF-2 bound equally well to complexes of both FGFR1 and FGFR4 formed with endothelial cell-derived HSPG, but the endothelial HSPG was deficient for the binding of FGF-1 to both FGFR complexes. These data suggest that a heparan sulfate subunit is a cell type- and FGFR-specific determinant of the selectivity of the FGFR signaling complex for FGF. In a physiological context, the heparan sulfate subunit may limit the redundancy among the current 18 FGF polypeptides for the 4 known FGFR.     

Heparan sulfate proteoglycan isoforms of the CD44 hyaluronan receptor induced in human inflammatory macrophages can function as paracrine regulators of fibroblast growth factor action

The CD44 glycoprotein is expressed in multiple isoforms on a variety of cell types where it functions as a receptor for hyaluronan-mediated motility. Recently, interest has centered on CD44 heparan sulfate proteoglycan (HSPG) isoforms because of their potential to sequester heparin-binding growth factors and chemokines. Expression of these isoforms on ectodermal cells has recently been shown to regulate limb morphogenesis via presentation of fibroblast growth factor (FGF) 4/FGF 8 while expression on tumor cells was shown to sequester hepatocyte growth factor and promote tumor dissemination. To date, however, CD44 HSPG expression in tissue macrophages and lymphocytes has not been adequately investigated, despite the fact these cells actively synthesize growth factors and chemokines and indirect evidence that monocyte CD44 sequesters macrophage inflammatory protein-1beta. Here we show primary human monocytes rather than lymphocytes express CD44 HSPGs, but only following in vitro differentiation to macrophages or activation with the proinflammatory cytokine interleukin-1alpha or bacterial lipopolysaccharide. Furthermore, we show these isoforms are preferentially modified with heparan rather than chondroitin sulfate, bind the macrophage-derived growth factors FGF-2, vascular endothelial growth factor, and heparin-binding epidermal growth factor with varying affinities (K(d) 25-330 nM) and in the case of FGF-2, can stimulate productive binding to the high affinity tyrosine kinase FGF receptor 1 (FGFR1). In contrast, we find no evidence for significant binding to C-C chemokines. Last, we confirm by immunofluorescent antibody staining that inflamed synovial membrane macrophages express CD44 HSPGs and that expression is greatest in cells containing high FGF-2 levels. These results suggest a paracrine role for macrophage CD44 HSPG isoforms in the regulation of growth factor action during inflammation.     

Heparan sulfate-independent cell binding and infection with furin-precleaved papillomavirus capsids

Papillomavirus infection normally involves virion binding to cell surface heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs). However, we found that human papillomavirus type 16 pseudovirions efficiently bound and infected cells lacking HSPGs if their L2 capsid protein was precleaved by furin, a cellular protease required for infection. The inability of pseudovirions to efficiently bind and infect cultured primary keratinocytes was also overcome by furin precleavage, suggesting that the defect involves altered HSPG modification. We conclude that the primary function of HSPG binding is to enable cell surface furin cleavage of L2 and that binding to a distinct cell surface receptor(s) is a subsequent step of papillomavirus infection.     

Differential ability of heparan sulfate proteoglycans to assemble the fibroblast growth factor receptor complex in situ.

Fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) require heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) as cofactors for signaling. The heparan sulfate chains (HS) mediate stable high affinity binding of FGFs to their receptor tyrosine kinases (FR) and may specifically regulate FGF activity. A novel in situ binding assay was developed to examine the ability of HSPGs to promote FGF/FR binding using a soluble FR fusion construct (FR1-AP). This fusion protein probe forms a dimer in solution, simulating the dimerization or oligomerization that is thought to occur at the cell surface physiologically. In frozen sections of human skin, FGF-2 binds to keratinocytes and basement membranes of epidermis and dermal blood vessels. In contrast, in skin preincubated with FGF-2, FR1-AP binds avidly to FGF-2 immobilized on keratinocyte cell surfaces, but fails to bind to basement membranes at the dermo-epidermal junction or dermal microvessels despite the fact that these structures bind large amounts of FGF-2. Apparently, basement membrane and cell surface HSPGs differ in their ability to mediate the assembly of a FGF/FR signaling complex presumably due to structural differences of the heparan sulfate chains.     

Inducible expression of the cell surface heparan sulfate proteoglycan syndecan-2 (fibroglycan) on human activated macrophages can regulate fibroblast growth factor action.

Monocyte/macrophages play important roles in regulating tissue growth and angiogenesis through the controlled release of heparin-binding growth factors such as fibroblast growth factor (FGF), vascular endothelial growth factor, and heparin binding epidermal growth factor. The action of these potent growth mediators is known to be regulated by adsorption to heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) on the surface and within the extracellular matrix of other neighboring cells, which respectively promote or restrict interactions with their signal-transducing receptors on target cells. Here we report on the nature of HSPGs inducibly expressed on the surface of macrophages that confer these cells with the capacity to regulate endogenous growth factor activity. We reveal that activated human macrophages express only a single major 48-kDa cell surface HSPG, syndecan-2 (fibroglycan) as the result of de novo RNA and protein synthesis. In addition, we demonstrate this macrophage HSPG selectively binds the macrophage-derived growth factors FGF-2, vascular endothelial growth factor and heparin binding EGF and can present FGF-2 in a form that transactivates receptor-bearing BaF32 cells. These results define a novel and unique proteoglycan profile for macrophages and imply a key role for syndecan-2 in the delivery of sequestered growth factors by inflammatory macrophages for productive binding to their appropriate target cells in vivo.     

QSulf1 remodels the 6-O sulfation states of cell surface heparan sulfate proteoglycans to promote Wnt signaling

The 6-O sulfation states of cell surface heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) are dynamically regulated to control the growth and specification of embryonic progenitor lineages. However, mechanisms for regulation of HSPG sulfation have been unknown. Here, we report on the biochemical and Wnt signaling activities of QSulf1, a novel cell surface sulfatase. Biochemical studies establish that QSulf1 is a heparan sulfate (HS) 6-O endosulfatase with preference, in particular, toward trisulfated IdoA2S-GlcNS6S disaccharide units within HS chains. In cells, QSulf1 can function cell autonomously to remodel the sulfation of cell surface HS and promote Wnt signaling when localized either on the cell surface or in the Golgi apparatus. QSulf1 6-O desulfation reduces XWnt binding to heparin and HS chains of Glypican1, whereas heparin binds with high affinity to XWnt8 and inhibits Wnt signaling. CHO cells mutant for HS biosynthesis are defective in Wnt-dependent Frizzled receptor activation, establishing that HS is required for Frizzled receptor function. Together, these findings suggest a two-state "catch or present" model for QSulf1 regulation of Wnt signaling in which QSulf1 removes 6-O sulfates from HS chains to promote the formation of low affinity HS-Wnt complexes that can functionally interact with Frizzled receptors to initiate Wnt signal transduction.     

Requirement for heparan sulphate proteoglycans to mediate basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF-2)-induced stimulation of Leydig cell steroidogenesis

This study reports that, in contrast to previous findings, basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF-2) stimulates immature Leydig cell steroidogenesis in the absence of luteinizing hormone (LH). Heparan sulphate proteoglycans (HSPGs) are essential for this action of FGF-2 and the data suggest that HSPG/FGF-2 interactions have a significant role in the maintenance of immature Leydig cell steroidogenesis. Culture conditions were established for the maintenance of immature rat Leydig cells steroidogenesis in vitro for at least 2 days. Under these conditions the effect of exposure to FGF-2 at doses ranging from 0.1–10 ng/ml was shown to cause a significant stimulation of basal, but not LH-stimulated, 5-androstane 3,17β-diol production over 24h in culture. This stimulatory action on basal steroidogenesis is mediated through HSPG, as it was blocked by the addition of heparin (100 μg/ml), sodium chlorate (25mM) and protamine sulphate (5 μg/ml). These data demonstrate the involvement of HSPG in regulating FGF-2 action on Leydig cells and a potential role for Leydig cell HSPG in mediating paracrine regulatory actions of other heparin binding growth factors.     

Roles of heparan sulfate sulfation in dentinogenesis

Cell surface heparan sulfate (HS) is an essential regulator of cell signaling and development. HS traps signaling molecules, like Wnt in the glycosaminoglycan side chains of HS proteoglycans (HSPGs), and regulates their functions. Endosulfatases Sulf1 and Sulf2 are secreted at the cell surface to selectively remove 6-O-sulfate groups from HSPGs, thereby modifying the affinity of cell surface HSPGs for its ligands. This study provides molecular evidence for the functional roles of HSPG sulfation and desulfation in dentinogenesis. We show that odontogenic cells are highly sulfated on the cell surface and become desulfated during their differentiation to odontoblasts, which produce tooth dentin. Sulf1/Sulf2 double null mutant mice exhibit a thin dentin matrix and short roots combined with reduced expression of dentin sialophosphoprotein (Dspp) mRNA, encoding a dentin-specific extracellular matrix precursor protein, whereas single Sulf mutants do not show such defective phenotypes. In odontoblast cell lines, Dspp mRNA expression is potentiated by the activation of the Wnt canonical signaling pathway. In addition, pharmacological interference with HS sulfation promotes Dspp mRNA expression through activation of Wnt signaling. On the contrary, the silencing of Sulf suppresses the Wnt signaling pathway and subsequently Dspp mRNA expression. We also show that Wnt10a protein binds to cell surface HSPGs in odontoblasts, and interference with HS sulfation decreases the binding affinity of Wnt10a for HSPGs, which facilitates the binding of Wnt10a to its receptor and potentiates the Wnt signaling pathway, thereby up-regulating Dspp mRNA expression. These results demonstrate that Sulf-mediated desulfation of cellular HSPGs is an important modification that is critical for the activation of the Wnt signaling in odontoblasts and for production of the dentin matrix.     

Artemin crystal structure reveals insights into heparan sulfate binding

Artemin (ART) promotes the growth of developing peripheral neurons by signaling through a multicomponent receptor complex comprised of a transmembrane tyrosine kinase receptor (cRET) and a specific glycosylphosphatidylinositol-linked co-receptor (GFRalpha3). Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) signals through a similar ternary complex but requires heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) for full activity. HSPG has not been demonstrated as a requirement for ART signaling. We crystallized ART in the presence of sulfate and solved its structure by isomorphous replacement. The structure reveals ordered sulfate anions bound to arginine residues in the pre-helix and amino-terminal regions that were organized in a triad arrangement characteristic of heparan sulfate. Three residues in the pre-helix were singly or triply substituted with glutamic acid, and the resulting proteins were shown to have reduced heparin-binding affinity that is partly reflected in their ability to activate cRET. This study suggests that ART binds HSPGs and identifies residues that may be involved in HSPG binding.     

Fibroblast growth factor-2 stimulation of p42/44MAPK phosphorylation and IkappaB degradation is regulated by heparan sulfate/heparin in rat mammary fibroblasts

Fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2) interacts with a dual receptor system consisting of tyrosine kinase receptors and heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs). In rat mammary fibroblasts, FGF-2 stimulated DNA synthesis and induced a sustained phosphorylation of p42/44(MAPK) and of its downstream target, p90(RSK). Moreover, FGF-2 also stimulated the transient degradation of IkappaBalpha and IkappaBbeta. PD098059, a specific inhibitor of p42/44(MAPK) phosphorylation, inhibited FGF-2-stimulated DNA synthesis, phosphorylation of p42/44(MAPK) and p90(RSK), and degradation of IkappaBbeta. In contrast, in chlorate-treated and hence sulfated glycosaminoglycan-deficient cells, FGF-2 was unable to stimulate DNA synthesis. However, FGF-2 was able to trigger a transient phosphorylation of both p42/44(MAPK) and p90(RSK), which peaked at 15 min and returned to control levels at 30 min. In these sulfated glycosaminoglycan-deficient cells, no degradation of IkappaBalpha and IkappaBbeta was observed after FGF-2 addition. However, in chlorate-treated cells, the addition of heparin or purified HSPGs simultaneously with FGF-2 restored DNA synthesis, the sustained phosphorylation of p42/44(MAPK) and p90(RSK), and the degradation of IkappaBalpha and IkappaBbeta. These results suggest that the HSPG receptor for FGF-2 not only influences the outcome of FGF-2 signaling, e.g. cell proliferation, but importantly regulates the immediate-early signals generated by this growth factor.     

Identification of cell surface molecules that interact with pseudorabies virus.

The alphaherpesvirus pseudorabies virus (PrV) has been shown to attach to cells by interaction between the viral glycoprotein gC and cell membrane proteoglycans carrying heparan sulfate chains (HSPGs). A secondary binding step requires gD and presumably another, hitherto unidentified cellular receptor. By use of a virus overlay protein binding assay (VOPBA), cosedimentation analyses, and affinity chromatography, we identified three species of cell membrane constituents that bind PrV. By treatment with EDTA, peripheral HSPGs of very high apparent molecular mass (>200 kDa) could be extracted from Madin-Darby bovine kidney cells. Binding of PrV to these HSPGs in the VOPBA was sensitive to enzymatic digestion with heparinase or papain. Cosedimentation analyses indicated that binding between PrV and high-molecular-weight HSPG depended on the presence of gC in the virion. In addition, adsorption of radiolabeled PrV virions to cells could be inhibited by the addition of purified high-molecular-weight HSPG. By using urea extraction buffer, a second species of HSPG of approximately 140 kDa could be solubilized. Binding of PrV to this HSPG in the VOPBA was also dependent on the presence of heparan sulfate, since reactivity was abolished after suppression of glycosaminoglycan biosynthesis with NaClO3 and after heparinase treatment. In addition to HSPG, in cellular membrane extracts obtained by treatment with mild detergent, a 85-kDa membrane protein was demonstrated to bind PrV in the VOPBA and affinity chromatography. In summary, we identified three species of cell membrane constituents that bind PrV: a peripheral HSPG of high molecular weight, an integral HSPG of approximately 140 kDa, and an integral membrane protein of 85 kDa. It is tempting to speculate that interaction between PrV and the two species of HSPG mediates primary attachment of PrV and that the 85-kDa protein is involved in a subsequent attachment step.     

Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycans Containing a Glypican 5 Core and 2-O-Sulfo-iduronic Acid Function as Sonic Hedgehog Co-receptors to Promote Proliferation

Sonic Hedgehog (Shh) signaling is crucial for growth, cell fate determination, and axonal guidance in the developing nervous system. Although the receptors Patched (Ptch1) and Smoothened (Smo) are required for Shh signaling, a number of distinct co-receptors contribute to these critical responses to Shh. Several membrane-embedded proteins such as Boc, Cdo, and Gas1 bind Shh and promote signaling. In addition, heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) have also been implicated in the initiation of Shh responses. However, the attributes of HSPGs that function as co-receptors for Shh have not yet been defined. Here, we identify HSPGs containing a glypican 5 core protein and 2-O-sulfo-iduronic acid residues at the nonreducing ends of the glycans as co-receptors for Shh. These HSPG co-receptors are expressed by cerebellar granule cell precursors and promote Shh binding and signaling. At the subcellular level, these HSPG co-receptors are located adjacent to the primary cilia that act as Shh signaling organelles. Thus, Shh binds to HSPG co-receptors containing a glypican 5 core and 2-O-sulfo-iduronic acid to promote neural precursor proliferation.     

Enzymatic remodeling of heparan sulfate proteoglycans within the tumor microenvironment: growth regulation and the prospect of new cancer therapies

Heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs), via their interactions with numerous effector molecules such as FGF-2, IL-8, and VEGF, regulate the biological activity of cells by acting as co-receptors that promote signaling. The extent and nature of their role as co-receptors is often misregulated in cancer as manifested by alterations in HSPG structure and expression level. This misregulation of HSPGs can aid in promoting the malignant phenotype. In addition to expression-related changes in HSPGs, recent discoveries indicate that HSPGs localized within the tumor microenvironment can be attacked by enzymes that alter proteoglycan structure resulting in dramatic effects on tumor growth and metastasis. This review focuses on remodeling of HSPGs by three distinct mechanisms that occur in vivo; (i) shedding of proteoglycan extracellular domains from cell surfaces, (ii) fragmentation of heparan sulfate chains by heparanase, and (iii) removal of sulfates from the 6-O position of heparan sulfate chains by extracellular sulfatases. Assessing or monitoring the remodeling of HSPGs has important implications for tumor diagnosis and patient prognosis while therapeutic manipulation of the remodeling process represents an exciting new possibility for treating cancer.     

Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycans Play a Dual Role in Regulating Fibroblast Growth Factor-2 Mitogenic Activity in Human Breast Cancer Cells

The human breast cancer cell lines MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 differ in their responsiveness to fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2). This growth factor stimulates proliferation in well-differentiated MCF-7 cells, whereas the less well-differentiated MDA-MB-231 cells are insensitive to this molecule. To investigate the potential regulation of FGF-2 mitogenic activity by heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPG), we have treated human breast cancer cells by glycosaminoglycan degrading enzymes or a metabolic inhibitor of proteoglycan sulfation: sodium chlorate. The interaction between FGF-2 and proteoglycans was assayed by examining the binding of¹²⁵I-FGF-2 to breast cancer cell cultures as well as to cationic membranes loaded with HSPG. Using MCF-7 cells, we showed that heparinase treatment inhibited FGF-2 binding to HSPG and completely abolished FGF-2 induced growth; chlorate treatment of MCF-7 cells decreased FGF-2 binding to HSPG and cell responsiveness in a dose-dependent manner. This demonstrates a requirement of adequately sulfated HSPG for FGF-2 growth-promoting activity on MCF-7 cells. In highly invasive MDA-MB-231 cells which produce twice as much HSPG as MCF-7 cells and which are not normally responsive to exogenously added FGF-2, chlorate treatment decreased FGF-2 binding to HSPG and induced FGF-2 mitogenic effect. This chlorate effect was dose dependent and observed at concentrations of 10–30 mM;higher chlorate concentrations completely abolished the FGF-2 effect. This shows that the HSPG level of sulfation can also negatively regulate the biological activity of FGF-2. Taken together, these results demonstrate a crucial role for HSPG in both positive and negative control of FGF-2 mitogenic activity in breast cancer cell proliferation.