Enzymatic activity and in vivo distribution of 5'-nucleotidase, an extracellular matrix binding glycoprotein, during the development of chicken striated muscle.

The ecto-enzyme 5'-nucleotidase isolated from chicken gizzard has previously been shown to be a potent ligand of two glycoproteins of the extracellular matrix, namely fibronectin and laminin. Using immunofluorescent labeling techniques we observed that 5'-nucleotidase codistributed with laminin during the development of chicken striated muscle. In contrast, ecto-5'-nucleotidase was only faintly detectable on cells surrounded by a matrix expressing high levels of fibronectin. This distribution pattern distinguished 5'-nucleotidase from the pluripotent extracellular matrix receptors, chicken beta 1-integrins, which are expressed equally well in muscle and connective tissue. In addition, the specific activity of striated muscle ecto-5'-nucleotidase was stable during development and increased markedly posthatching. At each age considered, this specific activity corresponded to an 80-kDa enzyme which was inhibited by alpha,beta-methyleneadenosine diphosphate or by a monoclonal antibody directed against the smooth muscle isoform of the enzyme. Previous in vitro studies have revealed that 5'-nucleotidase is involved in the spreading of various mesenchyme-derived cells, such as chicken embryonic fibroblasts and myoblasts, on a laminin substrate. A prerequisite to examining a potential in vivo role for 5'-nucleotidase as an extracellular matrix ligand was to study its distribution. In adult muscle, 5'-nucleotidase displayed a more restricted distribution than in embryo. Results show that, in vivo, 5'-nucleotidase is revealed by immunofluorescent labeling using poly- and monoclonal antibodies to chicken gizzard 5'-nucleotidase in two structures, the costameres and myotendinous junctions, which are closely related to the focal adhesion sites observed in cell culture.     

Evidence for the direct interaction of chicken gizzard 5'-nucleotidase with laminin and fibronectin

The ectoenzyme 5'-nucleotidase purified from chicken gizzard is shown to specifically interact with laminin and fibronectin, components of the extracellular matrix, by a number of different techniques: (i) cosedimentation with laminin by sucrose gradient centrifugation; (ii) affinity adsorption to both laminin- and fibronectin-Sepharose 4-B; (iii) specific binding to both laminin and fibronectin dotted onto cellulose filters; and (iv) monoclonal antibodies against 5'-nucleotidase are shown to interfere with the interaction of 5'-nucleotidase with laminin and fibronectin. For all the techniques employed, the interactions were found to be specific, since 5'-nucleotidase did not bind to unrelated proteins such as bovine serum albumin or to monomeric actin. The interaction of purified chicken gizzard 5'-nucleotidase could be demonstrated for the hydrophobic enzyme solubilized in detergent and after its reconstitution into artificial phospholipid vesicles. The affinity adsorption experiments indicate that reconstituted enzyme binds more strongly to both laminin and fibronectin. The 5'-nucleotidase employed in this study is anchored to the plasma membrane by a glycan-phosphatidylinositol linker. After treatment with phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C, the enzyme is transformed into a hydrophilic form, for which interactions with laminin and fibronectin could also be demonstrated by the dot-blot technique. Thus controlled cleavage of the phosphatidylinositol linker of 5'-nucleotidase could enable cells to rapidly alter their adhesiveness to certain components of the extracellular matrix.     

Monoclonal antibodies against 5'-nucleotidase from a human pancreatic tumor cell line: their characterization and inhibitory capacity on tumor cell adhesion to fibronectin substratum.

Four mouse monoclonal antibodies (PTN63, PTN108, PTN124, PTN514) against the ecto-5'-nucleotidase purified from a human pancreatic adenocarcinoma cell line (PaTu II) have been raised and characterized. All four monoclonal antibodies recognize the protein moiety of the glycosylated ecto-5'-nucleotidase. In competition assays it was demonstrated that three of the antibodies (PTN63, PTN108, PTN514) recognize different epitopes within the protein moiety. Furthermore, PTN108, PTN124, and PTN514 reduced the 5'-nucleotidase AMPase activity in contrast to PTN63 having no inhibitory effect. The antibodies show no cross-reactivity with ecto-5'-nucleotidases from rat liver, bull seminal plasma, chicken gizzard and human peripheral blood cells. When assayed by indirect immunofluorescence the antibodies react with the plasma membrane of human pancreatic tumor cells with varying staining intensity. Immunocytochemistry on paraffin sections of normal human pancreas revealed a prominent staining of the pancreatic duct cells. No staining of the acinar and islet cells could be detected. Thus, 5'-nucleotidase is a marker enzyme for pancreatic duct cells and can be used to determine the origin of pancreatic tumor cells. PTN63 reduced the attachment to fibronectin substratum of a human pancreatic adenocarcinoma tumor cell line possessing a high amount of plasma membrane bound ecto-5'-nucleotidase, but had no effect on a cell line lacking the membrane bound AMPase. In contrast, PTN108 and PTN514, which inhibit the AMPase activity, exhibited no influence on the adhesion of human pancreatic tumor cells to fibronectin substratum.     

5'-Nucleotidase is involved in chick embryo myoblast spreading on laminin

Previous studies have shown that 5'-nucleotidase, an ectoenzyme from chicken gizzard, interacts specifically with laminin and fibronectin, two glycoproteins of the extracellular matrix. Recently, we demonstrated that 5'-nucleotidase was involved in the spreading of chick embryo fibroblast on laminin. In the present communication, we report that a monoclonal antibody (CG37) raised-directed against 5'-nucleotidase inhibited the spreading of chick embryo myoblasts on laminin after their initial attachment to the substrate. Furthermore, monoclonal antibody CG37 specifically eluted 5'-nucleotidase from immobilized laminin and thus enabled its isolation from other myoblast laminin-binding proteins.     

Monoclonal antibodies against 5'-nucleotidase from chicken gizzard. Evidence for species and tissue specific differences of 5'-nucleotidase

5'-Nucleotidase from chicken gizzard smooth muscle was purified to homogeneity and used as immunogen for generating monoclonal antibodies. From about 150 positive clones nine IgG producing hybridoma cell lines have been selected for further characterization and antibody preparation. The resulting antibodies bind 5'-nucleotidase from chicken smooth muscle, chicken skeletal muscle, and chicken heart muscle but not the enzyme from chicken liver or rat liver. It could clearly be demonstrated that the nine antibodies recognize different antigenic determinants. Four of these antibodies are strong inhibitors of the AMPase activity of 5'-nucleotidase. One antibody is a weak inhibitor and four other antibodies have no effect on its enzymic activity. One of the monoclonal antibodies was used for immunoaffinity purification of 5'-nucleotidase from chicken heart muscle and chicken skeletal muscle. Pure and active enzymes could be isolated from detergent extracts in one step with a 10 to 20-fold higher yield compared to classical purification procedures. The subcellular distribution of 5'-nucleotidase in chicken gizzard was investigated using indirect immunofluorescence. We found a staining of the plasma membrane of smooth muscle cells and endothelial cells by all of the nine antibodies with variations in the staining intensity.     

Chicken gizzard 5'-nucleotidase is a receptor for the extracellular matrix component fibronectin

The smooth muscle cells of chicken gizzard harbor the ectoenzyme 5'-nucleotidase. The purified enzyme was reconstituted into 3H-labeled proteoliposomes which were used as a model to study the association of a membrane protein with fibronectin. We demonstrated that the binding process between proteoliposomes and fibronectin has the qualities of a receptor-ligand interaction, i.e., is saturable and specific. In contrast to the association of fibronectin with integrins, the interaction with 5'-nucleotidase does not require divalent metal ions. Synthetic peptides containing the RGD-sequence or a monoclonal antibody interfering with binding of other receptors to the cell-binding domain of fibronectin did not abolish the interaction with 5'-nucleotidase. This indicates that the RGDS-sequence does not represent the major contact site for the AMPase and that the 5'-nucleotidase belongs to a separate class of fibronectin receptors with distinct properties as compared to the integrins.     

Isolation and characterization of 5'-nucleotidase of a human pancreatic tumor cell line

5'-Nucleotidase of a human pancreatic tumor cell line (PaTu II) has been purified to homogeneity after extraction with detergent followed by two affinity chromatographic steps. Sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of purified 5'-nucleotidase revealed a single polypeptide band of 67 kDa. The Western blotted enzyme can be overlaid with concanavalin A proving its glycoprotein nature. After treatment with endoglycosidase F the deglycosylated 5'-nucleotidase exhibits an apparent molecular mass of 58 kDa. The kinetic properties of the solubilized enzyme have been determined (Km (AMP) of 4.0 microM; Vmax (AMP) = 8.6 muMOL/min.mg). Adenosine 5'-[alpha,beta-methylene]diphosphate is a competitive inhibitor of 5'-nucleotidase, whereas concanavalin A inhibits the enzymatic activity in a non-competitive manner. Polyclonal antibodies against purified 5'-nucleotidase of PaTu II have been produced which inhibit its enzymatic activity. Polyclonal antibodies raised against the enzyme purified from rat liver or bull seminal plasma also recognize 5'-nucleotidase of PaTu II cells, whereas polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies against the enzyme derived from chicken gizzard show no cross-reactivity. 5'-Nucleotidase appears to be concentrated in the plasma membrane of PaTu II cells as judged by cell fractionation and indirect immunofluorescence studies.     

Adhesive responses of fibroblast and neuroblastoma cells to substrata coated with polyvalent or monoclonal antibody to fibronectin

Both polyvalent and hybridoma-produced antibodies to fibronectin (Fn) were used to ‘map’ the immunoaccessible subsets of cell surface fibronectin on virus-transformed murine fibroblast SVT2 and rat neuroblastoma B104 cells. As one approach to this end, attachment and spreading responses of cells were measured on tissue culture substrata coated with antibody or with plasma fibronectin to compare their adhesive responses. Both SVT2 and B104 cells adhere poorly to polyvalent anti-Fn-coated substrata over short time intervals, but within several hours changes occur which permit cells to attach and spread as well on anti-Fn as on Fn (post-adsorption of the anti-Fn with Fn also generates a maximal response). This adhesive response could be completely prevented by predigesting the cells with Flavobacterium heparanase, but not with chondroitinase ABC, indicating that the cell surface Fn responsible for antibody-mediated adhesion is associated with heparan sulfate proteoglycans on the cell surface. The compositions of the substratum-attached material (left bound after EGTA-mediated detachment of cells) from cells attaching to anti-Fn or Fn were analysed by SDS-PAGE and found to be identical within the same cell type for the two different substrata. Three hybridoma-produced antibodies, which recognize different determinants on Fn, generated different adhesive responses for SVT2 or B104 cells when adsorbed to the substratum. SVT2 cells adhered well to antibody no. 32-coated substrata but poorly to antibodies 92 or 136; on the other hand, B104 cells responded similarly to all three antibodies over short times of attachment but much better to no. 32 after a several hour incubation. These experiments indicate that (1) much of the cell surface fibronectin is complexed with heparan sulfate proteoglycan and is initially inaccessible to bind to polyvalent antibody on the substratum to promote adhesion; (2) the surface of neuroblastoma cells contains a fibronectin-like molecule which is important in their substratum adhesion; and (3) monoclonal antibodies are valuable tools in ‘mapping’ the orientation of cell surface molecules like fibronectin by measuring adhesive responses to antibody-coated substrata.     

Reconstitution of purified chicken gizzard 5'-nucleotidase in phospholipid vesicles. Evidence for its transmembraneous character and the existence of functional domains on both sides of the phospholipid bilayer

5'-Nucleotidase, purified to homogeneity from chicken gizzard using published procedures [Dieckhoff, J., Knebel, H., Heidemann, M. and Mannherz, H. G. (1985) Eur. J. Biochem. 151, 377-383] was incorporated into artificial phospholipid vesicles after prolonged dialysis against detergent-free buffer or by a gel filtration procedure. After dialysis the obtained liposomes exhibit a mean diameter of 80 nm and contain 5'-nucleotidase at random orientation, demonstrated by finding up to 50% of the total liposome-incorporated AMPase activity to be cryptic, i.e. could only be measured after their permeabilization by addition of detergent. By affinity chromatography a phospholipid vesicle fraction could be obtained containing almost exclusively cryptic AMPase activity, thus representing the inside-out orientation of 5'-nucleotidase. Comparative analysis of physiochemical and enzymatic properties of 5'-nucleotidase reveals differences between the detergent-solubilized and the liposome-incorporated 5'-nucleotidase including a changed accessibility of the enzyme to polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies. Binding and AMPase inhibition studies with different polyclonal antibodies strongly indicate to the existence of a cytoplasmic domain of chicken gizzard 5'-nucleotidase. F-actin appears preferentially to interact with the cytoplasmic domain of liposome-incorporated 5'-nucleotidase.     

Localization of a tumor cell adhesion domain of laminin by a monoclonal antibody

Monoclonal antibodies were prepared to localize the domain(s) of laminin to which tumor cells adhere. Rat Y3-Ag 1.2.3 myeloma cells were fused with spleen cells from a rat immunized with a purified 440-kDa fragment of chymotrypsin-digested laminin. Three monoclonal antibodies (AL-1 to AL-3) that bound to intact laminin in a solid-phase radioimmunoassay were chosen for further analysis. The epitopes recognized by these antibodies were characterized by radioimmunoassays, immunoblotting, radioimmunoprecipitation, and immunoaffinity chromatography. In cell adhesion assays, monoclonal antibody AL-2 inhibited the binding of the highly metastatic melanoma cell line, K-1735-M4, to both intact laminin and the 440-kDa fragment of laminin. Electron microscopic examination of laminin-monoclonal antibody interactions showed that monoclonal antibody AL-2 reacted with the long arm of laminin directly below the cross-region. Two monoclonal antibodies that failed to inhibit tumor cell adhesion to laminin reacted with epitopes on the lateral short arms or cross-region of laminin as seen by electron microscopy. These results suggest that a new tumor cell binding domain of laminin may be located close to the cross-region on the long arm of laminin.     

Limited proteolysis of chicken gizzard 5'-nucleotidase.

Chicken gizzard 5'-nucleotidase represents an ectoenzyme which is linked to the plasma membrane via a phosphatidylinositol glycan. We have characterized the possible domain-like organization of 5'-nucleotidase by limited proteolysis. A hydrophobic proteolytic fragment carrying the intact C-terminus, as well as two major hydrophilic products, were identified. We developed procedures for specific radiolabelling of the active center of 5'-nucleotidase. This allowed us to locate the catalytic site within hydrophilic fragments obtained after limited proteolysis. We demonstrate that removal of N-linked carbohydrate chains increases the sensitivity of 5'-nucleotidase to proteolytic attack, indicating that sugar moieties protect against proteolysis. 5'-Nucleotidase represents a binding protein for components of the extracellular matrix. The interaction between 5'-nucleotidase and the laminin/nidogen complex unmasked proteolytic cleavage sites in the C-terminal portion of the enzyme. This resulted in the specific production of a hydrophilic form of 5'-nucleotidase. In summary, we have further characterized chicken gizzard 5'-nucleotidase: (1) the protein is organized into two domain-like structures, (2) the N-terminal domain harbors the active center; (3) N-linked carbohydrates protect the protein against proteolytic degradation; (4) interaction with components of the extracellular matrix alters the conformation of 5'-nucleotidase.     

Structural comparison of the 68 kDa laminin-binding protein and 5'-nucleotidase from chicken muscular sources: evidence against a gross structural similarity of both proteins

The 68 kDa laminin-binding protein purified from chicken skeletal muscle and the ectoenzyme 5'-nucleotidase from chicken gizzard are both able to interact with laminin. They were both shown to possess a nearly identical amino acid composition. The 79 kDa glycosylated form of 5'-nucleotidase can be transformed into an enzymatically active form by treatment with endoglycosidase F (Endo F). Deglycosylated (Endo F-treated) 5'-nucleotidase exhibits an apparent molecular mass of 68 kDa. Using immunological and finger-printing techniques, both proteins were analysed to determine their structural relatedness. The results obtained indicate that both proteins are not identical but may posses a few common peptides of yet unknown sequence and length.     

An antiglycolipid antibody inhibits Madin-Darby canine kidney cell adhesion to laminin and interferes with basolateral polarization and tight junction formation

Epithelial cells polarize not only in response to cell-cell contacts, but also to contacts with a substratum composed of extracellular matrix molecules. To probe the role of specific matrix constituents in epithelial cell polarization, we investigated the effects of an adhesion-blocking mAb, 12B12, on initial polarization of MDCK cells. The 12B12 antibody, raised against whole MDCK cells, blocks adhesion to laminin by 65% but has no effect on adhesion of cells to collagen type I. Taking advantage of this antibody's function-blocking activity, as well as the fact that MDCK cells secrete laminin, the role of endogenous laminin in polarization was examined by plating cells on collagen-coated substrata in the presence of the antibody. Under these conditions, cell spreading was reduced 1.5h after plating, and cells were flatter and had fewer microvilli after 24 h. Even though lateral cell membranes were closely apposed, transepithelial resistance in the presence of the antibody was significantly reduced relative to controls. When the polarization of specific apical and basolateral markers was examined both biochemically and immunocytochemically in the presence of the antibody, we observed that the apical marker polarized at normal rates while basolateral markers did not. Surprisingly, the 12B12 antibody was not directed against any known cell adhesion protein but reacted specifically with Forssman antigen, a glycosphingolipid. These results suggest that glycolipids may play a significant role in cell adhesion via laminin and in epithelial cell polarization.     

An improved procedure for purifying 5'-nucleotidase from various sources. Evidence for tissue and species differences in their molecular mass and affinity for F-actin

5'-Nucleotidase from chicken gizzard smooth muscle has been extracted, using a sulfobetaine derivate of cholic acid, and purified to homogeneity by employing three chromatographic steps. It is shown that the purification scheme can be applied to 5'-nucleotidase from other sources, such as rat liver. On sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gels, stained with silver nitrate, the purified enzyme from chicken gizzard shows a single polypeptide band with an apparent molecular mass of 79 kDa. The enzyme purified from rat liver exhibits a molecular mass of 73 kDa in agreement with published data [Bailyes, E.M., Soos, M., Jackson, P., Newby, A. C., Siddle, K. & Luzio, J.P. (1984) Biochem. J. 221, 369-377). Gel filtration, using non-denaturating detergent solutions, indicates that the native enzyme may exist as a homodimer (152 kDa) or homotetramer (310 kDa). Antibodies raised against the enzyme purified from chicken gizzard bind only 5'-nucleotidase, solubilized from chicken muscular sources, when immobilized, but not from chicken or rat liver. The existence of tissue specific variants of 5'-nucleotidase is therefore postulated and it appears that these particular isoforms can also be classified in membranous and secretory forms of 5'-nucleotidase. They also differ in their mode of interaction with actin. The AMPase activity of the membranous (= muscular) isoform is inhibited to a considerably higher percentage by F-actin than the enzyme isolated from rat liver.     

The cell substrate attachment (CSAT) antigen has properties of a receptor for laminin and fibronectin

The cell substrate attachment (CSAT) antigen is an integral membrane glycoprotein complex that participates in the adhesion of cells to extracellular molecules. The CSAT monoclonal antibody, directed against this complex, inhibited adhesion of cardiac and tendon fibroblasts and skeletal myoblasts to both laminin and fibronectin, thus implicating the CSAT antigen in adhesion to these extracellular molecules. Equilibrium gel filtration was used to explore the hypothesis that the CSAT antigen functions as a cell surface receptor for both laminin and fibronectin. In this technique, designed for rapidly exchanging equilibria, the gel filtration column is pre-equilibrated with extracellular ligand to ensure receptor occupancy during its journey through the column. Both laminin and fibronectin formed complexes with the CSAT antigen. The association with laminin was inhibited by the CSAT monoclonal antibody; the associations with both fibronectin and laminin were inhibited by synthetic peptides containing the fibronectin cell-binding sequence. Estimates of the dissociation constants by equilibrium gel filtration agree well with those available from other measurements. This suggests that these associations are biologically significant. SDS PAGE showed that all three glycoproteins comprising the CSAT antigen were present in the antigen-ligand complexes. Gel filtration and velocity sedimentation were used to show that the three bands comprise and oligomeric complex, which provides an explanation for their functional association. The inhibition of adhesion by the CSAT monoclonal antibody and the association of the purified antigen with extracellular ligands are interpreted as strongly implicating the CSAT antigen as a receptor for both fibronectin and laminin and perhaps for other extracellular molecules as well.     

Modulation of protein synthesis and secretion by substratum in primary cultures of rat hepatocytes

Hepatocytes isolated by perfusion of adult rat liver and cultured on substrata consisting of one or more of the major components of the liver biomatrix (fibronectin, laminin, type IV collagen) have been examined for the synthesis of defined proteins. Under these conditions, tyrosine amino transferase, a marker of hepatocyte function, is maintained at similar levels in response to dexamethasone over 5 days in culture on each substratum, and total cellular protein synthesis remains constant. By contrast, there is a rapid decrease in synthesis and secretion of albumin and a 3-7-fold increase in synthesis and secretion of alpha-fetoprotein which are most marked on a laminin substratum, but least evident on type IV collagen, and an increased synthesis of fibronectin and type IV collagen. The newly synthesized matrix proteins are present in the cell layer as well as in cell secretions. The enhanced synthesis of fibronectin is less in cells seeded onto a fibronectin substratum than on laminin or type IV collagen substrata, and its synthesis by hepatocytes seeded onto a mixed substratum of laminin and fibronectin is down-regulated by fibronectin in a dose-related manner. Similarly, type IV collagen synthesis is less when the cells are seeded on the homologous matrix protein substratum than on heterologous substrata. These results indicate that hepatocytes cultured in serum-free medium on substrata composed of components of the liver biomatrix maintain certain functions of the differentiated state (tyrosine amino transferase), lose others (albumin secretion) and switch to increased synthesis of matrix components as well as fetal markers such as alpha-fetoprotein. The magnitude of these effects depends on the substratum on which the hepatocytes are cultured.     

Alpha 1 beta 1 integrin on neural crest cells recognizes some laminin substrata in a Ca(2+)-independent manner

Neural crest cells migrate along pathways containing laminin and other extracellular matrix molecules. In the present study, we functionally and biochemically identify an alpha 1 beta 1 integrin heterodimer which bears the HNK-1 epitope on neural crest cells. Using a quantitative cell adhesion assay, we find that this heterodimer mediates attachment to laminin substrata prepared in the presence of Ca2+. Interestingly, neural crest cells bind to laminin-Ca2+ substrata in the presence or absence of divalent cations in the cell attachment medium. In contrast, the attachment of neural crest cells to laminin substrata prepared in the presence of EDTA, heparin, Mg2+, or Mn2+ requires divalent cations. Interactions with these laminin substrata are mediated by a different integrin heterodimer, since antibodies against beta 1 but not alpha 1 integrins inhibit neural crest cell attachment. Thus, the type of laminin substratum appears to dictate the choice of laminin receptor used by neural crest cells. The laminin conformation is determined by the ratio of laminin to Ca2+, though incorporation of heparin during substratum polymerization alters the conformation even in the presence of Ca2+. Once polymerized, the substratum appears stable, not being altered by soaking in either EDTA or divalent cations. Our findings demonstrate: (a) that the alpha 1 beta 1 integrin can bind to some forms of laminin in the absence of soluble divalent cations; (b) that substratum preparation conditions alter the conformation of laminin such that plating laminin in the presence of Ca2+ and/or heparin modulates its configuration; and (c) that neural crest cells utilize different integrins to recognize different laminin conformations.     

An anti-carbohydrate monoclonal antibody inhibits cell-substratum adhesion of F9 embryonal carcinoma cells

A monoclonal rat IgM antibody (4C9) raised against F9 embryonal carcinoma cells reacted with fucosyl residues in poly-N-acetyllactosamine-type large carbohydrates of these cells (embryoglycan). The chemical properties and distribution of the antigen resembled those of SSEA-1. The monoclonal antibody was found to inhibit cell-substratum adhesion of F9 cells: in the presence of the antibody, cells grew as spherical cell aggregates on plastic dishes. When the antibody was added to the already spread cells, they displayed the initial sign of rounding up within 3 h; the rounding process was largely completed within 6 h. After removal of the antibody, cells resumed their normal morphology. The antibody could act in the presence of 2,4-dinitrophenol. In serum-free medium, F9 cells spread on plastic dishes coated with fibronectin or with laminin, and the process was also inhibited by the antibody. Immuno-electronmicroscopy revealed that 4C9 antigen was diffusely distributed over the cell surface of F9 cells. The distribution of the antigen was not altered generally after culturing with the antibody for 6 h. Another monoclonal rat IgM antibody, which did not react with embryoglycan and resembled anti-Forssman, did not inhibit cell-substratum adhesion of F9 cells, in spite of its reactivity to the cells. Thus, a glycoprotein with fucosyl (poly)-N-acetyllactosamine structure appears to be involved in cell-substratum adhesion of F9 cells.     

Purification of two smooth muscle glycoproteins related to integrin. Distribution in cultured chicken embryo fibroblasts

We have purified two membrane glycoproteins from chicken gizzard smooth muscle. In the presence of reducing agents, these proteins have molecular weights on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of 165,000 and 130,000, but they migrate at 165,000 and 110,000 without reduction. The two proteins can also be isolated as a complex in buffers containing physiologic salt concentrations. This complex has physical properties similar to two proteins of the integrin family of receptors for extracellular matrix proteins, the cell substratum attachment antigen from chicken embryos, and the glycoprotein IIb IIIa complex from mammalian platelets. When the smooth muscle complex is visualized by electron microscopy, it has a striking resemblance to both avian integrin and the glycoprotein IIb IIIa complex. Smooth muscle is a good source of the 165,000 and 130,000 proteins, and purification of both the individual subunits and the complex is achieved using conventional biochemical techniques. Antibodies directed against the 130,000 protein cross-react with integrin but do not cross-react with the 165,000 protein. Immunofluorescence microscopy using these antibodies reveals staining of fibroblast focal contacts and fibrillar streaks which coalign with fibronectin. Whereas monoclonal antibodies against integrin label the periphery of the focal contact more intensely than the center, the anti-130,000-protein serum stains the entire focal contact. Antibodies directed against the 165,000 protein also stain focal contacts and fibrillar streaks of fibroblasts in tissue culture. On the basis of similar physical properties, biochemical characteristics, and immunological cross-reactivity we conclude that the 165,000/130,000 complex is a smooth muscle integrin.