Induction of Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor-1 mRNA and Protein by Platelet-Derived Growth Factor BB

Expression levels of growth factor receptors are subject to complex regulation, which is of consequence for their signaling capacity in physiological and pathological processes. We examined the regulation of expression levels of fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 (FGFR-1) in human fibroblasts treated with a panel of growth regulatory factors. Only platelet-derived growth factor BB (PDGF-BB) treatment had a significant effect and induced FGFR-1 mRNA levels fourfold, with a peak around 8 h of stimulation. The increase in mRNA levels was followed by an increased synthesis of FGFR-1 protein, which responded to basic FGF (bFGF) stimulation with induction of kinase activity and biological signaling. Thus, murine brain endothelial cells displayed an augmented induction of plasminogen activator activity in response to bFGF, following treatment with PDGF-BB. These data suggest that PDGF-BB could support FGFR-1-mediated biological responses in processes such as angiogenesis.     

Induction of Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator in Rat Facial Nucleus by Axotomy of the Facial Nerve

Abstract: The response of plasminogen activator activity in the CNS to peripheral nerve axotomy was examined in vivo. After transection of the rat facial nerve, a transient increase in plasminogen activator activity was observed in the facial nucleus on the operated side with maximal activity 3–5 days after lesion. This activity was inhibited by the urokinase-specific inhibitor amiloride but not by antibodies against tissue plasminogen activator. The molecular mass of the induced form of plasminogen activator was estimated to be ∼48 kDa. An in vitro assay of plasminogen hydrolysis also demonstrated an increase in amiloride-sensitive plasminogen activator activity in facial nerve extracts following facial nerve axotomy. These data indicate that the plasminogen activator activity induced in the facial nucleus following axotomy of facial motoneurons is of the urokinase type. It is suggested that the urokinase-type plasminogen activator might play a role in the events accompanying injury and regeneration in the facial nucleus following motoneuron lesion.     

Synthesis of Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator and of Type- 1 Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor in Neuronal Cultures of Human Fetal Brain: Stimulation by Phorbol Ester

Human neuronal brain cultures established from 12- and 14-week-old fetuses synthesize and secrete urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) and limited amounts of tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA). These cells also produce and secrete the endothelial cell-type PA inhibitor (PAI-1), which forms sodium dodecyl sulfate-stable tPA/PAI-1 complexes in the culture medium. Immunocytochemistry shows a predominant localization of uPA, tPA, and PAI-1 in neuronal cells, with only a very weak positivity detectable in the few glial cells present in these cultures. The protein kinase C (PKC) activator 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA) stimulates the synthesis of both uPA and PAI-1, resulting in a final increase in the plasmin-generating capacity of neuronal cell cultures. No significant effect is observed, however, when cells are treated with the TPA analogue 4 alpha-phorbol 12,13-didecanoate, which is inactive as a PKC inducer, or with the neurotrophic polypeptide basic fibroblast growth factor. These data represent the first characterization of the plasmin-generating system in human fetal brain neurons and suggest a role for PKC in the modulation of uPA and PAI-1 synthesis.     

成纤维细胞生长因子(FGF)受体-2参与FGF-21介导的糖代谢活性

最近发现,FGF-21具有很强的调节血糖和血脂的作用,已经成为糖尿病研究领域的新热点,但是其功能受体和作用机制还不清楚．前期结果表明,FGF-21促进3T3L1脂肪细胞代谢葡萄糖,对前脂肪细胞无作用,说明脂肪细胞表达FGF-21功能受体．以3T3L1 脂肪细胞为靶标,旨在寻找FGF-21的功能受体．结果表明,FGF-21可与3T3L1脂肪细胞膜蛋白形成FGF-21/受体复合物,免疫检测结果发现,FGF-21/受体复合物中含有FGF受体-2(FGFR-2)．为明确FGF-21/FGFR-2的特异性关系,系统研究了FGFR-2对FGF-21刺激后的酪氨酸磷酸化反应．结果表明,虽然前脂肪细胞和脂肪细胞均表达FGFR-2,但是FGF-21只诱导脂肪细胞中表达的FGFR-2磷酸化,对前脂肪细胞表达的FGFR-2无作用,与葡萄糖吸收试验相符．FGF-21不仅可使原位表达的FGFR-2磷酸化,还可使异位表达的FGFR-2磷酸化．克隆后测序分析结果表明,FGFR-2Ⅲc是3T3L1脂肪细胞表达的主要FGFR-2类型．这些结果提示,FGFR-2Ⅲc是FGF-21的功能受体,参与FGF-21在脂肪细胞介导的糖代谢活性．此外,系统分析了FGFR-2在3T3L1分化过程中的差异表达,为FGF-21在前脂肪细胞和脂肪细胞中的功能差异提供了依据．     

Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor-2 Expression in Thyroid Tumor Progression: Potential Diagnostic Application

Fibroblast growth factor receptor-2 (FGFR-2) plays an important role in tumorigenesis. In thyroid cancer it has been observed a FGFR-2 down-modulation, but the role of this receptor has not been yet clarified. Therefore, we decided to examine the expression of both FGFR-2 isoform, FGFR-2-IIIb and FGFR-2-IIIc, in different histological thyroid variants such as hyperplasia, follicular adenoma and papillary carcinoma. Immunohistochemistry and quantitative Real-Time PCR analyses were performed on samples of hyperplasia, follicular adenoma and papillary carcinoma, compared with normal thyroid tissue. Thyroid hyperplasia did not show statistically significant reduction in FGFR-2 protein and mRNA levels. Interestingly, in both follicular adenoma and papillary carcinoma samples we observed a strongly reduced expression of both FGFR-2 isoforms. We speculate that FGFR-2 down-modulation might be an early event in thyroid carcinogenesis. Furthermore, we suggest the potential use of FGFR-2 as an early marker for thyroid cancer diagnosis.     

Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator Receptor Is Internalized by Different Mechanisms in Polarized and Nonpolarized Madin–Darby Canine Kidney Epithelial Cells

Accumulated data indicate that endocytosis of the glycosylphosphatidyl-inositol-anchored protein urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR) depends on binding of the ligand uPA:plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) and subsequent interaction with internalization receptors of the low-density lipoprotein receptor family, which are internalized through clathrin-coated pits. This interaction is inhibited by receptor-associated protein (RAP). We show that uPAR with bound uPA:PAI-1 is capable of entering cells in a clathrin-independent process. First, HeLa^K44A cells expressing mutant dynamin efficiently internalized uPA:PAI-1 under conditions in which transferrin endocytosis was blocked. Second, in polarized Madin–Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells, which expressed human uPAR apically, the low basal rate of uPAR ligand endocytosis, which could not be inhibited by RAP, was increased by forskolin or phorbol ester (phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate), which selectively up-regulate clathrin-independent endocytosis from the apical domain of epithelial cells. Third, in subconfluent nonpolarized MDCK cells, endocytosis of uPA:PAI-1 was only decreased marginally by RAP. At the ultrastructural level uPAR was largely excluded from clathrin-coated pits in these cells and localized in invaginated caveolae only in the presence of cross-linking antibodies. Interestingly, a larger fraction of uPAR in nonpolarized relative to polarized MDCK cells was insoluble in Triton X-100 at 0°C, and by surface labeling with biotin we also show that internalized uPAR was mainly detergent insoluble, suggesting a correlation between association with detergent-resistant membrane microdomains and higher degree of clathrin-independent endocytosis. Furthermore, by cryoimmunogold labeling we show that 5–10% of internalized uPAR in nonpolarized, but not polarized, MDCK cells is targeted to lysosomes by a mechanism that is regulated by ligand occupancy.     

Synergy of in vitro Thrombolytic Action of Combinations of Recombinant Staphylokinase and Single-Chain Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator

Kinetics of lysis of human plasma clots immersed in plasma were studied in vitro at 37°C under the influence of recombinant staphylokinase, single-chain urokinase-type plasminogen activator (scu-PA), and their simultaneous and consecutive combinations. Staphylokinase and scu-PA caused concentration- and time-dependent lysis of the clots; 32 nM staphylokinase and 75 nM scu-PA separately caused 50% lysis in 4 h. At these equally effective concentrations staphylokinase in 4 h induced a significantly lesser exhaustion of the plasma plasminogen, ₂-antiplasmin, and fibrinogen than scu-PA. Combinations of staphylokinase (<30 nM) and scu-PA (<75 nM) rendered synergic thrombolytic action on the clots. The synergy of thrombolytic action was more pronounced on the simultaneous addition of the two agents than on their consecutive addition, scu-PA 30 min after staphylokinase. In 4 h after the addition, staphylokinase (25 nM) or scu-PA (15 nM) induced 24% and 2% lysis, respectively, whereas the simultaneous and consecutive combination of the same concentrations of these agents induced 58% and 50% lysis, respectively. The simultaneous combination of 15 nM staphylokinase and 15 nM scu-PA resulted in maximal 3.8-fold increase in the thrombolytic effect as compared to the expected total effect of the individual agents. Synergic combinations of the two agents caused lesser exhaustion of plasma plasminogen, ₂-antiplasmin, and fibrinogen as compared with the expected total effect of these agents used separately. Thus, simultaneous and consecutive combinations of staphylokinase and scu-PA in a relatively narrow range of their concentrations possessed synergistic fibrinselective thrombolytic action on the plasma clot in vitro.     

Molecular Modeling as a Powerful Tool for the Mapping of Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor-1 Ligand Binding Determinants

Molecular modeling has allowed us to propose that one main contact surface of the Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor -1 (FGFR-1) to the ligand FGF-1 is formed by a 16 amino acid sequence comprised by the C-terminal region of the domain II (DII) plus the hinge linking DII and DIII domains and the N-terminal region of domain III (DIII). Therefore, this sequence was used to design the following three peptides: Ac-YQLDVVERS-NH₂ (R1); Ac-YQLDVVERSPHRPILQ-NH₂ (R2) and Ac-RSPHRPILQ-NH₂ (R3). The synthetic peptides were tested in their ability to inhibit the mitogenic activity of FGF-1 and FGF-2 in cultured Balb/c 3T3 fibroblasts. The results showed that R1 and R2 inhibited the activity of FGF-1 (ID₅₀ = 40 -50 7M) but not that of FGF-2. Molecular modeling studies of R1 and its docking to FGF-1 suggested that this peptide could assume a conformation very similar to that found in the corresponding segment of FGFR-1. All these results support our hypothesis that the C-terminal residues of the DII domain, represented by peptide R1, are part of a surface responsible for the binding of FGF-1 to FGFR-1 but not of FGF-2. Also, they indicate that peptide R1 may be useful for the development of small selective peptide inhibitors of the FGF-1 biological activities.     

Epidermal Growth Factor Signaling and Mitogenesis in Plcg1 Null Mouse Embryonic Fibroblasts

Gene targeting techniques and early mouse embryos have been used to produce immortalized fibroblasts genetically deficient in phospholipase C (PLC)-γ1, a ubiquitous tyrosine kinase substrate. Plcg1^−/− embryos die at embryonic day 9; however, cells derived from these embryos proliferate as well as cells from Plcg1^+/+ embryos. The null cells do grow to a higher saturation density in serum-containing media, as their capacity to spread out is decreased compared with that of wild-type cells. In terms of epidermal growth factor receptor activation and internalization, or growth factor induction of mitogen-activated protein kinase, c-fos, or DNA synthesis in quiescent cells, PLcg1^−/− cells respond equivalently to PLcg1^+/+ cells. Also, null cells are able to migrate effectively in a wounded monolayer. Therefore, immortalized fibroblasts do not require PLC-γ1 for many responses to growth factors.     

Receptor-independent Role of Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator in Pericellular Plasmin and Matrix Metalloproteinase Proteolysis during Vascular Wound Healing in Mice

It has been proposed that the urokinase receptor (u-PAR) is essential for the various biological roles of urokinase-type plasminogen activator (u-PA) in vivo, and that smooth muscle cells require u-PA for migration during arterial neointima formation. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the role of u-PAR during this process in mice with targeted disruption of the u-PAR gene (u-PAR^−/−). Surprisingly, u-PAR deficiency did not affect arterial neointima formation, neointimal cell accumulation, or migration of smooth muscle cells. Indeed, topographic analysis of arterial wound healing after electric injury revealed that u-PAR^−/− smooth muscle cells, originating from the uninjured borders, migrated over a similar distance and at a similar rate into the necrotic center of the wound as wild-type (u-PAR^+/+) smooth muscle cells. In addition, u-PAR deficiency did not impair migration of wounded cultured smooth muscle cells in vitro. There were no genotypic differences in reendothelialization of the vascular wound. The minimal role of u-PAR in smooth muscle cell migration was not because of absent expression, since wild-type smooth muscle cells expressed u-PAR mRNA and functional receptor in vitro and in vivo. Pericellular plasmin proteolysis, evaluated by degradation of ¹²⁵I-labeled fibrin and activation of zymogen matrix metalloproteinases, was similar for u-PAR^−/− and u-PAR^+/+ cells. Immunoelectron microscopy of injured arteries in vivo revealed that u-PA was bound on the cell surface of u-PAR^+/+ cells, whereas it was present in the pericellular space around u-PAR^−/− cells. Taken together, these results suggest that binding of u-PA to u-PAR is not required to provide sufficient pericellular u-PA–mediated plasmin proteolysis to allow cellular migration into a vascular wound.     

小鼠破骨细胞诱导及成纤维生长因子受体表达检测

目的:检测成纤维生长因子受体(fibroblast growth factor receptors,FGFRs)在小鼠破骨细胞中的表达情况,为探讨FGFRs时破骨细胞的直接调控作用奠定基础.方法:采用巨噬细胞集落刺激因子(macrophage colony stimulating factor,M-CSF)和破骨细胞分化因子(receptor activator of nuclear factor-B ligand,RANKL)诱导小鼠骨髓单核细胞分化为破骨细胞.提取细胞总RNA后经逆转录获得小鼠破骨细胞cDNA,根据FGFRs基因编码区序列设计的引物进行PCR扩增并对PCR扩增产物进行测序.为进一步验证转录水平的结果,提取细胞总蛋白电泳后进行免疫印迹实验.结果:诱导5d后可见TRAP( )多核细胞出现,小鼠破骨细胞在转录水平和翻译水平均只可检测到FGFR1和FGFR3基因的表达产物.结论:M=CSF和RANKL可成功诱导出小鼠破骨细胞,FGFR1和FGFR3基因在小鼠破骨细胞中均有表达.     

Modulation of Proteolytic Activity During Neuritogenesis in the PC12 Nerve Cell: Differential Control of Plasminogen Activator and Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor Activities by Nerve Growth Factor and Dibutyryl-Cyclic AMP

Extracellular proteolysis is considered to be required during neuritic outgrowth to control the adhesiveness between the growing neurite membrane and extracellular matrix proteins. In this work, PC12 nerve cells were used to study the modulation of proteolytic activity during neuronal differentiation. PC12 cells were found to contain and release a 70-75-kDa tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA) and a much less abundant 48-kDa urokinase-type plasminogen activator. A plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI) activity with molecular sizes of 54 and 58 kDa was also detected in PC12 cell conditioned medium and formed high-molecular-mass complexes with released tPA. Release of PAI activity was dependent on treatment with nerve growth factor (NGF), whereas tPA synthesis and release were under control of a cyclic AMP-dependent mechanism and increased on treatment with dibutyryl-cyclic AMP [(But)2cAMP] or cholera toxin. Simultaneous treatment with NGF and (But)2cAMP resulted in increases of both tPA and PAI release and enhancement of tPA-PAI complex formation. The resulting plasminogen activator activity in conditioned medium was high in (But)2cAMP-treated cultures with short neuritic outgrowth but remained low in NGF- or NGF plus (But)2cAMP-treated cultures, where neurite extension was, respectively, large and very large. These results suggest that excess proteolytic activity may be detrimental to neuritic outgrowth and that not only PAI release but also tPA-PAI complex formation is associated with production of large and stable neuritic outgrowth. This can be understood as an involvement of PAI in the protection against neurite-destabilizing proteolytic activity.     

Regulation of Tyrosine Hydroxylase Gene Expression in IMR-32 Neuroblastoma Cells by Basic Fibroblast Growth Factor and Ciliary Neurotrophic Factor

Abstract: The actions of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) on tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) gene expression were studied using IMR-32 neuroblastoma cells. Treatment of these cells with bFGF for 3 days induced the expression of detectable levels of immunoreactive TH protein and TH mRNA. In contrast, CNTF did not affect TH expression unless bFGF was present. In the presence of saturating amounts of bFGF, CNTF increased TH protein and mRNA levels of TH two- to threefold over those found in bFGF-treated cultures. The effects of CNTF on TH expression diminished with increasing culture time, and after 6 days of incubation CNTF no longer enhanced TH levels. The requirement for bFGF as cofactor in the effects of CNTF on TH was specific, as CNTF did not affect TH when it was coadministered with 8-(4-chlorophenylthio)-cyclic AMP, another agent that stimulates TH development in this cell line, and bFGF was not required for CNTF to stimulate the development of choline acetyltransferase. Moreover, cotreatment with bFGF reduced the ability of CNTF to enhance choline acetyltransferase. These results demonstrate that bFGF and CNTF can enhance expression of TH and that bFGF can modify the effects of CNTF on neurotransmitter phenotype.