The role of SPARC in extracellular matrix assembly

SPARC is a collagen-binding matricellular protein. Expression of SPARC in adult tissues is frequently associated with excessive deposition of collagen and SPARC-null mice fail to generate a robust fibrotic response to a variety of stimuli. This review summarizes recent advancements in the characterization of the binding of SPARC to collagens and describes the results of studies that implicate a function for SPARC in the regulation of the assembly of basal lamina and fibrillar collagen in the ECM. Potential cellular mechanisms that underlie SPARC activity in ECM deposition are also explored.     

Mice deficient for the secreted glycoprotein SPARC/osteonectin/BM40 develop normally but show severe age-onset cataract formation and disruption of the lens.

SPARC (secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine, also known as osteonectin/BM40) is a secreted Ca2+-binding glycoprotein that interacts with a range of extracellular matrix molecules, including collagen IV. It is widely expressed during embryogenesis, and in vitro studies have suggested roles in the regulation of cell adhesion and proliferation, and in the modulation of cytokine activity. In order to analyse the function of this protein in vivo, the endogenous Sparc locus was disrupted by homologous recombination in murine embryonic stem cells. SPARC-deficient mice (Sparctm1Cam) appear normal and fertile until around 6 months of age, when they develop severe eye pathology characterized by cataract formation and rupture of the lens capsule. The first sign of lens pathology occurs in the equatorial bow region where vacuoles gradually form within differentiating epithelial cells and fibre cells. The lens capsule, however, shows no qualitative changes in the major basal lamina proteins laminin, collagen IV, perlecan or entactin. These mice are an excellent resource for further studies on how SPARC affects cell behaviour in vivo.     

Shaping cells and organs in Drosophila by opposing roles of fat body-secreted Collagen IV and perlecan

Basement membranes (BMs) are resilient polymer structures that surround organs in all animals. Tissues, however, undergo extensive morphological changes during development. It is not known whether the assembly of BM components plays an active morphogenetic role. To study in?vivo the biogenesis and assembly of Collagen IV, the main constituent of BMs, we used a GFP-based RNAi method (iGFPi) designed to knock down any GFP-trapped protein in Drosophila. We found with this method that Collagen IV is synthesized by the fat body, secreted to the hemolymph (insect blood), and continuously incorporated into the BMs of the larva. We also show that incorporation of Collagen IV determines organ shape, first by mechanically constricting cells and second through recruitment of Perlecan, which counters constriction by Collagen IV. Our results uncover incorporation of Collagen IV and Perlecan into BMs as a major determinant of organ shape and animal form.     

SPARC, a secreted protein associated with morphogenesis and tissue remodeling, induces expression of metalloproteinases in fibroblasts through a novel extracellular matrix-dependent pathway

SPARC (osteonectin/BM40) is a secreted protein that modifies the interaction of cells with extracellular matrix (ECM). When we added SPARC to cultured rabbit synovial fibroblasts and analyzed the secreted proteins, we observed an increase in the expression of three metalloproteinases--collagenase, stromelysin, and the 92-kD gelatinase-- that together can degrade both interstitial and basement membrane matrices. We further characterized the regulation of one of these metalloproteinases, collagenase, and showed that both collagenase mRNA and protein are upregulated in fibroblasts treated with SPARC. Experiments with synthetic SPARC peptides indicated that a region in the neutral alpha-helical domain III of the SPARC molecule, which previously had no described function, was involved in the regulation of collagenase expression by SPARC. A sequence in the carboxyl-terminal Ca(2+)-binding domain IV exhibited similar activity, but to a lesser extent. SPARC induced collagenase expression in cells plated on collagen types I, II, III, and V, and vitronectin, but not on collagen type IV. SPARC also increased collagenase expression in fibroblasts plated on ECM produced by smooth muscle cells, but not in fibroblasts plated on a basement membrane-like ECM from Engelbreth-Holm-Swarm sarcoma. Collagenase was induced within 4 h in cells treated with phorbol diesters or plated on fibronectin fragments, but was induced after 8 h in cells treated with SPARC. A number of proteins were transiently secreted by SPARC-treated cells within 6 h of treatment. Conditioned medium that was harvested from cultures 7 h after the addition of SPARC, and depleted of residual SPARC, induced collagenase expression in untreated fibroblasts; thus, part of the regulation of collagenase expression by SPARC appears to be indirect and proceeds through a secreted intermediate. Because the interactions of cells with ECM play an important role in regulation of cell behavior and tissue morphogenesis, these results suggest that molecules like SPARC are important in modulating tissue remodeling and cell-ECM interactions.     

Composition, synthesis, and assembly of the embryonic chick retinal basal lamina

To study the biology of basal laminae in the developing nervous system the protein composition of the embryonic retinal basal lamina was investigated, the site of synthesis of its proteins in the eye was determined, and basal lamina assembly was studied in vivo in two assay systems. Laminin, nidogen, agrin, collagen IV, and XVIII are major constituents of the retinal basal lamina. However, only agrin is synthesized by the retina, whereas the other matrix constituents originate from cells of the ciliary body, the lens, or the optic disc. The synthesis from extraretinal tissues infers that the retinal basal lamina proteins must be shed from their tissues of origin into the vitreous body and from there bind to receptor proteins provided by the retinal neuroepithelium. The fact that all proteins typical for the retinal basal lamina are abundant in the vitreous body and a new basal lamina is only formed when the vitreous body was directly adjacent to the retina is consistent with the contention of the vitreous body having a function in retinal basal lamina formation. Basal lamina assembly was also studied after disrupting the retinal basal lamina by intraocular injection of collagenase. The basal lamina regenerated after chasing the collagenase with Matrigel, which served as a collagenase inhibitor. The basal lamina was reconstituted within 6 h. However, the regenerated basal lamina was located deeper in the retina than normal by reconstituting along the retracted neuroepithelial endfeet demonstrating that these endfeet are the preferred site of basal lamina assembly.     

Hemocytes contribute to both the formation and breakdown of the basal lamina in developing wings of Manduca sexta

Monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) raised against wing tissues of Manduca sexta recognize epitopes shared by both hemocytes and basal laminae. During the last larval stadium, the basal lamina of moth wing epithelium forms after hemocytes have migrated into the space adjacent to basal surfaces of epithelial cells. As adult development commences, hemocytes participate in phagocytosis of the same basal lamina; and as dissolution of the basal lamina proceeds (day 2-day 5 post-pupation), wing epithelial cells send forth long basal processes and rearrange within the plane of the epithelium. During this period of cell rearrangement, the immunoreactivity of the basal lamina decreases in concert with an increase in immunoreactive vesicles within hemocytes; and at the ultrastructural level, hemocytes have been observed to engulf fragments of basal lamina. The distribution of immunolabel in the developing moth wing suggests that hemocytes contribute not only to the formation of the wing's basal lamina but also to its breakdown. Since basal laminae are probably important determinants of epithelial form and pattern, hemocytes also contribute to the shaping of epithelial populations.     

SPARC Promotes Cell Invasion In Vivo by Decreasing Type IV Collagen Levels in the Basement Membrane

Overexpression of SPARC, a collagen-binding glycoprotein, is strongly associated with tumor invasion through extracellular matrix in many aggressive cancers. SPARC regulates numerous cellular processes including integrin-mediated cell adhesion, cell signaling pathways, and extracellular matrix assembly; however, the mechanism by which SPARC promotes cell invasion in vivo remains unclear. A main obstacle in understanding SPARC function has been the difficulty of visualizing and experimentally examining the dynamic interactions between invasive cells, extracellular matrix and SPARC in native tissue environments. Using the model of anchor cell invasion through the basement membrane (BM) extracellular matrix in Caenorhabditis elegans, we find that SPARC overexpression is highly pro-invasive and rescues BM transmigration in mutants with defects in diverse aspects of invasion, including cell polarity, invadopodia formation, and matrix metalloproteinase expression. By examining BM assembly, we find that overexpression of SPARC specifically decreases levels of BM type IV collagen, a crucial structural BM component. Reduction of type IV collagen mimicked SPARC overexpression and was sufficient to promote invasion. Tissue-specific overexpression and photobleaching experiments revealed that SPARC acts extracellularly to inhibit collagen incorporation into BM. By reducing endogenous SPARC, we also found that SPARC functions normally to traffic collagen from its site of synthesis to tissues that do not express collagen. We propose that a surplus of SPARC disrupts extracellular collagen trafficking and reduces BM collagen incorporation, thus weakening the BM barrier and dramatically enhancing its ability to be breached by invasive cells.     

Embryonic origins of the two main classes of hemocytes—granular cells and plasmatocytes—in<Emphasis Type="Italic"> Manduca sexta</Emphasis>

Cell-mediated responses of the moth immune system involve the interaction of two main classes of hemocytes—granular cells and plasmatocytes. During embryogenesis, granular cells arise much earlier than plasmatocytes, and the presence of granular cells is closely coupled with the formation of basal laminae that line the hemocoel occupied by hemocytes. Although epithelial cells contribute the large extracellular matrix protein lacunin to embryonic matrices before granular cells begin contributing this protein to basal laminae, the spatial pattern of lacunin expression in early embryos parallels the later distribution of granular cells over surfaces of basal laminae. Plasmatocytes arise late in embryogenesis, after the cessation of the major morphogenetic movements and the establishment of intact basal laminae. Granular cells are intimately involved with remodeling of basal laminae, and disruptions in the structure of basal laminae can trigger an autoimmune response of granular cells and plasmatocytes. By arising after basal laminae have been molded and remodeled by granular cells, plasmatocytes presumably do not encounter the cues that trigger their aggregation and an autoimmune response.Edited by P. Simpson     

Type IV Collagen Is Detectable in Most, but Not All, Basement Membranes of Caenorhabditis elegans and Assembles on Tissues That Do Not Express It

Type IV collagen in Caenorhabditis elegans is produced by two essential genes, emb-9 and let-2, which encode α1- and α2-like chains, respectively. The distribution of EMB-9 and LET-2 chains has been characterized using chain-specific antisera. The chains colocalize, suggesting that they may function in a single heterotrimeric collagen molecule. Type IV collagen is detected in all basement membranes except those on the pseudocoelomic face of body wall muscle and on the regions of the hypodermis between body wall muscle quadrants, indicating that there are major structural differences between some basement membranes in C. elegans. Using lacZ/green fluorescent protein (GFP) reporter constructs, both type IV collagen genes were shown to be expressed in the same cells, primarily body wall muscles, and some somatic cells of the gonad. Although the pharynx and intestine are covered with basement membranes that contain type IV collagen, these tissues do not express either type IV collagen gene. Using an epitope-tagged emb-9 construct, we show that type IV collagen made in body wall muscle cells can assemble into the pharyngeal, intestinal, and gonadal basement membranes. Additionally, we show that expression of functional type IV collagen only in body wall muscle cells is sufficient for C. elegans to complete development and be partially fertile. Since type IV collagen secreted from muscle cells only assembles into some of the basement membranes that it has access to, there must be a mechanism regulating its assembly. We propose that interaction with a cell surface–associated molecule(s) is required to facilitate type IV collagen assembly.     

Basement Membrane Proteins Influence Brain Capillary Endothelial Barrier Function In Vitro

Abstract: The influence of basement membrane proteins on cellular barrier properties of primary cultures of porcine brain capillary endothelial cells grown on permeable filter inserts has been investigated. Measurements of transcellular electrical resistance (TER) by impedance spectroscopy were performed with cells cultured on type IV collagen, fibronectin, laminin, and one-to-one mixtures of these proteins. Moreover, a one-to-one combination of type IV collagen and SPARC (secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine) has been studied. Rat tail collagen has been used as a reference substratum. If TERs of cells from a given preparation were low (∼350 Ω× cm²) on the reference substratum, type IV collagen, fibronectin, and laminin as well as one-to-one combinations of these proteins elevated transcellular resistances significantly (2.3- to 2.9-fold) compared with rat tail collagen. TER of cells exhibiting a high reference level (∼1,000 Ω× cm²) could, by contrast, be increased only 1.1- to 1.2-fold. The type IV collagen/SPARC mixture did not elevate TER. Our findings suggest that type IV collagen, fibronectin, and laminin are involved in tight junction formation between cerebral capillary endothelial cells. The differential effects observed for individual preparations probably reflect more or less dedifferentiated states of the endothelium, in which basement membrane proteins can influence cellular differentiation more or less strongly. However, our results indicate that type IV collagen, fibronectin, and laminin enhance the reliability and suitability of primary microvascular endothelial cell cultures as an in vitro model of the blood-brain barrier.     

Molecular and functional defects in kidneys of mice lacking collagen alpha 3(IV): implications for Alport syndrome

Collagen IV is a major structural component of all basal laminae (BLs). Six collagen IV alpha chains are present in mammals; alpha 1 and alpha 2(IV) are broadly expressed in embryos and adults, whereas alpha 3- 6(IV) are restricted to a defined subset of BLs. In the glomerular BL of the kidney, the alpha 1 and alpha 2(IV) chains are replaced by the alpha 3-5(IV) chains as development proceeds. In humans, mutation of the collagen alpha 3, alpha 4, or alpha 5(IV) chain genes results in a delayed onset renal disease called Alport syndrome. We show here that mice lacking collagen alpha 3(IV) display a renal phenotype strikingly similar to Alport syndrome: decreased glomerular filtration (leading to uremia), compromised glomerular integrity (leading to proteinuria), structural changes in glomerular BL, and glomerulonephritis. Interestingly, numerous changes in the molecular composition of glomerular BL precede the onset of renal dysfunction; these include loss of collagens alpha 4 and alpha 5(IV), retention of collagen alpha 1/2(IV), appearance of fibronectin and collagen VI, and increased levels of perlecan. We suggest that these alterations contribute, along with loss of collagen IV isoforms per se, to renal pathology.     

Immunohistochemical evidence for the intracellular formation of basement membrane collagen (type IV) in developing tissues

Antibodies to type IV collagen obtained from the basement membrane of the mouse EHS tumor were incubated with sections of rat incisor teeth and other tissues for immunostaining by direct or indirect methods. In all locations, the immunostaining was pronounced in basement membranes in which it was restricted to the "basal lamina" layer, from which "bridges" often extended to nearby basal laminae. Usually no immunostaining was detectable in the cells associated with the basement membranes. However, examination of the capillaries at the posterior extremity of the rat incisor tooth, where tissues are at an early stage of development, showed immunostaining not only of the basement membrane, but also of the endothelial cells. The staining was localized in rough endoplasmic reticulum cisternae, some Golgi saccules and their peripheral distensions, and structures believed to be secretory granules. These findings suggest that the synthesis of type IV collagen proceeds along the classical secretory pathways through rough endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus. At the same time, immunostaining was usually lacking in the cells of the capillaries that had migrated about 2 mm away from the posterior end of the incisor tooth and also in the cells of most other tissues examined, even though the associated basal laminae were reactive. It is, therefore, presumed that the production of type IV collagen may be high in cells at an early stage of development and that any later production and turnover of basement membrane collagen can only be minimal.     

果蝇spen蛋白的抗体制备、组织特异性表达及功能分析

Spen家族蛋白参与多种生物学过程,包括神经元细胞的命运、神经元突起延伸的调节、细胞周期调控等,并且是联系Notch信号途径和生长因子受体途径的关键分子。最近的研究表明spen基因在果蝇的眼睛、翅膀和腿组织中参与Wnt信号转导。但该基因在果蝇中的功能还有很多不明确之处。文章采用基因克隆、原核表达及亲和层析等方法制备并纯化了黑腹果蝇spen的C端6×His-spen融合蛋白,以纯化的融合蛋白免疫大鼠获得了抗spen的多克隆抗体。利用制备的抗体进行免疫染色结果显示spen蛋白定位于细胞核内,并且在大脑、脂肪体、血细胞、肠和唾液腺等组织中表达量较高。分析野生型和突变体果蝇血细胞的噬菌作用,发现spen蛋白低表达的突变体吞噬外来异物明显低于野生型,结果表明spen蛋白能够调节血细胞的吞噬功能。     

Effects of transforming growth factor-beta 1 and fibronectin on SPARC expression in cultures of human periodontal ligament cells

Transforming growth factor-beta(1) (TGF-beta(1)) increases synthesis of secreted protein, acidic and rich in cysteine (SPARC), as well as fibronectin (FN) and type I collagen. However, little is known about the regulatory mechanism of SPARC expression. We examined the effect of FN on SPARC expression by TGF-beta(1) in cultures of human periodontal ligament cells (HPL cells). TGF-beta(1) increased the SPARC and SPARC mRNA levels in HPL cells. Extracellular matrix (ECM) produced by HPL cells in the presence of TGF-beta(1) also increased the SPARC levels. Contents of FN and type I collagen in the ECM were increased by TGF-beta(1). HPL cells cultured on FN-coated plates secreted more SPARC than those on non-coated plates. However, type I collagen had little effect on SPARC levels. The addition of anti-alpha5 antibody to the cultures abolished the increase in SPARC mRNA expression by TGF-beta(1). This study demonstrated that FN may be partly involved in the increase in SPARC expression by TGF-beta(1) in HPL cells.     

Laminin A chain: expression during Drosophila development and genomic sequence.

A Drosophila laminin A chain gene was characterized as a 14 kb genomic nucleotide sequence which encodes an open reading frame of 3712 amino acids in 15 exons. Overall, this A chain is similar to its vertebrate counterparts, especially in its N- and C-terminal globular domains, but the sequence that forms the laminin A short arm is quite different and larger. Laminin messages appear in newly formed mesoderm and are later prominently expressed in hemocytes, which also synthesize basement membrane collagen IV. The composition of Drosophila basement membranes changes with development. A novel method of tandemly fused RNA probes showed that developmental increases of laminin mRNAs were primarily associated with periods of morphogenesis, and preceded those of collagen IV, a protein strongly expressed during growth. The ratio of A:B1:B2 mRNAs varied little during embryogenesis, with less mRNA for A than B chains. Staining of embryos with antibodies confirmed and extended the information provided by in situ hybridization. Homologs of the G-subdomains of this A chain, which occur in interacting regions of agrin, perlecan, laminin and sex steroid binding protein, may be involved in protein associations.     

Participation of a 200-kDa hemocyte membrane protein in the dissociation of the fat body at the metamorphosis of Sarcophaga

Three monoclonal antibodies were raised against a 200-kDa protein specifically expressed on the surface of hemocytes when Sarcophaga larvae pupated. One of these antibodies significantly inhibited dissociation of the fat body in the presence of pupal hemocytes, indicating that the 200-kDa protein is essential for dissociation of the fat body by the hemocytes. When the hemocytes were treated with a mixture of the monoclonal antibodies, they were found to secrete a significant amount of chymotrypsin-like proteinase. Moreover, the number of hemocytes expressing the 200-kDa protein increased significantly after puparium formation. These results suggested that some signal is transferred to the hemocytes via the 200-kDa protein when they interact with the basement membrane of the fat body and that this induces their secretion of a chymotrypsin-like proteinase essential for decomposition of the fat body.     

The immune response in Drosophila: pattern of cecropin expression and biological activity.

Cecropins are antibacterial peptides, induced in Drosophila as part of the humoral immune response to a bacterial invasion. We have used the cloned Drosophila cecropin genes CecA1, A2 and B as probes to study the developmental and tissue specific regulation of this response. The genes are strongly expressed in fat body and hemocytes after injection of bacteria, the CecA genes being much more active than CecB in the fat body. All parts of the fat body and 5-10% of the hemocytes are involved in this response. CecA1 and A2 are most active in larvae and adults; CecB is preferentially active in early pupae. A small peak of constitutive cecropin expression in early pupae appears to be caused by bacteria in the food. Cecropin A, the common product of the CecA1 and A2 genes, was identified in the hemolymph of immunized flies at a concentration of 25-50 microM, enough to kill all tested bacteria except Serratia, a Drosophila pathogen. A useful in vitro system to study the immune response has been found in Schneider's line 2 cells which respond to lipopolysaccharide and laminarin by cecropin expression.     

The matricellular protein SPARC/osteonectin as a newly identified factor up-regulated in obesity

Alterations in the expression level of genes may contribute to the development and pathophysiology of obesity. To find genes differentially expressed in adipose tissue during obesity, we performed suppression subtractive hybridization on epididymal fat mRNA from goldthioglucose (GTG) obese mice and from their lean littermates. We identified the secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine (SPARC), a protein that mediates cell-matrix interactions and plays a role in modulation of cell adhesion, differentiation, and angiogenesis. SPARC mRNA expression in adipose tissue was markedly increased (between 3- and 6-fold) in three different models of obesity, i.e. GTG mice, ob/ob mice, and AKR mice, after 6 weeks of a high fat diet. Immunoblotting of adipocyte extracts revealed a similar increase in protein level. Using a SPARC-specific ELISA, we demonstrated that SPARC is secreted by isolated adipocytes. We found that insulin administration to mice increased SPARC mRNA in the adipose tissue. Food deprivation had no effect on SPARC expression, but after high fat refeeding SPARC mRNA levels were significantly increased. Our results reveal both hormonal and nutritional regulation of SPARC expression in the adipocyte, and importantly, its alteration in obesity. Finally, we show that purified SPARC increased mRNA levels of plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1) in cultured rat adipose tissue suggesting that elevated adipocyte expression of SPARC might contribute to the abnormal expression of PAI-1 observed in obesity. We propose that SPARC is a newly identified autocrine/paracrine factor that could affect key functions in adipose tissue physiology and pathology.