Studies of fibronectin matrices in living cells with fluoresceinated gelatin

We have used fluorescein isosthiocyanate-conjugated gelatin (FITC- gelatin) (1 mg/ml) to localize cell surface fibronectin in unfixed live cells in cultures. FITC-gelatin stains the fibronectin matrix on primary cultures of rat and chick embryo fibroblasts as well as untransformed, established cell lines. In live cultured cells, fibronectin in many areas of the extracellular matrix is inaccessible to antibody and cannot be visualized by immunofluorescence staining. In contrast, fibronectin in these areas is fully stainable by FITC- gelatin. At a low concentration (20 micrograms/ml), FITC-gelatin stains the fibronectin matrix of primary cultured cells but not of "untransformed" established cell lines. SEM can detect only the matrix stainable with the low concentration of FITC-gelatin, such as that expressed by primary chick embryo fibroblasts. The binding of fibronectin to the extracellular matrix is very stable and FITC-gelatin remained bound to the matrix for at least 10 d in culture. Radioiodinated gelatin has been used to quantitate the level of cell surface fibronectin in living normal and transformed cells. FITC- gelatin appears to be a useful probe for studying the fibronectin of living cells in culture.     

Protocol for the fabrication of enzymatically crosslinked gelatin microchannels for microfluidic cell culture

We have developed a technique for fabricating microfluidic devices from gelatin using a natural crosslinking process. By producing reusable poly(dimethyl siloxane) molds using standard photolithography, gelatin can be molded into microchannel geometries. The gelatin is crosslinked with the naturally occurring enzyme transglutaminase via a straightforward process that can produce devices suitable for cell culture. The protocol takes approximately 1 day from the start of gelatin preparation to cell seeding. Using these devices, the effects of both the extracellular matrix and soluble factors on cellular behavior and differentiation can be studied in microenvironments that more closely mimic the in vivo environment.     

Interaction of the 70,000-mol-wt amino-terminal fragment of fibronectin with the matrix-assembly receptor of fibroblasts

Plasma fibronectin binds saturably and reversibly to substrate-attached fibroblasts and is subsequently incorporated into the extracellular matrix (McKeown-Longo, P.J., and D. F. Mosher, 1983, J. Cell Biol., 97:466-472). We examined whether fragments of fibronectin are processed in a similar way. The amino-terminal 70,000-mol-wt catheptic D fragment of fibronectin bound reversibly to cell surfaces with the same affinity as intact fibronectin but did not become incorporated into extracellular matrix. The 70,000-mol-wt fragment blocked binding of intact fibronectin to cell surfaces and incorporation of intact fibronectin into extracellular matrix. Binding of the 70,000-mol-wt fragment to cells was partially abolished by cleavage into 27,000-mol-wt heparin-binding and 40,000-mol-wt gelatin-binding fragments and more completely abolished by reduction and alkylation of disulfide bonds. Binding of the 70,000-mol-wt fragment to cells was not blocked by gelatin or heparin. When coated onto plastic, the 70,000-mol-wt fragment did not mediate attachment and spreading of suspended fibroblasts. Conversely, fibronectin fragments that had attachment and spreading activity did not block binding of exogenous fibronectin to substrate-attached cells. These results indicate that there is a cell binding site in the 70,000-mol-wt fragment that is distinct from the previously described cell attachment site and is required for assembly of exogenous fibronectin into extracellular matrix.     

Human mast cell beta-tryptase is a gelatinase

Remodeling of extracellular matrix is an important component in a variety of inflammatory disorders as well as in normal physiological processes such as wound healing and angiogenesis. Previous investigations have identified the various matrix metalloproteases, e.g., gelatinases A and B, as key players in the degradation of extracellular matrix under such conditions. Here we show that an additional enzyme, human mast cell beta-tryptase, has potent gelatin-degrading properties, indicating a potential contribution of this protease to matrix degradation. Human beta-tryptase was shown to degrade gelatin both in solution and during gelatin zymographic analysis. Further, beta-tryptase was shown to degrade partially denatured collagen type I. beta-Tryptase bound strongly to gelatin, forming high molecular weight complexes that were stable during SDS-PAGE. Mast cells store large amounts of preformed, active tryptase in their secretory granules. Considering the location of mast cells in connective tissues and the recently recognized role of mast cells in disorders in which connective tissue degradation is a key event, e.g., rheumatoid arthritis, it is thus likely that tryptase may contribute to extracellular matrix-degrading processes in vivo.     

Role of fibronectin in collagen deposition: Fab' to the gelatin-binding domain of fibronectin inhibits both fibronectin and collagen organization in fibroblast extracellular matrix

We report the effect of Fab' (anti-60k) to a 60,000 mol wt gelatin binding domain of fibronectin (1981, J. Biol. Chem. 256:5583) on diploid fibroblast (IMR-90) extracellular fibronectin and collagen organization. Anti-60k Fab' did not inhibit IMR-90 attachment or proliferation in fibronectin-depleted medium. Fibroblasts cultured with preimmune Fab' deposited a dense extracellular network of fibronectin and collagen detectable by immunofluorescence, while anti-60k Fab' prevented extracellular collagen and fibronectin fibril deposition. Matrix fibronectin and collagen deposition remained decreased in cultures containing anti-60k Fab' until cells became bilayered or more dense, when fibronectin and collagen began to appear in lower cell layers. Anti-60k Fab' added to confluent cultures 24 h before fixation and staining had no effect on matrix fibronectin or collagen, so anti- 60k Fab' did not simply block immunostaining. Confluent cultures grown in anti-60k Fab' and labeled for 24 h with [3H]proline incorporated identical amounts of [3H]proline and [3H]hydroxyproline, but [3H]hydroxyproline deposition in the cell layer was significantly decreased by anti-60k Fab' (P less than 0.01). Extracellular matrix collagen does not appear to form a scaffold for fibronectin deposition, as neither gelatin nor a gelatin-binding fragment of plasma fibronectin inhibited deposition of matrix fibronectin. Our results suggest that interstitial collagens and fibronectin interact to form a fibrillar component of the extracellular matrix, and that fibronectin is required for normal collagen organization and deposition by fibroblasts in vitro. Domain-specific antibodies to fibronectin are powerful tools to study the biological role of fibronectin in extracellular matrix organization and other processes.     

The effect of the extracellular matrix on the detachment of human endothelial cells

Human umbilical vein endothelial cells can be serially passaged by supplementing medium with a partially purified growth factor. Cell-substratum detachment of early and late passage endothelial cells was examined using trypsin, collagenase, or homocysteine. Late-passage cells detached more rapidly than early passage cells under all conditions tested. The rate of detachment was dependent upon the specific agent used. Protease-mediated detachment was most rapid, occurring over minutes, in contrast to homocysteine-induced detachment, which occurred over hours. When detached cells were collected and replated in the absence of the detaching agent, these cells reattached, spread, and continued to proliferate. No significant difference was observed in the rate of adhesion of either early or late passage cells to a gelatin matrix. When early or late-passage endothelial cells were plated and grown to confluence on a matrix synthesized by the opposite cell type, the rate of protease-mediated cell detachment resembled the cell type from which the matrix was derived. The ease of endothelial cell detachment was determined by the origin of the extracellular matrix. Examination of the extracellular matrices from early and late passage cells revealed significant differences in the amounts of glycosaminoglycans and sulfated proteins present. These studies demonstrate the importance of the endothelial cell extracellular matrix in protease-mediated cell detachment. The rate of cell detachment was controlled by the extracellular matrices are not altered by the endothelial cells.     

Integrin alpha 3 beta 1 participates in the phagocytosis of extracellular matrix molecules by human breast cancer cells.

The mechanisms and receptors involved in phagocytosis by nonhematopoietic cells are not well understood. The involvement of the alpha 3 beta 1 integrin in phagocytosis of the extracellular matrix by human breast cancer cells was studied. The possible role of this integrin was suggested since alpha 3 and beta 1 but not alpha 2 subunits are concentrated at membrane sites where local degradation of fluorescently labeled gelatin occurs. Strikingly, anti-alpha 3 integrin monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) stimulate the phagocytosis of fluorescently labeled gelatin films, gelatin beads, and Matrigel films in a quantitative phagocytosis assay. Stimulation of the gelatin uptake by the anti-alpha 3 mAb is dose responsive, saturable, and time dependent. Antibodies against other integrin subunits have a lower stimulatory effect (anti-beta 1) or no significant effect (anti-alpha 2, -alpha 5, -alpha 6, and -alpha v) on gelatin phagocytosis. The synthetic HGD-6 human laminin peptide that binds specifically the alpha 3 beta 1 integrin, but not the scrambled HSGD-6 control peptide, also markedly stimulates gelatin uptake in a dose-responsive way. Furthermore, the stimulatory effects of the HGD-6 peptide and the anti-alpha 3 mAb are additive, suggesting that they might promote phagocytosis in different ways. Other laminin (YIGSR, IKVAV) and fibronectin (GRGDS) peptides have no effect on gelatin phagocytosis. Immunofluorescence shows that the alpha 3 and the beta 1, but not the alpha 2 integrin subunit, concentrate into patches on the cell surface after treatment with their respective mAbs. And, both gelatin and the alpha 3 beta 1 but not the alpha 2 beta 1 integrin are cointernalized and routed to acidic vesicles such as lysosomes. In conclusion, we demonstrate that human breast cancer cells locally degrade and phagocytose the extracellular matrix and show for the first time that the alpha 3 beta 1 integrin participates in this phagocytosis. We hypothesize that the anti-alpha 3 antibodies and the laminin peptide HGD-6 activate the alpha 3 beta 1 integrin, which results in a downstream signaling cascade stimulating phagocytosis.     

Extracellular matrix components direct porcine muscle stem cell behavior

In muscle tissue, extracellular matrix proteins, together with the vasculature system, muscle-residence cells and muscle fibers, create the niche for muscle stem cells. The niche is important in controlling proliferation and directing differentiation of muscle stem cells to sustain muscle tissue. Mimicking the extracellular muscle environment improves tools exploring the behavior of primary muscle cells. Optimizing cell culture conditions to maintain muscle commitment is important in stem cell-based studies concerning toxicology screening, ex vivo skeletal muscle tissue engineering and in the enhancement of clinical efficiency. We used the muscle extracellular matrix proteins collagen type I, fibronectin, laminin, and also gelatin and Matrigel as surface coatings of tissue culture plastic to resemble the muscle extracellular matrix. Several important factors that determine myogenic commitment of the primary muscle cells were characterized by quantitative real-time RT-PCR and immunofluorescence. Adhesion of high PAX7 expressing satellite cells was improved if the cells were cultured on fibronectin or laminin coatings. Cells cultured on Matrigel and laminin coatings showed dominant integrin expression levels and exhibited an activated Wnt pathway. Under these conditions both stem cell proliferation and myogenic differentiation capacity were superior if compared to cells cultured on collagen type I, fibronectin and gelatin. In conclusion, Matrigel and laminin are the preferred coatings to sustain the proliferation and myogenic differentiation capacity of the primary porcine muscle stem cells, when cells are removed from their natural environment for in vitro culture.     

Tyrosine phosphorylation of membrane proteins mediates cellular invasion by transformed cells

Tyrosine phosphorylation of membrane-associated proteins is involved at two distinct sites of contact between cells and the extracellular matrix: adhesion plaques (cell adhesion and de-adhesion) and invadopodia (invasion into the extracellular matrix). Adhesion plaques from chicken embryonic fibroblasts or from cells transformed by Rous sarcoma virus contain low levels of tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins (YPPs) which were below the level of detection in 0.5-microns thin, frozen sections. In contrast, intense localization of YPPs was observed at invadopodia of transformed cells at sites of degradation and invasion into the fibronectin-coated gelatin substratum, but not in membrane extensions free of contact with the extracellular matrix. Local extracellular matrix degradation and formation of invadopodia were blocked by genistein, an inhibitor of tyrosine-specific kinases, but cells remained attached to the substratum and retained their free-membrane extensions. Invadopodia reduced or lost YPP labeling after treatment of the cells with genistein, but adhesion plaques retained YPP labeling. The plasma membrane contact fractions of normal and transformed cells have been isolated form cells grown on gelatin cross-linked substratum using a novel fractionation scheme, and analyzed by immunoblotting. Four major YPPs (150, 130, 81, and 77 kD) characterize invadopodial membranes in contact with the matrix, and are probably responsible for the intense YPP labeling associated with invadopodia extending into sites of matrix degradation. YPP150 may be an invadopodal-specific YPP since it is approximately 3.6-fold enriched in the invasive contact fraction relative to the cell body fraction and is not observed in normal contacts. YPP130 is enriched in transformed cell contacts but may also be present in normal contacts. The two major YPPs of normal contacts (130 and 71 kD) are much lower in abundance than the major tyrosine-phosphorylated bands associated with invadopodial membranes, and likely represent major adhesion plaque YPPs. YPP150, paxillin, and tensin appear to be enriched in the cell contact fractions containing adhesion plaques and invadopodia relative to the cell body fraction, but are also present in the soluble supernate fraction. However, vinculin, talin, and alpha-actinin that are localized at invadopodia, are equally concentrated in cell bodies and cell contacts as is the membrane-adhesion receptor beta 1 integrin. Thus, tyrosine phosphorylation of the membrane-bound proteins may contribute to the cytoskeletal and plasma membrane events leading to the formation and function of invadopodia that contact and proteolytically degrade the extracellular matrix; we have identified several candidate YPPs that may participate in the regulation of these processes.     

Acyl-gelatins for cell-hybrid biomaterials: preparation of gelatins with high melting point and affinity for hydrophobic surfaces

In the development of cell-hybrid biomaterials, the functional activity of cells depends on the selective binding of cells to artificial ligands on the biomaterials. The extracellular matrix (ECM) is the most important ligand for cell activity. ECM is known to contain collagen, one of whose constituents is gelatin. Although natural gelatin has good cell attachment properties, the melting point of gelatin hydrogel is lower than body temperature. Thus, non-chemically cross-linked gelatin hydrogel is not a biomaterial that is used for prostheses. In the present study, we report the preparation of acyl-gelatin hydrogels with high melting point (>37 degrees C) and high affinity for hydrophobic surfaces for easy handling for transportation and adhesion activities on the hydrophobic surfaces. In addition, the doubling time of endothelial cells on the coated cell culture plate was faster than that of natural gelatin owing to the higher adhesion activity of acyl-gelatin. The results clearly demonstrated that the acyl-gelatin acted as an interface that enabled cell adhesion to artificial materials surfaces.     

Endogenous production of fibronectin is required for self-renewal of cultured mouse embryonic stem cells

Pluripotent cells are attached to the extracellular matrix (ECM) as they make cell fate decisions within the stem cell niche. Here we show that the ubiquitous ECM protein fibronectin is required for self-renewal decisions by cultured mouse embryonic stem (mES) cells. Undifferentiated mES cells produce fibronectin and assemble a fibrillar matrix. Increasing the level of substrate fibronectin increased cell spreading and integrin receptor signaling through focal adhesion kinase, while concomitantly inducing the loss of Nanog and Oct4 self-renewal markers. Conversely, reducing fibronectin production by mES cells growing on a feeder-free gelatin substrate caused loss of cell adhesion, decreased integrin signaling, and decreased expression of self-renewal markers. These effects were reversed by providing the cells with exogenous fibronectin, thereby restoring adhesion to the gelatin substrate. Interestingly, mES cells do not adhere directly to the gelatin substrate, but rather adhere indirectly through gelatin-bound fibronectin, which facilitates self-renewal via its effects on cell adhesion. These results provide new insights into the mechanism of regulation of self-renewal by growth on a gelatin-coated surface. The effects of increasing or decreasing fibronectin levels show that self-renewal depends on an intermediate level of cell-fibronectin interactions. By providing cell adhesive signals that can act with other self-renewal factors to maintain mES cell pluripotency, fibronectin is therefore a necessary component of the self-renewal signaling pathway in culture.     

Hydrophilic gelatin and hyaluronic acid-treated PLGA scaffolds for cartilage tissue engineering

Tissue engineering provides a new strategy for repairing damaged cartilage. Surface and mechanical properties of scaffolds play important roles in inducing cell growth.?Aim: The aim of this study was to fabricate and characterize PLGA and gelatin/hyaluronic acid-treated PLGA (PLGA-GH) sponge scaffolds for articular cartilage tissue engineering. Methods: The PLGA-GH scaffolds were cross-linked with gelatin and hyaluronic acid. Primary chondrocytes isolated from porcine articular cartilages were used to assess cell compatibility. The characteristic PLGA-GH scaffold was higher in water uptake ratio and degradation rate within 42 days than the PLGA scaffold. Results: The mean compressive moduli of PLGA and PLGA-GH scaffolds were 1.72±0.50 MPa and 1.86±0.90 MPa, respectively. The cell attachment ratio, proliferation, and extracellular matrix secretion on PLGA-GH scaffolds are superior to those of PLGA scaffolds. Conclusions: In our study, PLGA-GH scaffolds exhibited improvements in cell biocompatibility, cell proliferation, extracellular matrix synthesis, and appropriate mechanical and structural properties for potential engineering cartilage applications.     

Protease expression in the supernatant of Chinese Hamster Ovary cells grown in serum-free culture

The protease activity secreted by the Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO-K1) cell line grown in serum-free medium was examined by substrate gel electrophoresis (zymography). The cell line expressed extracellular proteases that were active on gelatin zymograms but not on casein zymograms. The main protease band visible by gelatin zymography was approx. 92 kDa. Incubation of the conditioned medium with aminophenylmercuric acetate (APMA) resulted in the appearance of gelatinase activity at 82 kDa. Incubation of the conditioned media with EDTA significantly decreased the gelatinolytic activity of both the 92 kDa and 82 kDa forms, indicating the gelatinase responsible was a metalloprotease. Immunoblotting of the conditioned medium showed the gelatinase to be the pro- form of matrix metalloprotease-9 (pro-MMP-9), also known as gelatinase B.     

Metalloproteinases mediate extracellular matrix degradation by cells from mouse blastocyst outgrowths.

The maintenance and developmental remodeling of extracellular matrix is crucial to such processes as uterine implantation and the cell migratory events of morphogenesis. When mouse blastocysts are placed in culture they adhere to extracellular matrix, and trophoblast giant cells migrate out onto the matrix and degrade it. The secretion of functional proteinases by developing mouse embryos increases dramatically at the time of implantation. By zymography we identified the major secreted gelatin-degrading proteinase, also known as type IV collagenase, as one migrating at 92 x 10(3) Mr. Several casein-degrading proteinases were also secreted. The tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases (TIMP) inhibited all of the embryo-derived proteinases detected by gelatin gel zymography, indicating that they are metalloproteinases, whereas TIMP did not inhibit all of the caseinases. Urokinase was also secreted. Addition of TIMP at 5-500 nM effectively inhibited the degradation of matrix by the trophoblast outgrowths. Blocking antibodies directed against 92 x 10(3) Mr gelatinase abolished matrix degradation by the trophoblast cells. These observations suggest that several metalloproteinases are regulated in early development and that 92 x 10(3) Mr gelatinase, in particular, has a rate-limiting function in degradation of the maternal extracellular matrix by trophoblast cells.     

Two cell surface proteins bind the sponge Microciona prolifera aggregation factor

Two extracellular matrix cell surface proteins which bind the proteoglycan-like aggregation factor from the marine sponge Microciona prolifera (MAF) and which may function as physiological receptors for MAF were identified and characterized for the first time. By probing nitrocellulose blots of nonreducing sodium dodecyl sulfate gels containing whole sponge cell protein with iodinated MAF, a 210- and a 68-kDa protein, which have native molecular masses of approximately 200-400 and 70 kDa, were identified. MAF binding to blots is species-specific. It is also sensitive to reduction and is completely abolished by pretreatment of live cells with proteases, as was cellular aggregation, indicating that the 210- and 68-kDa proteins may be located on the cell surface. The additional observations that the 68 kDa is an endoglycosidase F-sensitive glycoprotein and that antisera against whole sponge cells or membranes can immunoprecipitate the 210 kDa when prebound to intact cells are consistent with a cell surface location. Both proteins can be isolated from sponge cell membranes and from the sponge skeleton (insoluble extracellular matrix), but the 210-kDa MAF-binding protein can also be found in the soluble extracellular matrix (buffer washes of cells and skeleton) as well. A third MAF-binding protein of molecular mass 95 kDa was also found in the sponge extracellular matrix but rarely on cells. Both of the cell-associated 210- and 68-kDa proteins are nonintegral membrane proteins, based on Triton X-114 phase separation, flotation of liposomes containing sponge membrane lysates, and their extraction from membranes by buffer washes. Both proteins bind MAF affinity resins, indicating that they each exhibit a moderate affinity for MAF under native conditions. They can also be separated from each other and from the bulk of the protein in an octylpolyoxyethylene extract of membranes by fast protein liquid chromatography Mono Q anion exchange chromatography, as assessed by native dot blot and denaturing Western blot assays. Although neither protein bound to heparin, gelatin, hexosamine, or uronic acid-Sepharose resins, their affinity for an invertebrate proteoglycan, their roles in sponge cell adhesion, and their peripheral membrane protein natures suggest that they may represent early invertebrate analogs of cell-associated vertebrate extracellular matrix adhesion proteins, such as fibronectin or vitronectin, or else an entirely novel set of cell adhesion molecules.     

Isolation of the dorsal, ventral and intracellular domains of HeLa cell plasma membranes following adhesion to a gelatin substrate

The plasma membrane is a complex organelle responsible for many cellular functions. In addition to mediating the exchange of components with the extracellular fluid, the plasma membrane is involved in cell adhesion to matrix proteins in vivo and in vitro. In vitro, adherent cells have three distinct plasma membrane domains to carry out these functions: one attached to the substrate (ventral); another exposed to the media (dorsal); and an intracellular domain involved in endocytosis and secretion. A technique has been developed for the rapid isolation of these specific domains from HeLa cells immediately following adhesion to a gelatin substrate. The isolation procedure utilizes the tight binding of cationic colloidal silica to the dorsal plasma membrane domain of attached cells. Following silica binding and cell lysis, the silica-coated dorsal plasma membrane domain is readily separated from intracellular plasma membrane components by virtue of the high density of the silica pellicle, and the intact ventral plasma membrane domain remains attached to the gelatin substrate. Fluorescence and electron microscopy and biochemical studies using 125I-lactoperoxidase labeling, 125I-labeled wheat germ agglutinin binding, and [3H]-fucose incorporation into plasma membrane glycoproteins confirmed the separation of these three topologically distinct plasma membrane domains. The fractions isolated by the technique contained essentially all of the plasma membrane components present in intact cells. This unique membrane-isolation procedure is now being used to analyze membrane flow during plasma membrane domain formation accompanying cell adhesion to an extracellular matrix.     

Gelatin interpenetration in poly N-isopropylacrylamide network reduces the compressive modulus of the scaffold: A property employed to mimic hepatic matrix stiffness

The progression of liver disease from normal to cirrhotic state is characterized by modulation of the stiffness of the extracellular matrix (ECM). Mimicking this modulation in vitro scaffold could provide a better insight into hepatic cell behavior. In this study, interpenetrating poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-gelatin) cryogels were synthesized in 48 different compositions to yield scaffolds of different properties. It was observed that a high concentration of N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAAm) leads to the formation of small pores while gelatin interpenetration on poly-NIPAAm framework renders porous structure. Swelling properties and porosity of the gels decreased with an increase in NIPAAm concentration owing to the increased compactness of the gels. Gelatin interpenetration relaxed the gels and enhanced these properties. An increase in gelatin concentration led to a reduction in compressive moduli indicating that gelatin interpenetration in the poly-NIPAAm network softens the cryogel. With the increase in NIPAAm concentration, the effect of gelatin interpenetration in reducing the compressive moduli expanded. The cytocompatibility studies indicated that the gels are cell-adherent and compatible with HepG2. Furthermore, biochemical and real-time polymerase chain reaction studies revealed that HepG2 and Huh-7 cells cultured on scaffolds mimicking the ECM stiffness of normal liver (1.5–2.5 kPa) exhibited optimum liver-specific functionalities. Increasing the stiffness to fibrotic (4–9 kPa) and cirrhotic (10–20 kPa) ECM decreases the functionality.     

Studies of extracellular fibronectin matrix formation with fluoresceinated fibronectin and fibronectin fragments

Fluorescein isothiocyanate conjugated human plasma fibronectin, 70-kDa collagen-binding, 60-kDa central, 60-kDa heparin-binding, 180-kDa heparin, collagen-binding fibronectin fragments and gelatin were used to study extracellular fibronectin matrix formation. Exogenous fibronectin, gelatin, 70-kDa collagen-binding and 180-kDa heparin, collagen-binding fragments were shown to be able to bind specifically to preexisting extracellular matrix of living fibroblasts. The results suggest that: (i) Fibronectin matrix formation may occur through a self-assembly process; (ii) the NH2-terminal part of fibronectin is responsible for fibronectin-fibronectin interaction during fibronectin fibril formation; (iii) plasma fibronectin may be the source for tissue fibronectin.     

Inducible nitric oxide and prostacyclin productions are differently controlled by extracellular matrix and cell density in human vascular endothelial cells

Both cell-matrix and cell-cell interactions are important regulators of the function of most human cells. In this study we investigated how these interactions controlled the production of vasodilators nitric oxide (NO), and prostacyclin (PGI₂), in freshly isolated human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). On the reconstituted extracellular matrix (ECM) Matrigel freshly isolated HUVECs treated with interleukin-1β, lipopolysaccharide, and interferon-γ, produced more NO, but less PGI₂, than on gelatin substratum. High cell density was essential for inducibility of NO production in cells plated on gelatin substratum, but not on ECM. In cells plated on gelatin substratum at low cell density, which mimicked conventional HUVEC culturing conditions, both inducible NO production and the inducible NO synthase (iNOS) mRNA levels, detected by competitive RT-PCR, were low. However, inducible PGI₂ production remained high in these cells. Highest inducible NO productions were observed in HUVECs that presumably had best maintained their original differentiated phenotype. Thus our data imply that the inducible NO and PGI₂ productions of freshly isolated HUVECs were differently controlled by the extracellular matrix and cell density. Our data suggest that both cell-matrix and cell-cell interactions may have a strong influence on the proinflammatory cytokine responses of human vascular endothelial cells. J. Cell. Biochem. 64:538–546. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Nanoscale imaging and quantification of local proteolytic activity

Proteolytic cleavage of extracellular matrix (ECM) is a critical feature of tumor cell invasion, and affects cancer cell growth, differentiation, apoptosis, and migration. Malignant cells secrete most proteases as inactive proenzymes that undergo proteolytic cleavage for activation, and proteolytic activity is elevated in close proximity to these cells. Therefore, local activity rather than protease concentration determines ECM proteolysis. Precise quantification of local proteolytic activity, functional investigation, and high resolution imaging of morphological ECM alterations have proven difficult. In this study, we present a novel approach for measuring proteolytic activity in the microenvironment of cells by using atomic force microscopy (AFM). Amelanotic melanoma cells (A7-clone) were seeded on fluorescent gelatin or collagen-IV coatings. Proteolysis reduced fluorescence of these coatings. Fluorescence microscopy (FM) in combination with AFM was used to maneuver the AFM-tip to tumor cell induced proteolytic spots. AFM enabled nanoscale volume measurement, three-dimensional reconstruction of single proteins and demonstrated that ECM cleavage is restricted to the proteolytic microenvironment of cancer cells. This method detected significant decreases in molecular weight of protein clusters (-76.6%), matrix volume (-46.6%), and height (-38.1%) between intact and proteolyzed gelatin. Similar parameter changes were demonstrated without FM, by AFM-scanning gelatin in close proximity to invasive cells. Furthermore, AFM depicted significantly stronger local degradation of gelatin than collagen-IV by A7-cells. Taken together, AFM allows specific quantification and imaging of local proteolytic processes at a nanometer level, thus providing a unique method for the functional evaluation of invasiveness and metastatic potential of tumor cells in small scale samples.