Intra- and Extracellular Modulation of Integrin-directed Connective Tissue Cell Contraction

All blood vessels in the microvasculature are embedded in loose connective tissue, which regulates the transport of fluid to and from tissues. The intersti-tial fluid pressure (IFP) is one of the forces that control this transport. A lowering of IFP in vivo results in an increased transport of fluid from the circulation into the underhydrated connective tissues, resulting in edema formation. During homeostasis, contractile connective tissue cells exert a tension on the connective tissue fibrous network by binding with β1 in-tegrins, thereby actively controlling IFP. During inflammation, the IFP is lowered but platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-BB induces an IFP nor-malization dependent on integrin αVβ3. We demonstrate that extracellular proteins from Streptococcus equi subspecies equi modulated cell-mediated and integrin αVβ3-directed collagen gel contraction in vitro. One of these proteins, the collagen- and fibronectin binding FNE, stimulated contraction by a process dependent on fibronectin synthesis. This study identified a pos-sible novel virulence mechanism for bacteria based on the ability of bacteria to modulate the edema response. Another protein, the collagen-binding pro-tein CNE, inhibited contraction and this led to the identification of sites in collagen monomers that potentially are involved in connecting αVβ3 to the collagen network. PDGF-BB and prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) stimulate and inhibit collagen gel contraction in vitro and normalize and lower IFP, respec-tively. We showed that these agents affected both similar and different sets of actin-binding proteins. PDGF-BB stimulated actin cytoskeleton dynamics whereas PGE1 inhibited processes dependent on cytoskeletal motor and adhesive functions, suggesting that these different activities may partly ex-plain the contrasting effects of PGE1 and PDGF-BB on contraction and IFP. Mutation of the phosphatidylinositol 3’-kinase (PI3K), but not phospholipase C (PLC)γ activation site, rendered cells unable to respond to PDGF-BB in contraction and in activation of the actin binding and severing protein cofilin. Ability to activate cofilin after PDGF-BB stimulation correlated with ability to respond to PDGF-BB in contraction, suggesting a role for cofilin in this process downstream of PDGF receptor-activated PI3K. Many proteins can modulate contraction either by affecting the extracellular matrix and cell adhesions or by altering cytoskeletal dynamics. Knowledge on how these proteins might influence IFP is likely to be of clinical importance for treat-ment of inflammatory conditions including anaphylaxis, septic shock and also carcinoma growth

Intra- and Extracellular Modulation of Integrin-directed Connective Tissue Cell Contraction

All blood vessels in the microvasculature are embedded in loose connective tissue, which regulates the transport of fluid to and from tissues. The intersti-tial fluid pressure (IFP) is one of the forces that control this transport. A lowering of IFP in vivo results in an increased transport of fluid from the circulation into the underhydrated connective tissues, resulting in edema formation. During homeostasis, contractile connective tissue cells exert a tension on the connective tissue fibrous network by binding with β1 in-tegrins, thereby actively controlling IFP. During inflammation, the IFP is lowered but platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-BB induces an IFP nor-malization dependent on integrin αVβ3. We demonstrate that extracellular proteins from Streptococcus equi subspecies equi modulated cell-mediated and integrin αVβ3-directed collagen gel contraction in vitro. One of these proteins, the collagen- and fibronectin binding FNE, stimulated contraction by a process dependent on fibronectin synthesis. This study identified a pos-sible novel virulence mechanism for bacteria based on the ability of bacteria to modulate the edema response. Another protein, the collagen-binding pro-tein CNE, inhibited contraction and this led to the identification of sites in collagen monomers that potentially are involved in connecting αVβ3 to the collagen network. PDGF-BB and prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) stimulate and inhibit collagen gel contraction in vitro and normalize and lower IFP, respec-tively. We showed that these agents affected both similar and different sets of actin-binding proteins. PDGF-BB stimulated actin cytoskeleton dynamics whereas PGE1 inhibited processes dependent on cytoskeletal motor and adhesive functions, suggesting that these different activities may partly ex-plain the contrasting effects of PGE1 and PDGF-BB on contraction and IFP. Mutation of the phosphatidylinositol 3’-kinase (PI3K), but not phospholipase C (PLC)γ activation site, rendered cells unable to respond to PDGF-BB in contraction and in activation of the actin binding and severing protein cofilin. Ability to activate cofilin after PDGF-BB stimulation correlated with ability to respond to PDGF-BB in contraction, suggesting a role for cofilin in this process downstream of PDGF receptor-activated PI3K. Many proteins can modulate contraction either by affecting the extracellular matrix and cell adhesions or by altering cytoskeletal dynamics. Knowledge on how these proteins might influence IFP is likely to be of clinical importance for treat-ment of inflammatory conditions including anaphylaxis, septic shock and also carcinoma growth

PDGF-BB enhances collagen gel contraction through a PI3K-PLCγ-PKC-cofilin pathway

Cell-mediated contraction of collagenous matrices is modulated by various growth factors and cytokines, such as platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB). Here we used a genetic cell model to delineate defined signaling pathways that enhance collagen gel contraction downstream of ligand-stimulated platelet-derived growth factor receptor-β (PDGF-Rβ). Our data show that PDGF BB-enhanced activations of phosphatidylinositol 3'-kinase (PI3K) and phospholipase Cγ (PLCγ) were necessary for PDGF-enhanced collagen gel contraction. Importantly, other defined signaling pathways down-stream of PDGF-Rβ were, however, dispensable. The decisive roles for PI3K and PLCγ were corroborated by experiments using selective inhibitors. Furthermore, we show that de-phosphorylation and thereby activation of cofilin that is important for the turnover of actin filaments, is depended on PI3K and PLCγ down-stream of PDGF-Rβ. Moreover, inhibition of protein kinase C (PKC) by GÖ6976 and bisindolylmaleimide-II abolished cofilin de-phosphorylation, as well as PDGF-enhanced contraction. In contrast, activation of the PKC protein family by 4β-phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) did not accelerate collagen gel contraction although it induced long-term cofilin de-phosphorylation, showing the need of a dynamic control of cofilin de-phosphorylation for PDGF-enhanced collagen gel contraction. Taken together, our data point to the involvement of a PI3K/PLCγ-PKC-cofilin pathway in both PDGF-enhanced cofilin de-phosphorylation and PDGF-enhanced collagen gel contraction

A secreted collagen and fibronectin-binding streptococcal protein modulates cell-mediated collagen gel contraction and interstitial fluid pressure

Fibroblast-mediated collagen gel contraction depends on collagen-binding ss1 integrins. Perturbation of these integrins reveals an alternative contraction process that is integrin aVss3-dependent and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) BB-stimulated. Connective tissue cells actively control interstitial fluid pressure (IFP) and inflammation-induced lowering of IFP provides a driving force for edema formation. PDGF-BB normalizes a lowered IFP by an aVss3-dependent process. A potential modulation of IFP by extracellular matrix-binding bacterial proteins has previously not been addressed. The fibronectin (FN) -binding protein FNE is specifically secreted by the highly virulent Streptococcus equi subspecies equi. FNE bound FN and native collagen type I with Kd:s of ~20 and ~50 nM determined by solid-phase binding assays. Rotary shadowing revealed a single FNE-binding site located at on average 122 nm from the C-terminus of procollagen type I. FNE induced aVss3-mediated contraction by C2C12 cells in a concentration-dependent manner having a maximal effect at ~100 nM. This activity of FNE required cellular FN, and FNE acted synergistically to added plasma FN or PDGF-BB. FNE enhanced binding of soluble FN to immobilized collagen, and conversely the binding of collagen to immobilized FN. Marked bell-shaped concentration dependences for these interactions suggest that FNE forms a bridge between FN and collagen. Finally, FNE normalized dermal IFP lowered by anaphylaxis. Our data suggest that secreted FNE normalized lowering of IFP by stimulating connective tissue cell contraction

Imatinib increases oxygen delivery in extracellular matrix-rich but not in matrix-poor experimental carcinoma

Background: Imatinib causes increased turnover of stromal collagen, reduces collagen fibril diameter, enhances extracellular fluid turnover and lowers interstitial fluid pressure (IFP) in the human colonic carcinoma KAT-4/HT-29 (KAT-4) xenograft model. Methods: We compared the effects of imatinib on oxygen levels, vascular morphology and IFP in three experimental tumor models differing in their content of a collagenous extracellular matrix. Results: Neither the KAT4 and CT-26 colonic carcinoma models, nor B16BB melanoma expressed PDGF beta-receptors in the malignant cells. KAT-4 tumors exhibited a well-developed ECM in contrast to the other two model systems. The collagen content was substantially higher in KAT-4 than in CT-26, while collagen was not detectable in B16BB tumors. The pO(2) was on average 5.4, 13.9 and 19.3 mmHg in KAT-4, CT-26 and B16BB tumors, respectively. Treatment with imatinib resulted in similar pO(2)-levels in all three tumor models but only in KAT-4 tumors did the increase reach statistical significance. It is likely that after imatinib treatment the increase in pO(2) in KAT-4 tumors is caused by increased blood flow due to reduced vascular resistance. This notion is supported by the significant reduction observed in IFP in KAT-4 tumors after imatinib treatment. Vessel area varied between 4.5 and 7% in the three tumor models and was not affected by imatinib treatment. Imatinib had no effect on the fraction of proliferating cells, whereas the fraction of apoptotic cells increased to a similar degree in all three tumor models. Conclusion: Our data suggest that the effects of imatinib on pO(2)-levels depend on a well-developed ECM and provide further support to the suggestion that imatinib acts by causing interstitial stroma cells to produce a less dense ECM, which would in turn allow for an increased blood flow. The potential of imatinib treatment to render solid tumors more accessible to conventional treatments would therefore depend on the degree of tumor desmoplasia

The Streptococcal Collagen-binding Protein CNE Specifically Interferes with αVβ3-mediated Cellular Interactions with Triple Helical Collagen*

Collagen fibers expose distinct domains allowing for specific interactions with other extracellular matrix proteins and cells. To investigate putative collagen domains that govern integrin αVβ3-mediated cellular interactions with native collagen fibers we took advantage of the streptococcal protein CNE that bound native fibrillar collagens. CNE specifically inhibited αVβ3-dependent cell-mediated collagen gel contraction, PDGF BB-induced and αVβ3-mediated adhesion of cells, and binding of fibronectin to native collagen. Using a Toolkit composed of overlapping, 27-residue triple helical segments of collagen type II, two CNE-binding sites present in peptides II-1 and II-44 were identified. These peptides lack the major binding site for collagen-binding β1 integrins, defined by the peptide GFOGER. Peptide II-44 corresponds to a region of collagen known to bind collagenases, discoidin domain receptor 2, SPARC (osteonectin), and fibronectin. In addition to binding fibronectin, peptide II-44 but not II-1 inhibited αVβ3-mediated collagen gel contraction and, when immobilized on plastic, supported adhesion of cells. Reduction of fibronectin expression by siRNA reduced PDGF BB-induced αVβ3-mediated contraction. Reconstitution of collagen types I and II gels in the presence of CNE reduced collagen fibril diameters and fibril melting temperatures. Our data indicate that contraction proceeded through an indirect mechanism involving binding of cell-produced fibronectin to the collagen fibers. Furthermore, our data show that cell-mediated collagen gel contraction does not directly depend on the process of fibril formation