RESUMO
MFAP4 (microfibrillar-associated protein 4) is an extracellular glycoprotein found in elastic fibers without a clearly defined role in elastic fiber assembly. In the present study, we characterized molecular interactions between MFAP4 and elastic fiber components. We established that MFAP4 primarily assembles into trimeric and hexameric structures of homodimers. Binding analysis revealed that MFAP4 specifically binds tropoelastin and fibrillin-1 and -2, as well as the elastin cross-linking amino acid desmosine, and that it co-localizes with fibrillin-1-positive fibers in vivo. Site-directed mutagenesis disclosed residues Phe(241) and Ser(203) in MFAP4 as being crucial for type I collagen, elastin, and tropoelastin binding. Furthermore, we found that MFAP4 actively promotes tropoelastin self-assembly. In conclusion, our data identify MFAP4 as a new ligand of microfibrils and tropoelastin involved in proper elastic fiber organization.
Assuntos
Proteínas de Transporte/metabolismo , Desmosina/metabolismo , Tecido Elástico/metabolismo , Proteínas da Matriz Extracelular/metabolismo , Glicoproteínas/metabolismo , Microfibrilas/metabolismo , Proteínas dos Microfilamentos/metabolismo , Modelos Moleculares , Tropoelastina/metabolismo , Substituição de Aminoácidos , Animais , Proteínas de Transporte/química , Proteínas de Transporte/genética , Proteínas da Matriz Extracelular/química , Proteínas da Matriz Extracelular/genética , Fibrilina-1 , Fibrilinas , Glicoproteínas/química , Glicoproteínas/genética , Humanos , Ligantes , Masculino , Camundongos Endogâmicos C57BL , Camundongos Mutantes , Proteínas dos Microfilamentos/química , Proteínas dos Microfilamentos/genética , Mutação , Fragmentos de Peptídeos/química , Fragmentos de Peptídeos/genética , Fragmentos de Peptídeos/metabolismo , Domínios e Motivos de Interação entre Proteínas , Isoformas de Proteínas/química , Isoformas de Proteínas/genética , Isoformas de Proteínas/metabolismo , Multimerização Proteica , Transporte Proteico , Proteínas Recombinantes/química , Proteínas Recombinantes/metabolismo , Tropoelastina/química , Tropoelastina/genéticaRESUMO
The three human ficolins (H-, L-, and M-ficolins) and mannan-binding lectin are pattern recognition molecules of the innate immune system mediating activation of the lectin pathway of the complement system. These four human proteins bind to some microorganisms and may be involved in the resolution of infections. We investigated binding selectivity by examining the binding of M-ficolin to a panel of more than 100 different streptococcal strains (Streptococcus pneumoniae and Streptococcus mitis), each expressing distinct polysaccharide structures. M-ficolin binding was observed for three strains only: strains of the pneumococcal serotypes 19B and 19C and a single S. mitis strain expressing a similar polysaccharide structure. The bound M-ficolin, in association with MASP-2, mediated the cleavage of complement factor C4. Binding to the bacteria was inhibitable by N-acetylglucosamine, indicating that the interaction with the bacterial surface takes place via the fibrinogen-like domain. The common N-acetylmannosamine residue present in the structures of the four capsular polysaccharides of group 19 is linked via a phosphodiester bond. This residue is apparently not a ligand for M-ficolin, since the lectin binds to two of the group 19 polysaccharides only. M-ficolin bound strongly to serotype 19B and 19C polysaccharides. In contrast to those of serotypes 19A and 19F, serotype 19B and 19C polysaccharides contain an extra N-acetylmannosamine residue linked via glycoside linkage only. Thus, this extra residue seems to be the M-ficolin ligand. In conclusion, we were able to demonstrate specific binding of M-ficolin to some capsular polysaccharides of the opportunistic pathogen S. pneumoniae and of the commensal bacterium S. mitis.