Sulfated polysaccharides are required for collagen-induced vascular tube formation.

We have previously shown that soluble type I collagen can induce vascular tube formation when it contacts the apical side of a confluent endothelial monolayer. In this study we have examined which soluble agent(s) are required for collagen-induced tube formation. Human neonatal foreskin microvascular endothelial cells, maintained in basal medium, were preincubated with each test agent for 2 h prior to the addition of solubilised type I collagen (100 micrograms/ml). After 6 h, tube formation was quantitated using image analysis and expressed as the mean area of tube formation (mm2) per microscopic field of view. Collagen-induced tube formation did not occur in the presence of endothelial cells growth supplement, basic fibroblast growth factor, or normal pooled human serum. In contrast, the addition of heparin at 5 or 50 micrograms/ml caused extensive tube formation (0.22 +/- 0.07 and 0.30 +/- 0.12 mm2, respectively) whereas at 500 micrograms/ml little tube formation occurred (0.03 +/- 0.02 mm2). Protamine sulfate, an antagonist of heparin, inhibited collagen-induced tube formation in a dose-dependent manner. Pentosan polysulfate, dextran sulfate, heparan sulfate, and chondroitin sulfate mimicked the action of heparin. Partially sulfated heparin (de-N-sulfated heparin) stimulated less tube formation compared to heparin (0.15 +/- 0.06 mm2 at 50 micrograms/ml). The nonsulfated polysaccharides, xylan and dextran, had no effect on tube formation. In summary, sulfated polysaccharides are required for collagen-induced vascular tube formation in vitro. The sulfation of these molecules appears to be vital for collagen-induced tube formation.

The chondroprotective drugs, Arteparon and sodium pentosan polysulphate, increase collagenase activity and inhibit stromelysin activity in vitro.

The effects of the chondroprotective drugs, sodium pentosan polysulphate (SP54) and Arteparon (glycosaminoglycan polysulphate), on the in vitro activities of the purified matrix metalloproteinases interstitial collagenase (matrix metalloproteinase 1, MMP1) and stromelysin (MMP3) were examined. Both drugs produced concentration-dependent enhancement of the degradation of type I collagen fibrils by purified human fibroblast collagenase and rat tumour collagenase. Rat collagenase activity was increased by drug concentrations above 0.5 microgram/mL, whereas human collagenase activity was only increased by higher drug concentrations, above 5 micrograms/mL. The concentration dependence of the increase in rat collagenase activity was similar for both drugs, with a maximal 3-fold increase at 50 micrograms/mL. In contrast, human collagenase activity was increased to a greater extent by SP 54 compared to Arteparon, with maximal increases at 5000 micrograms/mL of 6-fold and 2-4-fold, respectively. Both drugs produced concentration-dependent inhibition of the proteoglycan-degrading activity of both human fibroblast stromelysin and rat tumour stromelysin. Rat and human stromelysin activities were inhibited at drug concentrations above 0.005 microgram/mL, with a similar concentration dependence for both drugs. Fifty percent inhibition of rat stromelysin was produced by concentrations of each drug in the 0.5-5 microgram/mL range. The pattern of inhibition of human stromelysin was similar, except that drug concentrations in the 500-5000 micrograms/mL range produced 50% inhibition. The possible modes of action for these drug effects and their possible pharmacological significance are discussed.

Interstitial collagenase from rat mammary carcinoma cells: interaction with substrates and inhibitors.

Functional characteristics of the interstitial collagenase purified from the BCl rat mammary carcinoma cell line were examined and compared with literature reports of the corresponding characteristics of collagenase from non-neoplastic cells. BCl collagenase degraded soluble collagen types I, II and III at the same rate and degraded fibrillar tendon collagen with an activation energy of 75 kcal/mol; these characteristics were identical to collagenase from normal rat uterine smooth muscle cells. Degradation of fibrillar collagen by BCl collagenase was completely inhibited by rat alpha 2-macroglobulin which was concomitantly cleaved into half-fragments. BCl collagenase was also inhibited by native and recombinant tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases, a synthetic peptide collagenase inhibitor (Z-pro-leugly-NHOH), and Zn2+. In all functional characteristics examined, BCl collagenase was the same as interstitial collagenases from non-neoplastic sources.

Single-step purification of immunoglobulin M on C1q-Sepharose.

A rapid and simple affinity chromatography method for purifying IgM from myeloma serum and ascites fluid is described. Complement protein C1q is coupled to Sepharose with an efficiency of 35%, giving 1.7 mg of C1q bound/ml of gel. This C1q-Sepharose selectively binds IgM from crude samples at 5 degrees C, with a capacity of 0.4 mg of IgM/ml of gel. The bound IgM may be eluted simply and isocratically by bringing the gel to room temperature for 2 h, or by washing with buffer containing 0.5 M KI. The eluted IgM is highly pure by SDS-PAGE and double immunodiffusion analysis, although IgG may be a potential contaminant. The C1q-Sepharose is stable for at least 18 months.

Identification, partial purification and characterization of high-molecular-weight gelatin-degrading metalloproteinases produced by a rat mammary carcinoma cell line.

BC1 rat mammary carcinoma cells were found to secrete a unique profile of metalloproteinases, distinguished by two gelatin-degrading metalloproteinases of Mr greater than 220.10(3) and Mr much greater than 220.10(3). These enzymes were each partially purified by gel-filtration chromatography, and inhibitor studies showed them to be metalloproteinases. Under conditions where denatured collagen types I, II, and V were completely degraded, native collagen types I, II, IV and V, fibronectin, fibrinogen, C1q, casein, and denatured transferrin were not degraded significantly by these enzymes. The relationship of these enzymes to other extracellular matrix-degrading metalloproteinases and their possible significance in tumour invasion and metastasis is discussed.

Identification of a metalloproteinase co-purifying with rat tumour collagenase and the characteristics of fragments of both enzymes.

A metalloproteinase similar or identical to stromelysin was shown to co-purify with interstitial collagenase from the rat mammary carcinoma cell line, BC1. The mixture of BC1 metalloproteinase and collagenase degraded casein, gelatin, fibronectin, fibrinogen, laminin, proteoglycan and type IV collagen, in addition to types I and II collagen. Using SDS-PAGE and zymography, the Mr of both enzymes was 51.10(3). During storage, the 51.10(3) protein converted to fragments of Mr 34.10(3) and 24.10(3), and isoelectric points of 4.6-5.3 and 5.7-6.0, respectively. The fragments were separated from the intact (Mr 51.10(3) enzymes by DEAE-Sepharose chromatography, but intact metalloproteinase and collagenase activities resisted separation by a range of chromatographic methods. The Mr 34.10(3) fragment retained the proteinolytic activities of the intact enzymes, excepting collagenase cleavage of collagen types I and II. The Mr 24.10(3) fragment had no proteinolytic activity, showed an increase in Mr of 6.10(3) upon reduction, in common with the intact enzymes, and also had similar chromatographic properties to the intact enzymes. The data presented are consistent with a pattern of breakdown which is common to both collagenase and the metalloproteinase, and suggest that both enzymes are comprised of two protein domains.

The collagenase produced by neoplastic rat epithelial cells: modulation of secretion, molecular weight characteristics, and purification.

The modulation of the production of collagenase by an epithelial cell line derived from a spontaneously arising rat mammary carcinoma has been studied. The cell line, BC1, was grown permanently under defined serum-free conditions, thus avoiding the poorly characterized and variable effects of serum on collagenase production. Piperazine-N,N'-bis-(2-ethanesulfonic acid) (Pipes), retinoic acid and cytochalasin B all stimulated collagenase secretion, while dexamethasone inhibited it and progesterone, prolactin, prostaglandin E2, and estrogen had no effect. This profile of response to exogenous compounds was distinct from that of cells of mesenchymal origin and from human keratinocytes. For the production of large quantities of collagenase, culture medium was supplemented with Pipes (30 mM, pH 6.8), and retinoic acid (1 microM, on alternate feeds). The collagenase secreted by BC1 cells grown under these conditions was latent and had a molecular mass of 59 kDa. Treatment of the 59 kDa form with trypsin or APMA caused a progressive decrease in molecular mass via 54 kDa and 52 kDa intermediates, to a 48 kDa form. This form was purified to electrophoretic homogeneity by heparin-Sepharose, zinc-chelate-Sepharose, and Sephacryl S-200 chromatography. Five milligrams of purified collagenase were recovered per litre of culture medium.

A spectrophotometric collagenase assay.

A quantitative collagenase assay using Coomassie blue staining and microtiter spectrophotometry is described. Collagen is gelled and dried onto the bottom of microwells as substrate, washed, incubated with samples, washed again, and then stained. Absorbance at 590 nm increases linearly with increasing amounts of collagen in the range 5-40 micrograms. Bacterial and mammalian collagenases can be detected within 2 h, and 10 ng of bacterial collagenase may be detected in 16 h. For simple screening applications, activity may be detected by eye. The assay is safe, simple, fast, economical, and sensitive.

A fluorescent screening assay for collagenase using collagen labeled with 2-methoxy-2,4-diphenyl-3(2H)-furanone.

This report describes the use of the compound 2-methoxy-2,4-diphenyl-3(2H)-furanone to label collagen as a substrate for the detection of mammalian collagenase in a fluorescent assay which is suitable for screening large numbers of samples. The compound 2-methoxy-2,4-diphenyl-3(2H)-furanone presents distinct advantages over other fluorophores, since both the unbound reagent and its hydrolysis products are nonfluorescent. The labeling procedure uses commercially available collagen, is fast and simple, and gives a 90% yield of labeled substrate. The fluorescent collagen substrate is stable and retains fluorescence over a wide range of pH. The assay detects, reproducibly, metal-dependent collagenase activity in microliter volumes of conditioned media from cultured neoplastic cells or in chromatographic fractions from such media.