Localization of the lipid receptors CD36 and CLA-1/SR-BI in the human gastrointestinal tract: towards the identification of receptors mediating the intestinal absorption of dietary lipids.

The scavenger receptors CLA-1/SR-BI and CD36 interact with native and modified lipoproteins and with some anionic phospholipids. In addition, CD36 binds/transports long-chain free fatty acids. Recent biochemical evidences indicates that the rabbit CLA-1/SR-BI receptor can be detected in enterocytes, and previous studies showed the presence of mRNA for both CLA-1/SR-BI and CD36 in some segments of the intestinal tract. These findings prompted us to study their respective localization and distribution from the human stomach to the colorectal segments, using immunohistochemical methods. Their expression in the colorectal carcinoma-derived cell line Caco-2 was analyzed by Northern blotting. In the human intestinal tract, CLA-1/SR-BI was found in the brush-border membrane of enterocytes from the duodenum to the rectum. However, CD36 was found only in the duodenal and jejunal epithelium, whereas enterocytes from other intestinal segments were not stained. In the duodenum and jejunum, CD36 co-localized with CLA-1/SR-BI in the apical membrane of enterocytes. The gastric epithelium was immunonegative for both glycoproteins. We also found that CLA-1/SR-BI mRNA was expressed in Caco-2 cells and that its expression levels increased concomitantly with their differentiation. In contrast, the CD36 transcript was not found in this colon cell line, in agreement with the absence of this protein in colon epithelium. The specific localization of CLA-1/SR-BI and CD36 along the human gastrointestinal tract and their ability to interact with a large variety of lipids strongly support a physiological role for them in absorption of dietary lipids.

The alpha(4) integrin subunit Tyr(187) has a key role in alpha(4)beta(7)-dependent cell adhesion.

The integrin alpha(4)beta(7) is the cell adhesion receptor for the mucosal vascular addressin MAdCAM-1, and this interaction is dominant in lymphocyte homing to Peyer's patch high endothelial venules, and plays key roles in lymphocyte recruitment at sites of inflammation. To identify alpha(4) subunit amino acids important for alpha(4)beta(7)/MAdCAM-1 interaction, we expressed mutant alpha(4) and wild type beta(7) chains in K562 cells and analyzed the effect of the mutations on cell adhesion to a soluble MAdCAM-1 (sMAdCAM-1-Ig). Transfectants expressing mutated alpha(4) at Tyr(187) displayed a substantial decrease in adhesion to this ligand, which was associated with a reduced alpha(4)beta(7)/sMAdCAM-1-Ig interaction, as determined by soluble binding assays. Addition of Mn(2+) to the adhesion assays did not restore the impaired adhesion. Mutations at alpha(4) Gln(152)Asp(153) also affected transfectant adhesion to sMAdCAM-1-Ig, but did not involve an alteration of alpha(4)beta(7)/MAdCAM-1 binding, and adhesion was restored by Mn(2+). Instead, mutations at alpha(4) Asn(123)Glu(124) did not affect this adhesion. Mutation of alpha(4) Tyr(187) abolished alpha(4)beta(7)-mediated cell adhesion to CS-1/fibronectin, an additional ligand for alpha(4)beta(7), while alpha(4) Gln(152)Asp(153) transfectant mutants showed a reduced adhesion. These results identify alpha(4) Tyr(187) as a key residue during receptor alpha(4)beta(7)/ligand interactions, indicating that it plays important roles in alpha(4)beta(7)-mediated leukocyte adhesion, and provide a potential target for therapeutic intervention in several inflammatory pathologies.

Characterization of VLA-4-dependent myeloma cell adhesion to fibronectin and VCAM-1.

The integrin VLA-4 mediates attachment of myeloma cells to multiple myeloma (MM) bone marrow stroma. The alternatively-spliced CS-1 region of fibronectin (FN) and VCAM-1 are main ligands for VLA-4 and are both expressed on MM stroma. The H1 region is present in all FN isoforms and represents an additional binding site for VLA-4. We employed FN fragments FN-H89 and FN-H0, that contain either the CS-1 and H1, or only the H1 sites, respectively, as well as soluble VCAM-1 (sVCAM-1), to characterize VLA-4-mediated adhesion pathways used by myeloma cells to attach to MM stroma. CD38highCD45RA- cells from MM bone marrow, and the myeloma-derived cell lines NCI-H929, IM-9 and RPMI 8226, specifically adhered, by different degrees, to FN-H89, FN-H0 and sVCAM-1, and their VLA-4-dependent adhesion was substantially up-regulated by the anti-beta1 antibody TS2/16, which increases the affinity of VLA-beta1 integrins. Furthermore, VLA-4 function on NCI-H929 cells was enhanced by TS2/16 during adhesion to MM stroma. The alpha4beta7 integrin mediated a small portion of myeloma cell line adhesion to FN-H89, mainly upon integrin activation with Mn2+. These results indicate that myeloma cells use VLA-4 to interact with CS-1/FN, H1/FN and VCAM-1 on MM stroma, and that its function can be potentially up-regulated, enabling higher degrees of cell adhesion to these VLA-4 ligands, which might influence myeloma cell localization in the bone marrow.

Role of two conserved glycine residues in the beta-propeller domain of the integrin alpha4 subunit in VLA-4 conformation and function.

The N-terminal region of the alpha integrin subunits is predicted to fold into a beta-propeller domain. Using K562 alpha4 transfectants we show that mutations at alpha4 subunit residues Gly130 and Gly190 affect the conformation of this domain causing a reduction in the recognition of alpha4 by anti-alpha4 antibodies which map to the beta-propeller. The improper alpha4 conformation also led to an altered association with the beta1 subunit, and to a lack of alpha4beta1 adhesion to VCAM-1 and CS-1/fibronectin, as well as an abolishment of anti-alpha4- and anti-beta1-dependent homotypic aggregation. The total conservation of Gly130 and Gly190 among integrin alpha subunits suggests their importance in the correct folding of their respective beta-propeller domains, and thus, in the adhesive activity of the integrins.