Dominant effects of the bcr-abl oncogene on Drosophila morphogenesis.

We targeted expression of human/fly chimeric Bcr-Abl proteins to the developing central nervous system (CNS) and eye imaginal disc of Drosophila melanogaster. Neural expression of human/fly chimeric P210 Bcr-Abl or P185 Bcr-Abl rescued abl mutant flies from pupal lethality, indicating that P210 and P185 Bcr-Abl can substitute functionally for Drosophila Abl during axonogenesis. However, increased levels of neurally expressed P210 or P185 Bcr-Abl but not Drosophila Abl produced CNS defects and lethality. Expression of P210 or P185 in the eye imaginal disc produced a dominant rough eye phenotype that was dependent on dosage of the transgene. Drosophila Enabled, previously identified as a suppressor of the abl mutant phenotype and substrate for Drosophila Abl kinase, had markedly increased phosphotyrosine levels in Bcr-Abl expressing Drosophila, indicating that it is a substrate for Bcr-Abl as well. Drosophila, therefore, is a suitable model system to identify Bcr-Abl interactions important for signal transduction and oncogenesis.

Tiggrin, a novel Drosophila extracellular matrix protein that functions as a ligand for Drosophila alpha PS2 beta PS integrins.

Genetic and other studies of Drosophila integrins have implicated these extracellular matrix receptors in various morphogenetic events, but identification of their endogenous ligands has been elusive. We report the biochemical purification and cloning of tiggrin, a novel extracellular matrix protein from Drosophila. This 255 x 10(3) M(r) polypeptide contains the potential integrin recognition sequence Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) and 16 repeats of a novel 73-77 amino acid motif. The tiggrin gene is at chromosome locus 26D1-2 and is expressed by embryonic hemocytes and fat body cells. Tiggrin protein is detected in matrices, especially at muscle attachment sites that also strongly express integrins. Tiggrin-coated surfaces support primary embryo cell culture and provide excellent substrates for alpha PS2 beta PS integrin-mediated cell spreading. Soluble RGD-peptides inhibit this cell spreading.

Role of the I-9 and III-1 modules of fibronectin in formation of an extracellular fibronectin matrix.

Cultured fibroblasts bind soluble protomeric fibronectin and mediate its conversion to insoluble disulfide-bonded multimers. The disulfide-bonded multimers are deposited in fibrillar pericellular matrix. Antifibronectin monoclonal antibodies were analyzed to identify domains of fibronectin required for assembly into matrix. Two antibodies, L8 and 9D2, inhibited binding and insolubilization of 125I-labeled plasma fibronectin by fibroblasts but did not inhibit binding of labeled amino-terminal 70-kDa fragment of fibronectin to matrix assembly sites. Immunoblotting of fibronectin fragments showed that the epitope for 9D2 is in the first type III homology sequence (III-1) whereas the epitope for L8 requires that the last type I sequence of the gelatin binding region (I-9) be contiguous to III-1 and is sensitive to reduction of disulfides in I-9. A 56-kDa gelatin-binding thermolysin fragment of fibronectin that contains III-1 and the L8 and 9D2 epitopes inhibited binding of fibronectin to cell layers 10-fold better than a 40-kDa gelatin-binding fragment that lacks III-1 and the antigenic sites. This 56-kDa fragment, however, did not bind specifically to cell layers. These results indicate that the I-9 and III-1 modules of fibronectin form a functional unit that mediates an interaction, perhaps between protomers, important in the assembly of fibronectin.

Assembly of fibronectin into extracellular matrix.

The results summarized above suggest that assembly of fibronectin is a fundamental biological process and that knowledge of the process of assembly may reveal new ways by which cells interact with extracellular molecules. Deposition of a fibronectin matrix seems to be regulated as tightly as synthesis of fibronectin or expression of adhesion receptors for fibronectin and is influenced profoundly by two products of blood coagulation--TGF-beta released from platelets and factor XIII activated by thrombin. Fibronectin assembly may be important in all sorts of physiological and pathophysiological processes. Cell A--for instance, a stromal cell--can influence the behavior of cell B--for instance, a lymphocyte--by assembling fibronectin made by cell C--for instance, a hepatocyte. We hope that the testable models of assembly presented in this paper will lead to new understanding of the process of assembly and suggest new modalities for treatment of diseases that result in fibrosis, damaged tissues, and neoplastic growth.

Inhibition of binding of fibronectin to matrix assembly sites by anti-integrin (alpha 5 beta 1) antibodies.

Fibroblasts have cell surface sites that mediate assembly of plasma and cellular fibronectin into the extracellular matrix. Cell adhesion to fibronectin can be mediated by the interaction of an integrin (alpha 5 beta 1) with the Arg-Gly-Asp-Ser (RGDS)-containing cell adhesion region of fibronectin. We have attempted to elucidate the role of the alpha 5 beta 1 fibronectin receptor in assembly of fibronectin in matrices. Rat monoclonal antibody mAb 13, which recognizes the integrin beta 1 subunit, completely blocked binding and matrix assembly of 125I-fibronectin as well as binding of the 125I-70-kD amino-terminal fragment of fibronectin (70 kD) to fibroblast cell layers. Fab fragments of the anti-beta 1 antibody were also inhibitory. Antibody mAb 16, which recognizes the integrin alpha 5 subunit, partially blocked binding of 125I-fibronectin and 125I-70-kD. When cell layers were coincubated with fluoresceinated fibronectin and either anti-beta 1 or anti-alpha 5, anti-beta 1 was a more effective inhibitor than anti-alpha 5 of binding of labeled fibronectin to the cell layer. Inhibition of 125I-fibronectin binding by anti-beta 1 IgG occurred within 20 min. Inhibition of 125I-fibronectin binding by anti-beta 1 Fab fragments or IgG could not be overcome with increasing concentrations of fibronectin, suggesting that anti-beta 1 and exogenous fibronectin may not compete for the same binding site. No beta 1-containing integrin bound to immobilized 70 kD. These data indicate that the beta 1 subunit plays an important role in binding and assembly of exogenous fibronectin, perhaps by participation in the organization, regeneration, or cycling of the assembly site rather than by a direct interaction with fibronectin.

Role of receptors in metabolic interaction of histamine with human vascular endothelial cells and skin fibroblasts. An ordered sequence of enzyme action.

The interaction of histamine with an H1 receptor on human endothelial cells evokes production of the lipid mediator prostaglandin I2 (PGI2) and is accompanied by tachyphylaxis of this H1 receptor response (Baenziger, N. L., Fogerty, F. J., Mertz, L. F., and Chernuta, L. F. (1981) Cell 24, 915-923). We have explored the affected cells' capability for subsequent metabolic degradation of histamine molecules. Human vascular endothelial cells and skin fibroblasts exhibit a two-stage histamine degradation sequence whose participants are an enzyme native to the cells themselves and one provided from an extracellular source. Initially, the cells' endogenous histamine N-methyltransferase activity mediates conversion of cell-associated [3H]histamine to tele-methylhistamine with retention of this intermediate metabolite. Subsequently, in the presence of exogenous diamine oxidase derived from fetal calf serum or human placenta, cell-associated tele-methyl-histamine is further converted to the end product methylimidazoleacetic acid. After an initial lag phase lasting 3-6 min, the cell-associated radioactivity accumulates as methylimidazoleacetic acid at a linear rate substantially enhanced over that without diamine oxidase. The entire sequence is blocked by the histamine methyltransferase inhibitor homodimaprit. Accumulation of [3H]histamine metabolites by endothelial cells is saturable both with respect to exogenous diamine oxidase and to histamine. Thus this metabolic pathway is carried out at the level of the individual cell by means of binding sites or receptors for the substrate and for the distal degradative enzyme, diamine oxidase.

Regulation of histamine-mediated prostacyclin synthesis in cultured human vascular endothelial cells.

Histamine stimulates the production of prostacyclin (PGI2) in cultured human endothelial cells. We have examined the cell specificity of histamine-mediated PGI2 synthesis in primary and subcultured human cells. Venous and arterial smooth muscle cells and skin fibroblasts synthesized PGI2 from exogenous arachidonic acid, but they did not synthesize a significant amount of PGI2 when treated with histamine. Endothelial cells, however, produced similar amounts of PGI2 in response to histamine and arachidonic acid. Thrombin also stimulates PGI2 production in endothelial cells. Histamine and thrombin yielded an additive production of PGI2 when added simultaneously to endothelial cells. When histamine and thrombin were added sequentially, the amount of PGI2 produced was not additive but equaled the amount characteristic of the first agonist alone. Following an initial treatment with histamine, endothelial cells were unable to respond to histamine for 3 hr, after which the PGI2 biosynthetic response rapidly returned to normal by 4 1/2 hr. When the initial histamine treatment was carried out under mildly alkaline conditions, the complete return of activity was delayed to 8 hr after treatment. The synthesis of PGI2 from exogenous arachidonic acid was unaffected by prior treatment with histamine. Recovery of histamine-mediated PGI2 production was not dependent on protein synthesis but required a component of fetal calf serum that is nondialyzable and moderately heat stable. Thus endothelial cell PGI2 synthesis in responses to a physiologic agonist is subject to several levels of regulation, reflecting not only intracellular events but also the extracellular environment.