Enhanced collagen synthesis and transcription by peak E, a contaminant of L-tryptophan preparations associated with the eosinophilia myalgia syndrome epidemic.

The pathogenesis of the eosinophilia myalgia syndrome (EMS) remains unclear. Several abnormal constituents have been found in the L-tryptophan lots responsible for the illness, particularly, 1,1-ethylidenebis[L-tryptophan], also called peak E or EBT, and 3-phenylamino-alanine or peak 5. However, the role of these contaminants in the pathogenesis of EMS and in the development of fibrosis is unknown. We now report that peak E, a dimer of L-tryptophan, is a potent stimulus for human dermal fibroblast DNA and collagen synthesis. Peak E (0.1-1.0 microM) increased DNA synthesis up to four-fold (P = 0.0001) in a dose-dependent manner (r = 0.987). When added to monolayer cultures for 2 to 24 h, peak E (0.5 to 100 microM) caused a progressive, more than threefold increase in alpha 1(I) procollagen mRNA levels and collagenous protein. No increase in procollagen mRNA levels was found after the addition of another major L-tryptophan contaminant, peak 5, or with L-tryptophan itself. Transient transfection with a 2.5-kb alpha 1(I) procollagen promoter-luciferase construct showed that peak E causes a twofold upregulation of promoter activity (P = 0.022). Contraction of collagen gels, consisting of human dermal fibroblasts incorporated into a type I collagen lattice, was enhanced two-fold by exposure to peak E (P = 0.001). We conclude that a major constituent of contaminated batches of L-tryptophan, peak E, is a potent stimulus for fibroblast activation and collagen synthesis. This stimulatory action of peak E may provide a direct mechanism for the development of fibrosis in EMS.

Decreased levels of alpha 1(I) procollagen mRNA in dermal fibroblasts grown on fibrin gels and in response to fibrinopeptide B.

We have investigated human neonatal fibroblast synthetic activity in response to fibrin substrates and components of fibrin formation and degradation. Greater than threefold downregulation of procollagen mRNA levels was seen 24 hours after fibroblasts were grown on fibrin gels as compared to tissue culture plastic. This downregulation occurred in both reptilase-generated fibrin (retention of fibrinopeptide B) and thrombin-generated fibrin (loss of both fibrinopeptide A and B). However, fibroblasts grown on fibrin retained their capacity to respond to the stimulatory action of transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta 1. Fibroblasts seeded on reptilase-generated fibrin displayed an abnormal morphology manifested by dendritic appearance and cell rounding, while fibroblast attachment was enhanced by 30% on thrombin-generated fibrin substrate (P < 0.02). Fibrinopeptides A and B, which are generated during fibrin formation, increased and decreased procollagen mRNA levels, respectively. Tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) increased procollagen mRNA and TGF-beta 1 levels as early as 6 hours after cells were grown on tissue culture plastic, but this stimulation did not occur in cells cultured on a fibrin substrate. We conclude that alpha 1(I) procollagen mRNA levels in cultures of human dermal fibroblasts are consistently down-regulated by a fibrin substrate and are directly and profoundly influenced by complex interactions between components involved in the formation and removal of fibrin.

Low oxygen tension increases mRNA levels of alpha 1 (I) procollagen in human dermal fibroblasts.

Dermal fibroblasts exposed to low oxygen tension show upregulated synthesis of transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-beta 1), an established stimulatory peptide in the formation of extracellular matrix proteins. In this report, procollagen synthesis was measured in cultures of confluent adult human dermal fibroblasts exposed to either standard (20%) or low (2%) oxygen tension. By Northern blot analysis the steady state levels of alpha 1 (I) procollagen mRNA were increased by 75 to 150% of control (standard oxygen) as early as 12 hours and more than 200% 96 hours after exposure of cells to low oxygen. Similar increases in procollagen mRNA levels were obtained in hypoxic fibroblast cultures in a collagen lattice. The stimulatory effect of hypoxia on procollagen mRNA levels in fibroblast monolayers was diminished by antibodies to TGF-beta, and could not be augmented further by the addition of TGF-beta 1, evidence that hypoxic fibroblasts may already be maximally stimulated by TGF-beta 1. We conclude that low oxygen tension enhances steady state mRNA levels of alpha 1 (I) procollagen, and that this effect is mediated at least in part by TGF-beta 1.

Self purification of two serine endopeptidases.

We have reported that a serine protease from Pronase, homologous with bovine chymotrypsin, is both active and stable in 6 M guanidinium chloride. The present investigation examined the possibility that this unique property might be used to permit the enzyme to engage in its own purification by cleaving companion proteins to low-molecular-weight products. Analysis with model substrates of the several specific activities that were originally present revealed that only the activity against Nalpha-acetyl-L-tyrosine ethyl ester was demonstrable after incubation for 100 hr in the denaturant. After a moderate loss within the first 24 hr, the remaining activity against this ester was conserved for many days thereafter. Pronase was routinely incubated for 1 week at 22 degrees in 6 M guanidinium chloride at pH 8.0 where the esterases showed maximal activity. Analysis of the products of incubation revealed unexpectedly the presence of two serine proteases that were easily separated. After purification to homogeneity these components proved themselves to be the previously demonstrated subtilisin-like and stable chymotrypsin-like enzymes. The only amino-terminal residue of the chymotrypsin-like enzyme is isoleucine, as it is in the earlier, conventionally purified product. The migration of the single band of this enzyme during acrylamide gel electrophoresis was the same whether purified by the past or present technique. No free amino-terminal group was demonstrable in the subtilisin-like enzyme. This study presents a unique and rapid technique for isolation of these proteases, with the first reported purification to homogeneity of the subtilisin-like component. These enzymes may be useful as probes for local relaxations of conformation in substrate proteins. Furthermore, they may contribute to the preparation of enzyme-free non-protein macromolecules.