Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: EC:4.2.2.7 (heparinase)
 1,270 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Cysteine-rich 61 (Cyr61, CCN1) and connective tissue growth factor (CTGF, CCN2) are growth factor-inducible immediate-early gene products found in blood vessel walls and healing cutaneous wounds. We previously reported that the adhesion of endothelial cells, platelets, and fibroblasts to these extracellular matrix-associated proteins is mediated through integrin receptors. In this study, we demonstrated that both Cyr61 and CTGF are expressed in advanced atherosclerotic lesions of apolipoprotein E-deficient mice. Because monocyte adhesion and transmigration are important for atherosclerosis, wound healing, and inflammation, we examined the interaction of THP-1 monocytic cells and isolated peripheral blood monocytes with Cyr61 and CTGF. THP-1 cells and monocytes adhered to Cyr61- or CTGF-coated wells in an activation-dependent manner and this process was mediated primarily through integrin alpha(M)beta(2). Additionally, expression of alpha(M)beta(2) on human embryonic kidney 293 cells resulted in enhanced cell adhesion to Cyr61. Consistent with these data, a GST-fusion protein containing the I domain of the integrin alpha(M) subunit bound specifically to immobilized Cyr61 or CTGF. We have also investigated the requirement of cell surface heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) as coreceptors for monocyte adhesion to Cyr61. Pretreatment of monocytes with heparin or heparinase I resulted in partial inhibition of cell adhesion to Cyr61. However, monocytes, but not fibroblasts, were capable of adhering to a Cyr61 mutant deficient in heparin binding activity. Collectively, these results show that activated monocytes adhere to Cyr61 and CTGF through integrin alpha(M)beta(2) and cell surface HSPGs. However, unlike fibroblast adhesion to Cyr61, cell surface HSPGs are not absolutely required for this adhesion process.
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PMID:Identification of integrin alpha(M)beta(2) as an adhesion receptor on peripheral blood monocytes for Cyr61 (CCN1) and connective tissue growth factor (CCN2): immediate-early gene products expressed in atherosclerotic lesions. 1203 76

Connective tissue growth factor/hypertrophic chondrocyte-specific gene product 24 (CTGF/Hcs24) plays important roles in the control of the proliferation and differentiation of chondrocytes in vitro. To clarify the mechanisms of regulation by CTGF/Hcs24 with respect to cartilage metabolism, we investigated the interaction between CTGF/Hcs24 and heparan sulfate proteoglycan perlecan. An immunofluorescence study showed that CTGF/Hcs24 was colocalized with heparan sulfate and perlecan in human chondrosarcoma-derived chondrocytic cell line HCS-2/8 in vitro. Northern blot analysis showed that perlecan, syndecan-1, -2, and -4 transcripts were detected in HCS-2/8 cells. Particularly, expression of the perlecan gene increased markedly in HCS-2/8 cells by recombinant CTGF/Hcs24 (rCTGF/Hcs24) treatment. We also found that CTGF/Hcs24 interacted with perlecan from HCS-2/8 cells in vitro. Furthermore, CTGF/Hcs24-stimulated gene expression of the aggrecan gene, as well as DNA/proteoglycan synthesis, was diminished when HCS-2/8 cells were pretreated with heparinase, indicating that the effects of CTGF/Hcs24 on chondrocytes occurred through the interaction between CTGF/Hcs24 and heparan sulfate on the cells. An in vivo study using mouse growth plate revealed that CTGF/Hcs24 produced by hypertrophic chondrocytes was localized from the proliferative to the hypertrophic zone, whereas perlecan was predominantly localized in the prehyphertrophic zone. Consistent with such findings in vivo, the binding of (125)I-rCTGF/Hcs24 to maturing chondrocytes was at higher levels than that to chondrocytes in hypertrophic stages. These findings suggest that CTGF/Hcs24 produced in the hypertrophic region may act on chondrocytes in the proliferative and maturative zone via some heparan sulfate proteoglycan, such as perlecan.
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PMID:CTGF/Hcs24, hypertrophic chondrocyte-specific gene product, interacts with perlecan in regulating the proliferation and differentiation of chondrocytes. 1281 19

Connective tissue growth factor (CCN2, also known as CTGF) is a matricellular protein that appears to play an important role in hepatic stellate cell (HSC)-mediated fibrogenesis. After signal peptide cleavage, the full-length CCN2 molecule comprises four structural modules (CCN2(1-4)) and is susceptible to proteolysis by HSC yielding isoforms comprising essentially modules 3 and 4 (CCN2(3-4)) or module 4 alone (CCN2(4)). In this study we show that rat activated HSC are capable of adhesion to all three CCN2 isoforms via the binding of module 4 to integrin alpha(v)beta(3), a process that is dependent on interactions between module 4 and cell surface heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs). These findings are based on several lines of evidence. First, integrin alpha(v)beta(3) was detected in HSC lysates by immunoprecipitation and Western blot, and CCN2(4)-mediated HSC adhesion was blocked by anti-integrin alpha(v)beta(3) antibody. Second, as assessed by immunoprecipitation and solid phase binding assay, CCN2(4) bound directly to integrin alpha(v)beta(3) in cell-free systems. Third, destruction or inhibition of synthesis of cell surface HSPGs with, respectively, heparinase or sodium chlorate abrogated HSC adhesion to CCN2(4). Fourth, prior occupancy of heparin-binding sites on CCN2(4) with soluble heparin completely blocked HSC adhesion. These findings indicate that integrin alpha(v)beta(3) functions as a co-receptor with HSPGs for CCN2(4)-mediated HSC adhesion. Furthermore, by peptide mapping and site-directed mutagenesis we demonstrated that the sequence IRTPKISKPIKFELSG within CCN2(4) is a unique binding domain for integrin alpha(v)beta(3) that is sufficient to mediate integrin alpha(v)beta(3)- and HSPG-dependent HSC adhesion. These findings offer the possibility of developing novel antifibrotic therapies that target the integrin-binding domain.
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PMID:Connective tissue growth factor (CCN2) induces adhesion of rat activated hepatic stellate cells by binding of its C-terminal domain to integrin alpha(v)beta(3) and heparan sulfate proteoglycan. 1468 35