AIM:To study the binding of connective tissue growth factor(CTGF) to cystine knot-containing ligands and how this impacts platelet-derived growth factor(PDGF)-B signaling. METHODS:The binding strengths of CTGF to cyst...AIM:To study the binding of connective tissue growth factor(CTGF) to cystine knot-containing ligands and how this impacts platelet-derived growth factor(PDGF)-B signaling. METHODS:The binding strengths of CTGF to cystine knot-containing growth factors including vascular en-dothelial growth factor(VEGF)-A,PDGF-B,bone morphogenetic protein(BMP)-4,and transforming growth factor(TGF)-β1 were compared using the LexA-based yeast two-hybrid system. EYG48 reporter strain that carried a wild-type LEU2 gene under the control of Lex A operators and a lac Z reporter plasmid(p80plac Z) containing eight high affinity Lex A binding sites were used in the yeast two-hybrid analysis. Interactions between CTGF and the tested growth factors were evaluated based on growth of transformed yeast cells on selective media and colorimetric detection in a liquid β-galactosidase activity assay. Dissociation constants of CTGF to VEGF-A isoform 165 or PDGF-BB homo-dimer were measured in surface plasma resonance(SPR) analysis. CTGF regulation in PDGF-B presentation to the PDGF receptor β(PDGFRβ) was also quantitatively assessed by the SPR analysis. Combinational effects of CTGF protein and PDGF-BB on activation of PDGFRβ and downstream signaling molecules ERK1/2 and AKT were assessed in rabbit corneal fibroblast cells by Western analysis. RESULTS:In the LexA-based yeast two-hybrid system,cystine knot motifs of tested growth factors were fused to the activation domain of the transcriptional factor GAL4 while CTGF was fused to the DNA binding domain of the bacterial repressor protein Lex A. Yeast cotransformants containing corresponding fusion proteins for CTGF and all four tested cystine knot motifs survived on selective medium containing galactose and raffinose but lacking histidine,tryptophan,and uracil. In liquid β-galactosidase assays,CTGF expressing cells that were co-transformed with the cystine knot of VEGF-A had the highest activity,at 29.88 ± 0.91 fold above controls(P < 0.01). Cells containing the cystine knot of BMP-4 expressed the second most activity,with a 24.77 ± 0.47 fold increase(P < 0.01). Cells that contained the cystine knot of TGF-β1 had a 3.80 ± 0.66 fold increase(P < 0.05) and the ones with the cystine knot of PDGF-B had a 2.64 ± 0.33 fold increase of β-galactosidase activity(P < 0.01). Further SPR analysis showed that the association rate between VEGF-A 165 and CTGF was faster than PDGF-BB and CTGF. The calculated dissociation constant(KD) of CTGF to VEGF165 and PDGF-BB was 1.8 and 43 nmol/L respectively. PDGFBB ligand and PDGFRβ receptor formed a stable complex with a low dissociation constant 1.4 nmol/L. Increasing the concentration of CTGF up to 263.2 nmol/L significantly the ligand/receptor binding. In addition,CTGF potentiated phosphorylation of PDGFRβ and AKT in rabbit corneal fibroblast cells stimulated by PDGFBB in tissue culture condition. In contrast,CTGF did not affect PDGF-B induced phosphorylation of ERK1/2.CONCLUSION:CTGF has a differential binding affinity to VEGF-A,PDGF-B,BMP-4,and TGF-β. Its weak association with PDGF-B may represent a novel mechanism to enhance PDGF-B signaling.展开更多
The liver possesses an extraordinary ability to regenerate after injury.Hepatocyte-driven liver regeneration is the default pathway in response to mild-to-moderate acute liver damage.When replication of mature hepatoc...The liver possesses an extraordinary ability to regenerate after injury.Hepatocyte-driven liver regeneration is the default pathway in response to mild-to-moderate acute liver damage.When replication of mature hepatocytes is blocked,facultative hepatic progenitor cells(HPCs),also referred to as oval cells(OCs)in rodents,are activated.HPC/OCs have the ability to proliferate clonogenically and differentiate into several lineages including hepatocytes and bile ductal epithelia.This is a conserved liver injury response that has been studied in many species ranging from mammals(rat,mouse,and human)to fish.In addition,improper HPC/OC activation is closely associated with fibrotic responses,characterized by myofibroblast activation and extracellular matrix production,in many chronic liver diseases.Matrix remodeling and metalloprotease activities play an important role in the regulation of HPC/OC proliferation and fibrosis progression.Thus,understanding molecular mechanisms underlying HPC/OC activation has therapeutic implications for rational design of anti-fibrotic therapies.展开更多
基金Supported by NIH RO1 grants,Nos.DK058614 and DK065096 awarded to BEP and EY05587 awarded to GSSChris DiMarco Institutional Research Grant from American Cancer Society award to LP
文摘AIM:To study the binding of connective tissue growth factor(CTGF) to cystine knot-containing ligands and how this impacts platelet-derived growth factor(PDGF)-B signaling. METHODS:The binding strengths of CTGF to cystine knot-containing growth factors including vascular en-dothelial growth factor(VEGF)-A,PDGF-B,bone morphogenetic protein(BMP)-4,and transforming growth factor(TGF)-β1 were compared using the LexA-based yeast two-hybrid system. EYG48 reporter strain that carried a wild-type LEU2 gene under the control of Lex A operators and a lac Z reporter plasmid(p80plac Z) containing eight high affinity Lex A binding sites were used in the yeast two-hybrid analysis. Interactions between CTGF and the tested growth factors were evaluated based on growth of transformed yeast cells on selective media and colorimetric detection in a liquid β-galactosidase activity assay. Dissociation constants of CTGF to VEGF-A isoform 165 or PDGF-BB homo-dimer were measured in surface plasma resonance(SPR) analysis. CTGF regulation in PDGF-B presentation to the PDGF receptor β(PDGFRβ) was also quantitatively assessed by the SPR analysis. Combinational effects of CTGF protein and PDGF-BB on activation of PDGFRβ and downstream signaling molecules ERK1/2 and AKT were assessed in rabbit corneal fibroblast cells by Western analysis. RESULTS:In the LexA-based yeast two-hybrid system,cystine knot motifs of tested growth factors were fused to the activation domain of the transcriptional factor GAL4 while CTGF was fused to the DNA binding domain of the bacterial repressor protein Lex A. Yeast cotransformants containing corresponding fusion proteins for CTGF and all four tested cystine knot motifs survived on selective medium containing galactose and raffinose but lacking histidine,tryptophan,and uracil. In liquid β-galactosidase assays,CTGF expressing cells that were co-transformed with the cystine knot of VEGF-A had the highest activity,at 29.88 ± 0.91 fold above controls(P < 0.01). Cells containing the cystine knot of BMP-4 expressed the second most activity,with a 24.77 ± 0.47 fold increase(P < 0.01). Cells that contained the cystine knot of TGF-β1 had a 3.80 ± 0.66 fold increase(P < 0.05) and the ones with the cystine knot of PDGF-B had a 2.64 ± 0.33 fold increase of β-galactosidase activity(P < 0.01). Further SPR analysis showed that the association rate between VEGF-A 165 and CTGF was faster than PDGF-BB and CTGF. The calculated dissociation constant(KD) of CTGF to VEGF165 and PDGF-BB was 1.8 and 43 nmol/L respectively. PDGFBB ligand and PDGFRβ receptor formed a stable complex with a low dissociation constant 1.4 nmol/L. Increasing the concentration of CTGF up to 263.2 nmol/L significantly the ligand/receptor binding. In addition,CTGF potentiated phosphorylation of PDGFRβ and AKT in rabbit corneal fibroblast cells stimulated by PDGFBB in tissue culture condition. In contrast,CTGF did not affect PDGF-B induced phosphorylation of ERK1/2.CONCLUSION:CTGF has a differential binding affinity to VEGF-A,PDGF-B,BMP-4,and TGF-β. Its weak association with PDGF-B may represent a novel mechanism to enhance PDGF-B signaling.
文摘The liver possesses an extraordinary ability to regenerate after injury.Hepatocyte-driven liver regeneration is the default pathway in response to mild-to-moderate acute liver damage.When replication of mature hepatocytes is blocked,facultative hepatic progenitor cells(HPCs),also referred to as oval cells(OCs)in rodents,are activated.HPC/OCs have the ability to proliferate clonogenically and differentiate into several lineages including hepatocytes and bile ductal epithelia.This is a conserved liver injury response that has been studied in many species ranging from mammals(rat,mouse,and human)to fish.In addition,improper HPC/OC activation is closely associated with fibrotic responses,characterized by myofibroblast activation and extracellular matrix production,in many chronic liver diseases.Matrix remodeling and metalloprotease activities play an important role in the regulation of HPC/OC proliferation and fibrosis progression.Thus,understanding molecular mechanisms underlying HPC/OC activation has therapeutic implications for rational design of anti-fibrotic therapies.
