title: Inactivation of human fibroblast growth factor-1 (FGF-1) activity by interaction with copper ions involves FGF-1 dimer formation induced by copper-catalyzed oxidation.
abstract: Although the angiogenic proteins acidic fibroblast growth factor (FGF-1) and basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF-2) both interact with the transition metal copper, itself a putative modulator of angiogenesis, a role for copper in FGF function has not been established. Using nonreducing sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, we detect the complete conversion of recombinant forms of human FGF-1 monomer protein to FGF-1 homodimers after exposure to copper ions. In contrast, not all forms of bovine FGF-1 isolated from bovine brain or a recombinant preparation of human FGF-2 completely formed homodimers after exposure to copper ions under similar conditions. Since the copper-induced FGF-1 homodimers reverted to the monomer form in the presence of dithiothreitol, specific alkylation of cysteine residues by pyridylethylation prevented FGF-1 homodimer formation, and preformed FGF-1 homodimers could not be dissociated by the metal chelator EDTA, FGF-1 dimer formation appeared to result from the formation of intermolecular disulfide bonds by copper-induced oxidation of sulfhydryl residues. FGF-1 homodimers bound with similar apparent affinity as FGF-1 monomers to immobilized copper ions, both eluting at 60 mM imidazole. Both human FGF-1 monomer and dimer forms had a 6-fold higher apparent affinity for immobilized copper ions, as compared with human FGF-2, which eluted in the monomer form at 10 mM imidazole. Further, in contrast to FGF-1 monomers, which dissociate from immobilized heparin in 1.0 M NaCl, preformed FGF-1 homodimers had reduced apparent affinity for immobilized heparin and eluted at 0.4 M NaCl. In contrast, the apparent affinity of human FGF-2 for immobilized heparin was unaffected after exposure to copper ions. Heparin appeared to modulate the formation of copper-induced intermolecular disulfide bonds for FGF-1 but not FGF-2, since co-incubation of heparin and copper with FGF-1 monomers resulted in dimers and other oligomeric complexes. FGF-1 copper-induced homodimers failed to induce mitogenesis in [3H]thymidine incorporation assays, an effect which could be reversed by treatment with dithiothreitol, whereas FGF-2-induced mitogenic activity was relatively unaffected by pretreatment with copper. The differences between human FGF-1 and FGF-2 in protein-copper interactions may be due to differing free thiol content and arrangement between the two proteins. A recombinant human FGF-1 mutant containing the two cysteines conserved throughout the FGF family of proteins but lacking a cysteine residue (Cys 131) present in wild-type human FGF-1 but not human FGF-2 readily formed copper-induced dimers.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology, Holland Laboratory, American Red Cross, Rockville, Maryland 20855.
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Engleka
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Maciag
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D002384:Catalysis; D002412:Cations; D003300:Copper / Q000378:metabolism*; D004220:Disulfides / Q000378:metabolism; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D016220:Fibroblast Growth Factor 1 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 / Q000378:metabolism; D006493:Heparin / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D011108:Polymers; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D013379:Substrate Specificity
chemical_list: D002412:Cations; D004220:Disulfides; D011108:Polymers; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2; D016220:Fibroblast Growth Factor 1; D003300:Copper; D006493:Heparin