title: High levels of expression of full length human pro-alpha 2(V) collagen cDNA in pro-alpha 2(V)-deficient hamster cells.
abstract: A full length cDNA encoding human pro-alpha 2(V) collagen was constructed. Partial sequencing of the cDNA and primer extension analysis of mRNA from fibroblasts found that pro-alpha 2(V) mRNA differs from the mRNAs of other fibrillar collagens in the increased length of its 5'-untranslated region. The pro-alpha 2(V) cDNA was placed downstream of the human cytomegalovirus immediate early promoter/regulatory sequences for expression studies in cultured Chinese hamster lung cells. These cells have been shown previously to synthesize large quantities of pro-alpha 1(V) homotrimers as their only collagenous product. Transfection resulted in a number of clonal cell lines that express human alpha 2(V) RNA at levels comparable to, and in some cases greater than, levels found in normal human skin fibroblasts. Pro-alpha 2(V) chains produced in the majority of clonal lines were of sufficient quantity to complex all available endogenous pro-alpha 1(V) chains. Chimeric heterotrimers, composed of hamster alpha 1(V) and human alpha 2(V) chains in a 2:1 ratio, were stable to pepsin digestion and were found predominantly associated with the cell layer. Surprisingly, pro-alpha 2(V) chains, in excess to pro-alpha 1(V) chains, were found in the extracellular matrix and, in much greater abundance, in media. These chains were pepsin sensitive, indicating that pro-alpha 2(V) chains can be secreted as nonstable homotrimers or as free chains.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Wisconsin, Madison 53706.
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Greenspan
authors.forename: G G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Hoffman
authors.forename: B S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002460:Cell Line; D006224:Cricetinae; D003412:Cricetulus; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015870:Gene Expression; D005796:Genes; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D015345:Oligonucleotide Probes; D010957:Plasmids; D011347:Procollagen / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D015183:Restriction Mapping; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D015345:Oligonucleotide Probes; D011347:Procollagen; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D004247:DNA