title: Glycosaminoglycans modulate cell-matrix interactions of human fibroblasts and endothelial cells in vitro.
abstract: Contact of various cells with extracellular matrix molecules modulates their cellular functions and phenotype. Most investigations have employed dishes coated with purified matrix constituents or plain collagen I lattices omitting the effects of other important matrix components such as proteoglycans. In this study we analyze the effect of purified glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) on human fibroblasts and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) embedded within collagen I/III lattices. HUVEC contracted collagen I/III gels far less efficiently than fibroblasts and addition of heparan sulfate and heparin almost completely inhibited contraction. In collagen gels HUVEC down-regulated collagenase mRNA while increasing collagen I, IV mRNA expression. Addition of heparin and heparan sulfate reversed the collagen IV mRNA induction whereas hyaluronic acid and chondroitin sulfate enhanced fibronectin and collagenase transcripts. Fibroblasts readily contracted collagen gels, and mRNA levels for fibronectin, collagenase and interleukin-6 were stimulated. Gel contraction was mostly unaffected by the different glycosaminoglycans. Fibroblasts responded to the addition of dermatan sulfate, heparan sulfate and heparin with a decrease in fibronectin, collagenase and interleukin-6 mRNA. Binding studies revealed saturable binding sites on fibroblasts and HUVEC for 35S-labelled heparin, demonstrating specificity for heparin and heparan sulfate over other GAGs in competition experiments. This study implies that glycosaminoglycans participate in cell-matrix interactions by effectively modulating the cellular phenotype via high affinity binding sites.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University of Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Schaefer
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Roux
authors.forename: H W
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Stuhlsatz
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Herken
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Coulomb
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Krieg
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Smola
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001665:Binding Sites; D002417:Cattle; D002477:Cells; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003094:Collagen / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D006025:Glycosaminoglycans / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006493:Heparin / Q000378:metabolism; D006497:Heparan Sulfate / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D010641:Phenotype; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D012867:Skin / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D013552:Swine; D014471:Umbilical Veins / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D003094:Collagen; D006025:Glycosaminoglycans; D006493:Heparin; D006497:Heparan Sulfate; D012333:RNA, Messenger