title: Electrophoretic characterization of species of fibronectin bearing sequences from the N-terminal heparin-binding domain in synovial fluid samples from patients with osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
abstract: Fragments of fibronectin (FN) corresponding to the N-terminal heparin-binding domain have been observed to promote catabolic chondrocytic gene expression and chondrolysis. We therefore characterized FN species that include sequences from this domain in samples of arthritic synovial fluid using one-and two-dimensional (1D and 2D) Western blot analysis. We detected similar assortments of species, ranging from ~47 to greater than 200 kDa, in samples obtained from patients with osteoarthritis (n = 9) versus rheumatoid arthritis (n = 10). One of the predominant forms, with an apparent molecular weight of ~170 kDa, typically resolved in 2D electrophoresis into a cluster of subspecies. These exhibited reduced binding to gelatin in comparison with a more prevalent species of ~200+ kDa and were also recognized by a monoclonal antibody to the central cell-binding domain (CBD). When considered together with our previous analyses of synovial fluid FN species containing the alternatively spliced EIIIA segment, these observations indicate that the ~170-kDa species includes sequences from four FN domains that have previously, in isolation, been observed to promote catabolic responses by chondrocytes in vitro: the N-terminal heparin-binding domain, the gelatin-binding domain, the central CBD, and the EIIIA segment. The ~170-kDa N-terminal species of FN may therefore be both a participant in joint destructive processes and a biomarker with which to gauge activity of the arthritic process.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of California, Davis School of Medicine, Davis, CA, USA. John.Peters3@med.va.gov
authors.forename: John H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Peters
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Carsons
authors.forename: Mika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yoshida
authors.forename: Fred
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ko
authors.forename: Skye
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: McDougall
authors.forename: Grace A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Loredo
authors.forename: Theodore J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Hahn
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000378:metabolism*; D001665:Binding Sites; D015415:Biomarkers; D015153:Blotting, Western; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D005353:Fibronectins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000276:immunology; D005780:Gelatin / Q000378:metabolism; D006493:Heparin / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008970:Molecular Weight; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000378:metabolism*; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000737:chemistry; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D013582:Synovial Fluid / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D015415:Biomarkers; D005353:Fibronectins; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D005780:Gelatin; D006493:Heparin