The binding capacity of α1β1-, α2β1- and α10β1-integrins depends on non-collagenous surface macromolecules rather than the collagens in cartilage fibrils.
File(s)
Accepted version
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Interactions of cells with supramolecular aggregates of the extracellular matrix (ECM) are mediated, in part, by cell surface receptors of the integrin family. These are important molecular components of cell surface-suprastructures regulating cellular activities in general. A subfamily of β1-integrins with von Willebrand-factor A-like domains (I-domains) in their α-chains can bind to collagen molecules and, therefore, are considered as important cellular mechano-receptors. Here we show that chondrocytes strongly bind to cartilage collagens in the form of individual triple helical molecules but very weakly to fibrils formed by the same molecules. We also find that chondrocyte integrins α1β1-, α2β1- and α10β1-integrins and their I-domains have the same characteristics. Nevertheless we find integrin binding to mechanically generated cartilage fibril fragments, which also comprise peripheral non-collagenous material. We conclude that cell adhesion results from binding of integrin-containing adhesion suprastructures to the non-collagenous fibril periphery but not to the collagenous fibril cores. The biological importance of the well-investigated recognition of collagen molecules by integrins is unknown. Possible scenarios may include fibrillogenesis, fibril degradation and/or phagocytosis, recruitment of cells to remodeling sites, or molecular signaling across cytoplasmic membranes. In these circumstances, collagen molecules may lack a fibrillar organization. However, other processes requiring robust biomechanical functions, such as fibril organization in tissues, cell division, adhesion, or migration, do not involve direct integrin-collagen interactions.
Date Issued
2017-02-10
Date Acceptance
2017-02-04
Citation
Matrix Biology, 2017, 63, pp.91-105
ISSN
1569-1802
Publisher
Elsevier
Start Page
91
End Page
105
Journal / Book Title
Matrix Biology
Volume
63
Copyright Statement
© 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. This manuscript is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
Sponsor
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC)
Grant Number
BB/I011226/1
Subjects
Adaptor proteins
Cell-matrix-interactions
Mechanoreception
Suprastructure
06 Biological Sciences
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Publication Status
Published