Proteoglycan-binding peptides were designed based on consensus sequences in heparin-binding proteins: XBBXBX and XBBBXXBX, where X and B are hydropathic and basic residues, respectively. Initial peptide constructs included (AKKARA) n and (ARKKAAKA) n (n ‫؍‬ 1-6). Affinity coelectrophoresis revealed that low M r peptides (600 -1300) had no affinities for low M r heparin, but higher M r peptides (2000 -3500) exhibited significant affinities (K d Х 50 -150 nM), which increased with peptide M r . Affinity was strongest when sequence arrays were contiguous and alanines and arginines occupied hydropathic and basic positions, but inclusion of prolines was disruptive. A peptide including a single consensus sequence of the serglycin proteoglycan core protein bound heparin strongly (K d Х 200 nM), likely owing to dimerization through cysteine-cysteine linkages. Circular dichroism showed that high affinity heparin-binding peptides converted from a charged coil to an ␣-helix upon heparin addition, whereas weak heparin-binding peptides did not. Higher M r peptides exhibited high affinities for total endothelial cell proteoglycans (K d Х 300 nM), and ϳ4-fold weaker affinities for their free glycosaminoglycan chains. Thus, peptides including concatamers of heparin-binding consensus sequences may exhibit strong affinities for heparin and proteoglycans. Such peptides may be applicable in promoting cell-substratum adhesion or in the design of drugs targeted to proteoglycan-containing cell surfaces and extracellular matrices. Proteoglycans (PGs)1 are composed of a core protein to which are covalently attached one or more sulfated glycosaminoglycans (GAGs). PGs are ubiquitous components of cell surfaces and the extracellular matrix, and their GAG chains contribute to myriad biological functions, such as modulation of enzyme activities, regulation of cell growth, and control of assembly of the extracellular matrix (1). PGs are thus potential targets for therapeutic intervention. For example, heparin antagonists are needed to take the place of protamine, a heterogeneous, sometimes toxic protein mixture commonly used to neutralize the anticoagulant activity of heparin in humans (2, 3); in the design of drugs to be targeted to PG-rich tissues, such as cartilage (4); and to be used to promote cell adhesion in a variety of situations, e.g. by promoting binding of cells that express abundant amounts of PGs, such as endothelial cells (5), to synthetic vascular graft surfaces. To develop a rationale for the design of such reagents, it is useful to examine known features of protein structure required for high affinity interactions with GAGs. Thus, analysis of the structural features of many known heparin-and heparan sulfate (HS)-binding proteins has revealed the presence of conserved motifs, through which GAG binding has been postulated to occur. Cardin and Weintraub (6) identified two clusters of basic charge in known heparin-binding proteins in which amino acids tend to be arranged in the patterns XBBXBX or XBBBXXBX, where B represents an ...

The serglycin proteoglycan is best known as a hematopoietic cell granule proteoglycan. It has been found that serglycin is synthesized by endothelial cells, is localized to cytoplasmic vesicles, and is constitutively secreted. Serglycin messenger RNA in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and cultured human aortic endothelial cells was detected by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. 35 Ssulfate-labeled secreted and intracellular proteoglycans were analyzed. It was found that 85% of the proteoglycans synthesized during culture were secreted. A core protein of the appropriate size for serglycin was detected by analysis of the chondroitinase-digested 35 Ssulfate-labeled HUVEC proteoglycans. This was the major core protein of the secreted chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans. Recombinant serglycin core protein was used to generate an antibody in chickens. A core protein identified by Western blotting of chondroitinase digests of HUVEC proteoglycans corresponded to the major 35 IntroductionThe serglycin proteoglycan was initially discovered as a secretory and membrane-associated product of rat L2 yolk sac tumor cells, 1 and its core protein was the first proteoglycan gene to be cloned. 2 L2 cells are thought to originate from parietal endoderm. 3 Over a number of years, it was found that several types of hematopoietic cells in several species synthesize a proteoglycan with a very small core protein and a characteristic resistance to trypsin digestion. [4][5][6][7][8][9][10] The proteoglycan core protein was purified from human platelets, 11 and its amino acid sequence and the complementary DNAs (cDNAs), which were cloned from human 12-14 and murine 15 hematopoietic cells, were found to be highly homologous to the rat L2 serglycin core protein. Messenger RNA (mRNA) for serglycin was subsequently identified in most blood and bone marrowderived cells by Northern blotting or in situ hybridization. 10,[16][17][18][19][20][21] Serglycin has thus come to be known as the hematopoietic proteoglycan. The serglycin proteoglycan is distinguished by the S/G (single-letter amino acid codes) repeat region in the central portion of the molecule, which is the site of attachment of the glycosaminoglycan (GAG) chains and gives the molecule its unique structural characteristics. The proteoglycan has either heparin or chondroitin sulfate GAGs, or it can be a hybrid of chondroitin sulfate and heparan sulfate chains, depending upon the cell source. [19][20][21] The function of the serglycin proteoglycan is not known, but it is likely that it is involved in packaging of proteins into secretory granules and/or directing the secretion of such molecules as cytokines or chymases. 22 These modes of regulation might reflect the interactions of the proteoglycan with other granule constituents or could involve osmotic effects that are due to the extensive hydration of the GAG chains. Serglycin is stored in granules for secretion upon activation by some cells and is secreted constitutively by others; in some cases, both mechan...

Bernard-Soulier Syndrome (BSS) is a rare congenital bleeding disorder due to absent or decreased expression of the glycoprotein Ib-IX-V (GpIb-IX-V) receptor complex on the platelet surface. To date, only mutations in GpIbalpha or GpIX have been reported in patients with BSS. GpIbbeta differs from the other proteins in this receptor in that the gene is more complex, and an alternative form is expressed in cells of non-megakaryocytic lineage, including endothelial cells. It appears that the megakaryocytic and endothelial cell mRNA species are transcribed from different start sites and have different proximal promoter regions. We have identified a patient with BSS who has a deletion on one chromosome 22, resulting in velocardiofacial syndrome. The GpIbbeta gene has been mapped to this deleted (22q11.2) region of chromosome 22. The patient has greatly reduced levels of GpIbbeta mRNA and no detectable platelet GpIbbeta protein, suggesting that his BSS results from a mutation in his remaining GpIbbeta allele. Sequence analysis revealed that the coding region of GpIbbeta is normal, but the 5'-upstream region contains a C to G transversion at base -133 from the transcription start site used in megakaryocytes. The mutation changes a GATA consensus binding site, disrupts GATA-1 binding to the mutated site, and decreases promoter activity by 84%. Thus, in this patient, Bernard-Soulier syndrome results from a deletion of one copy of GpIbbeta and a mutated GATA binding site in the promoter of the remaining allele, resulting in decreased promoter function and GpIbbeta gene transcription.

Serglycin (SG), the hematopoietic cell secretory granule proteoglycan, is crucial for storage of specific secretory proteins in mast cells, neutrophils, and cytotoxic T lymphocytes. We addressed the role of SG in platelets using SG-/- mice. Wild-type (WT) but not SG-/- platelets contained chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans. Electron microscopy revealed normal alpha-granule structure in SG-/- platelets. However, SG-/- platelets and megakaryocytes contained unusual scroll-like membranous inclusions, and SG-/- megakaryocytes showed extensive emperipolesis of neutrophils. SG-/- platelets had reduced ability to aggregate in response to low concentrations of collagen or PAR4 thrombin receptor agonist AYPGKF, and reduced fibrinogen binding after AYPGKF, but aggregated normally to ADP. 3H-serotonin and ATP secretion were greatly reduced in SG-/- platelets. The alpha-granule proteins platelet factor 4, beta-thromboglobulin, and platelet-derived growth factor were profoundly reduced in SG-/- platelets. Exposure of P-selectin and alphaIIb after thrombin treatment was similar in WT and SG-/- platelets. SG-/- mice exhibited reduced carotid artery thrombus formation after exposure to FeCl3. This study demonstrates that SG is crucial for platelet function and thrombus formation. We propose that SG-/- platelet function deficiencies are related to inadequate packaging and secretion of selected alpha-granule proteins and reduced secretion of dense granule contents critical for platelet activation.

Synthesis of sulphated proteoglycans was compared in human erythroleukaemia (HEL) cells grown under control conditions and under stimulation by dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO) and phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA). Synthesis of [35S]sulphate-labelled proteoglycans by DMSO-treated cells was decreased by about 35% relative to controls, but synthesis of proteoglycans by PMA-treated cells increased 3-4-fold. Control and DMSO-treated cells secreted 65% of the newly synthesized proteoglycans, but PMA-treated cells secreted more than 90%. Sepharose CL-6B chromatography and SDS/PAGE suggested the presence of several proteoglycans in the cells and culture medium. The PMA-treated cells synthesized a low-Mr proteoglycan (Kav. 0.3( that was not present in controls and DMSO-treated cultures. The proteoglycans of the cells and medium from control, DMSO-treated and PMA-treated cultures could be separated into three fractions by octyl-Sepharose chromatography. The proteoglycans were resistant to trypsin but were degraded by Pronase and papain to fragments similar in size to the NaOH/NaBH4-generated glycosaminoglycans. The average chain length of the glycosaminoglycans (Kav. 0.20 on Sepharose CL-6B for controls) was decreased by DMSO (Kav. 0.25) and by PMA (Kav. 0.30-0.38). Chondroitin ABC lyase digestion of the proteoglycans from the medium of the control cultures produced two core proteins at Mr 31,000 and 36,000. The DMSO medium proteoglycans had only the 31,000-Mr core protein, and the PMA culture medium proteoglycans had core proteins of Mr 27,000, 31,000 and 36,000. Changes in synthesis of proteoglycans induced by DMSO or PMA may have relevance for the maturation of haematopoietic cells.