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Glycobiology Mar 2015Versican is a proteoglycan that has many different roles in tissue homeostasis and inflammation. The biochemical structure comprises four different types of the core... (Review)
Review
Versican is a proteoglycan that has many different roles in tissue homeostasis and inflammation. The biochemical structure comprises four different types of the core protein with attached glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) that can be sulfated to various extents and has the capacity to regulate differentiation of different cell types, migration, cell adhesion, proliferation, tissue stabilization and inflammation. Versican's regulatory properties are of importance during both homeostasis and changes that lead to disease progression. The GAGs that are attached to the core protein are of the chondroitin sulfate/dermatan sulfate type and are known to be important in inflammation through interactions with cytokines and growth factors. For a more complex understanding of versican, it is of importance to study the tissue niche, where the wound healing process in both healthy and diseased conditions take place. In previous studies, our group has identified changes in the amount of the multifaceted versican in chronic lung disorders such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome, which could be a result of pathologic, transforming growth factor β driven, on-going remodeling processes. Reversely, the context of versican in its niche is of great importance since versican has been reported to have a beneficial role in other contexts, e.g. emphysema. Here we explore the vast mechanisms of versican in healthy lung and in lung disorders.
Topics: Animals; Extracellular Matrix; Humans; Lung Diseases; Versicans
PubMed: 25371494
DOI: 10.1093/glycob/cwu120 -
Fukushima Journal of Medical Science Jan 2024Extracellular matrix (ECM) is a non-cellular constituent found in all tissues and organs. Although ECM was previously recognized as a mere "molecular glue" that supports... (Review)
Review
Extracellular matrix (ECM) is a non-cellular constituent found in all tissues and organs. Although ECM was previously recognized as a mere "molecular glue" that supports the tissue structure of organs such as the lungs, it has recently been reported that ECM has important biological activities for tissue morphogenesis, inflammation, wound healing, and tumor progression. Proteoglycans are the main constituent of ECM, with growing evidence that proteoglycans and their associated glycosaminoglycans play important roles in the pathogenesis of several diseases. However, their roles in the lungs are incompletely understood. Leukocyte migration into the lung is one of the main aspects involved in the pathogenesis of several lung diseases. Glycosaminoglycans bind to chemokines and their interaction fine-tunes leukocyte migration into the affected organs. This review focuses on the role chemokine and glycosaminoglycan interactions in neutrophil migration into the lung. Furthermore, this review presents the role of proteoglycans such as syndecan, versican, and hyaluronan in inflammatory and fibrotic lung diseases.
Topics: Humans; Lung; Extracellular Matrix; Glycosaminoglycans; Versicans; Lung Diseases
PubMed: 38267030
DOI: 10.5387/fms.2023-07 -
American Journal of Physiology. Cell... Sep 2022Proteoglycans are composite molecules comprising a protein backbone, i.e., the core protein, with covalently attached glycosaminoglycan chains of distinct chemical... (Review)
Review
Proteoglycans are composite molecules comprising a protein backbone, i.e., the core protein, with covalently attached glycosaminoglycan chains of distinct chemical types. Most proteoglycans are secreted or attached to the cell membrane. Their specialized structures, binding properties, and biophysical attributes underlie diverse biological roles, which include modulation of tissue mechanics, cell adhesion, and the sequestration and regulated release of morphogens, growth factors, and cytokines. As an irreversible post-translational modification, proteolysis has a profound impact on proteoglycan function, abundance, and localization. Proteolysis is required for molecular maturation of some proteoglycans, clearance of extracellular matrix proteoglycans during tissue remodeling, generation of bioactive fragments from proteoglycans, and ectodomain shedding of cell-surface proteoglycans. Genetic evidence shows that proteoglycan core protein proteolysis is essential for diverse morphogenetic events during embryonic development. In contrast, dysregulated proteoglycan proteolysis contributes to osteoarthritis, cardiovascular disorders, cancer, and inflammation. Proteolytic fragments of perlecan, versican, aggrecan, brevican, collagen XVIII, and other proteoglycans are associated with independent biological activities as so-called matrikines. Yet, proteoglycan proteolysis has been investigated to only a limited extent to date. Here, we review the actions of proteases on proteoglycans and illustrate their functional impact with several examples. We discuss the applications and limitations of strategies used to define cleavage sites in proteoglycans and explain how proteoglycanome-wide proteolytic mapping, which is desirable to fully understand the impact of proteolysis on proteoglycans, can be facilitated by integrating classical proteoglycan isolation methods with mass spectrometry-based proteomics.
Topics: Aggrecans; Extracellular Matrix; Protein Processing, Post-Translational; Proteolysis; Versicans
PubMed: 35785985
DOI: 10.1152/ajpcell.00215.2022 -
EMBO Molecular Medicine Jan 2024Thoracic aortic aneurysm and dissection (TAAD) is a life-threatening condition associated with Marfan syndrome (MFS), a disease caused by fibrillin-1 gene mutations....
Thoracic aortic aneurysm and dissection (TAAD) is a life-threatening condition associated with Marfan syndrome (MFS), a disease caused by fibrillin-1 gene mutations. While various conditions causing TAAD exhibit aortic accumulation of the proteoglycans versican (Vcan) and aggrecan (Acan), it is unclear whether these ECM proteins are involved in aortic disease. Here, we find that Vcan, but not Acan, accumulated in Fbn1 aortas, a mouse model of MFS. Vcan haploinsufficiency protected MFS mice against aortic dilation, and its silencing reverted aortic disease by reducing Nos2 protein expression. Our results suggest that Acan is not an essential contributor to MFS aortopathy. We further demonstrate that Vcan triggers Akt activation and that pharmacological Akt pathway inhibition rapidly regresses aortic dilation and Nos2 expression in MFS mice. Analysis of aortic tissue from MFS human patients revealed accumulation of VCAN and elevated pAKT-S473 staining. Together, these findings reveal that Vcan plays a causative role in MFS aortic disease in vivo by inducing Nos2 via Akt activation and identify Akt signaling pathway components as candidate therapeutic targets.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Mice; Aortic Aneurysm, Thoracic; Aortic Diseases; Aortic Dissection; Azides; Deoxyglucose; Marfan Syndrome; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; Versicans
PubMed: 38177536
DOI: 10.1038/s44321-023-00009-7 -
International Journal of Molecular... Jan 2011There is increasing evidence to suggest that extracellular matrix (ECM) components play an active role in tumor progression and are an important determinant for the... (Review)
Review
There is increasing evidence to suggest that extracellular matrix (ECM) components play an active role in tumor progression and are an important determinant for the growth and progression of solid tumors. Tumor cells interfere with the normal programming of ECM biosynthesis and can extensively modify the structure and composition of the matrix. In ovarian cancer alterations in the extracellular environment are critical for tumor initiation and progression and intra-peritoneal dissemination. ECM molecules including versican and hyaluronan (HA) which interacts with the HA receptor, CD44, have been shown to play critical roles in ovarian cancer metastasis. This review focuses on versican, HA, and CD44 and their potential as therapeutic targets for ovarian cancer.
Topics: Antineoplastic Agents; Carcinoma; Female; Humans; Hyaluronan Receptors; Hyaluronic Acid; Ovarian Neoplasms; Paclitaxel; Peritoneal Neoplasms; Versicans
PubMed: 21541039
DOI: 10.3390/ijms12021009 -
JCI Insight Mar 2018Proteoglycan accumulation is a hallmark of medial degeneration in thoracic aortic aneurysm and dissection (TAAD). Here, we defined the aortic proteoglycanome using mass...
Proteoglycan accumulation is a hallmark of medial degeneration in thoracic aortic aneurysm and dissection (TAAD). Here, we defined the aortic proteoglycanome using mass spectrometry, and based on the findings, investigated the large aggregating proteoglycans aggrecan and versican in human ascending TAAD and a mouse model of severe Marfan syndrome. The aortic proteoglycanome comprises 20 proteoglycans including aggrecan and versican. Antibodies against these proteoglycans intensely stained medial degeneration lesions in TAAD, contrasting with modest intralamellar staining in controls. Aggrecan, but not versican, was increased in longitudinal analysis of Fbn1mgR/mgR aortas. TAAD and Fbn1mgR/mgR aortas had increased aggrecan and versican mRNAs, and reduced expression of a key proteoglycanase gene, ADAMTS5, was seen in TAAD. Fbn1mgR/mgR mice with ascending aortic dissection and/or rupture had dramatically increased aggrecan staining compared with mice without these complications. Thus, aggrecan and versican accumulation in ascending TAAD occurs via increased synthesis and/or reduced proteolytic turnover, and correlates with aortic dissection/rupture in Fbn1mgR/mgR mice. Tissue swelling imposed by aggrecan and versican is proposed to be profoundly deleterious to aortic wall mechanics and smooth muscle cell homeostasis, predisposing to type-A dissections. These proteoglycans provide potential biomarkers for refined risk stratification and timing of elective aortic aneurysm repair.
Topics: ADAMTS5 Protein; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Aggrecans; Aortic Dissection; Animals; Aorta, Thoracic; Aortic Aneurysm, Thoracic; Biomarkers; Disease Models, Animal; Female; Fibrillin-1; Gene Expression Profiling; Humans; Male; Marfan Syndrome; Mice, Knockout; Middle Aged; RNA, Messenger; Risk Assessment; Tunica Media; Versicans
PubMed: 29515038
DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.97167 -
Matrix Biology : Journal of the... Mar 2022Versican is a large chondroitin sulfate/dermatan sulfate proteoglycan that plays a key role in the formation of the provisional matrix. Here, we generated dextran...
Versican is a large chondroitin sulfate/dermatan sulfate proteoglycan that plays a key role in the formation of the provisional matrix. Here, we generated dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis in knockin-mice, R/R, expressing ADAMTS-resistant versican, and investigated the impact of accumulating versican and its turnover in the inflammatory colon mucosa. Histologically, R/R colon showed decreased levels of tissue destruction and an increased number of myofibroblasts and macrophages. Characterization of inflammatory cells revealed an increase in F4/80+ macrophages in R/R colon, compared with wildtype, without a clear shift between M1 and M2 populations. Intestinal stroma exhibited a higher number of myofibroblasts in R/R, suggesting increased levels of tissue regeneration. Coculture of macrophages and stromal fibroblasts obtained from inflammatory colon showed that wild-type macrophages inhibited myofibroblastic differentiation of R/R fibroblasts but not wild-type. This inhibitory effect was due to an increased level of versikine, a cleaved fragment of versican by ADAMTS proteinases. Taken together, our results demonstrate versikine as the direct regulator that inhibits repair of inflamed tissue.
Topics: Animals; Colitis; Fibroblasts; Mice; Versicans; Wound Healing
PubMed: 35176450
DOI: 10.1016/j.matbio.2022.02.004 -
Matrix Biology : Journal of the... Apr 2014Embryonic development is an exceptionally dynamic process, requiring a provisional extracellular matrix that is amenable to rapid remodeling, and proteolytic or... (Review)
Review
Embryonic development is an exceptionally dynamic process, requiring a provisional extracellular matrix that is amenable to rapid remodeling, and proteolytic or non-proteolytic mechanisms that can remodel the major components of this matrix. Versican is a chondroitin-sulfate proteoglycan that forms highly hydrated complexes with hyaluronan and is widely distributed in the provisional matrix of mammalian embryos. It has been extensively studied in the context of cardiovascular morphogenesis, neural crest cell migration and skeletal development. Analysis of Vcan transgenic mice has established the requirement for versican in cardiac development and its role in skeletogenesis. The ADAMTS family includes several versican-degrading proteases that are active during remodeling of the embryonic provisional matrix, especially during sculpting of versican-rich tissues. Versican is cleaved at specific peptide bonds by ADAMTS proteases, and the cleavage products are detectable by neo-epitope antibodies. Myocardial compaction, closure of the secondary palate (in which neural crest derived cells participate), endocardial cushion remodeling, myogenesis and interdigital web regression are developmental contexts in which ADAMTS-mediated versican proteolysis has been identified as a crucial requirement. ADAMTS proteases are expressed coordinately and function cooperatively in many of these contexts. In addition to versican clearance, ADAMTS proteases generate a bioactive versican fragment containing the N-terminal G1 domain, which we have named versikine. This review promotes the view that the embryonic extracellular matrix has evolved not only to provide a permissive environment for embryo growth and morphogenesis, but through its dissolution to influence and regulate cellular processes.
Topics: ADAM Proteins; Animals; Biological Evolution; Cell Movement; Embryonic Development; Extracellular Matrix; Extremities; Heart; Mice; Mice, Transgenic; Models, Biological; Neural Crest; Palate; Proteolysis; Versicans
PubMed: 24444773
DOI: 10.1016/j.matbio.2014.01.005 -
Matrix Biology : Journal of the... Mar 2012The ability of lymphocytes to migrate freely through connective tissues is vital to efficient immune function. How the extracellular matrix (ECM) may affect T-cell...
The ability of lymphocytes to migrate freely through connective tissues is vital to efficient immune function. How the extracellular matrix (ECM) may affect T-cell adhesion and migration is not well understood. We have examined the adhesion and migration of activated human T-lymphocytes on ECM made by fibroblast-like synoviocytes and lung fibroblasts. These cells were minimally interactive until treated with a viral mimetic, Poly I:C. This treatment promoted myofibroblast formation and engendered a higher-order structured ECM, rich in versican and hyaluronan, to which T-cells avidly adhered in a hyaluronidase-sensitive manner. This Poly I:C-induced matrix impeded T-cell spreading and migration on and through synoviocyte monolayers, while hyaluronidase treatment or adding versican antibody during matrix formation reversed the effect on T-cell migration. Hyaluronidase also reversed the spread myofibroblast morphology. These data suggest that the viscous hyaluronan- and versican-rich matrix binds and constrains T-lymphocytes. Using purified matrix components and solid state matrices of defined composition, we uncovered a role for versican in modulating hyaluronan-T-cell interactions. Versican prevented T-cell binding to soluble hyaluronan, as well as the amoeboid shape change on hyaluronan-coated dishes and T-cell penetration of collagen gels. Together, these data suggest that hyaluronan and versican play a role in T-cell trafficking and function in inflamed tissues.
Topics: CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes; Cell Adhesion; Cell Movement; Cells, Cultured; Collagen; Extracellular Matrix; Fibroblasts; Fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate; Humans; Hyaluronan Receptors; Hyaluronic Acid; Hyaluronoglucosaminidase; Inflammation; Lung; Lymphocyte Activation; Poly I-C; Protein Binding; Time-Lapse Imaging; Versicans
PubMed: 22155153
DOI: 10.1016/j.matbio.2011.10.004 -
Cellular Immunology Feb 2017During inflammation, leukocytes influx into lung compartments and interact with extracellular matrix (ECM). Two ECM components, versican and hyaluronan, increase in a... (Review)
Review
During inflammation, leukocytes influx into lung compartments and interact with extracellular matrix (ECM). Two ECM components, versican and hyaluronan, increase in a range of lung diseases. The interaction of leukocytes with these ECM components controls leukocyte retention and accumulation, proliferation, migration, differentiation, and activation as part of the inflammatory phase of lung disease. In addition, bronchial epithelial cells from asthmatic children co-cultured with human lung fibroblasts generate an ECM that is adherent for monocytes/macrophages. Macrophages are present in both early and late lung inflammation. Matrix metalloproteinase 10 (MMP10) is induced in alveolar macrophages with injury and infection and modulates macrophage phenotype and their ability to degrade collagenous ECM components. Collectively, studies outlined in this review highlight the importance of specific ECM components in the regulation of inflammatory events in lung disease. The widespread involvement of these ECM components in the pathogenesis of lung inflammation make them attractive candidates for therapeutic intervention.
Topics: Animals; Cell Differentiation; Cell Movement; Extracellular Matrix; Humans; Hyaluronic Acid; Leukocytes; Macrophages, Alveolar; Matrix Metalloproteinase 10; Molecular Targeted Therapy; Pneumonia; Versicans
PubMed: 28077237
DOI: 10.1016/j.cellimm.2016.12.003