Margaret S. Hibbs

Expression of a metalloproteinase that degrades native type V collagen and denatured collagens by cultured human alveolar macrophages.

Human pulmonary alveolar macrophages obtained by bronchoalveolar lavage from both normal controls and smokers secreted in vitro a neutral proteinase that degraded denatured collagens. Optimal expression of the proteinase was detected after 3-5 d of culture. The proteinase could not be detected in the media of cultures that had been treated with 0.5 micrograms/ml of cycloheximide. The gelatinase had an Mr of 90,000 and was immunologically cross-reactive with human neutrophil gelatinase. When newly synthesized 35S-methionine-labeled proteins were analyzed, the proteinase appeared to be a major secretion product of alveolar macrophages. Chromatography on gelatin-Sepharose gave a single peak of activity that was predominantly composed of the 90,000-mol-wt proteinase. The proteolytic activity in the gelatin-Sepharose-purified material was inhibited by EDTA and 1,10-phenanthroline, but not by N-ethylmaleimide or phenylmethanesulfonyl fluoride, indicating that the proteinase was a metalloproteinase. The partially purified material was also capable of degrading native type V collagen and this degradation was inhibited in the presence of an antibody to neutrophil gelatinase. The data suggest that human alveolar macrophages in culture elaborate a metalloproteinase that degrades both native type V collagen and denatured collagens.

Secretion of Collagenolytic Enzymes by Human Polymorphonuclear Leukocytes

The polymorphonuclear leukocyte contains three proteinases capable of degrading the collagenous components of the connective tissue matrix. These proteinases, gelatinase, interstitial collagenase and elastase, were found to be rapidly secreted by the neutrophil in response to soluble stimuli with maximal accumulation of the gelatinase and interstitial collagenase occurring during a 20 minute incubation. When neutrophils were stimulated with the chemotactic peptide, formyl-met-leu-phe, gelatinase was the predominant collagenolytic enzyme detected. Stimulation of neutrophils with increasing doses of the Ca++ ionophore A23187 lead to a sequential release of collagenolytic proteinases. Gelatinase release was detected at Ca++ ionophore concentrations of .05-.1 microM, while significant release of interstitial collagenase required 0.5-1 microM A23187. Elastolytic activity was detected only at high concentrations of A23187 (5-10 microM). No release of lactic acid dehydrogenase was detected indicating that the enzyme release was not due to cell death. These studies suggest that the neutrophil may modulate its collagenolytic potential by selective release of collagenolytic proteinases.

Stimulation of interstitial collagenase in co-cultures of rat hepatocytes and sinusoidal cells

Although the fibrosis observed during chronic liver injury is the result of a complex process, the striking accumulation of collagen in end stage liver disease has provoked interest in the mechanisms that regulate both collagen production and degradation in the diseased liver. The present studies have examined the cell interactions that may be important in the regulation of collagen degradation. Although minimal amounts of interstitial collagenase activity were noted in cultures of normal hepatocytes and sinusoidal cells, the co-cultures of these cells in the presence of lipopolysaccharide showed a substantial increase in collagenase activity. When the hepatocytes were obtained from rats that had been treated with carbon tetrachloride in vivo, the enhanced activity seen in the co-cultures did not require the addition of lipopolysaccharide. Further characterization of this interaction suggested that the increase in collagenolytic activity was partially due to the elaboration of soluble factors by the hepatocyte, which stimulated collagenase production by the sinusoidal cell population. Elaboration of collagenase activity by the sinusoidal cells was inhibited by cycloheximide, suggesting that protein synthesis was required. The proteolytic activity was abrogated by inhibitors of metalloproteinases but not by serine or thiol proteinase inhibitors. The degradation products of type I collagen were typical of the expected products seen with vertebrate collagenases. Thus, it appears that the increased collagenolytic activity detected in this co-culture system is attributable to the production of interstitial collagenase by the sinusoidal cell population. Such cell-cell interactions may play an important role in the maintenance of normal connective tissue structure of the liver during disease processes.

Antibody to Rabbit Macrophage Type V Collagenase/Gelatinise and its Use to Further Characterize the Enzyme

A highly specific antiserum was raised against purified rabbit alveolar macrophage type V collagenase/gelatinase. The reactivity of the antiserum was tested in ELISA and was detected at a high titer. Competitive inhibition ELISA demonstrated a linear inhibition of reactivity by pure antigen if either pure antigen or crude culture medium was used as the solid phase antigen. In the latter case, greater than 90% inhibition was achieved indicating a high degree of specificity of the antibody. Immobilized antibody was successful in absorbing the type V collagenolytic activity. Immunoblot analysis of crude culture medium revealed a single immunoreactive band which correlated with both the stained gel of the purified antigen as well as the only zone of gelatinolysis in a gelatin/acrylamide gel. This monospecific antibody will be a useful tool in the further characterization of this enzyme as well as the delineation of its relative role in chronic inflammation.