Expression, purification, and characterization of recombinant fibulin-5 in a prokaryote expression system

J Microbiol. 2010 Oct;48(5):695-700. doi: 10.1007/s12275-010-0320-6. Epub 2010 Nov 3.

Abstract

Fibulin-5 is a widely expressed, integrin-binding extracellular matrix protein that mediates endothelial cell adhesion and scaffolds cells to elastic fibers. To investigate anti-angiogenesis activities and context-specific activities on responsive cells of recombinant fibulin-5 (rfibulin-5) expressed in Escherichia coli, the cDNA of fibulin-5 cloned from a human placenta cDNA library was inserted into the pET32a (+) vector to allow fibulin-5 expression as a Trx fusion protein. The fusion protein Trx-fibulin-5, expressed as insoluble inclusion bodies, was solubilized and its resulting expression level reached to 15% of the total cell protein. The Trxfibulin-5 was purified effectively by N(2+)-chelating chromatography and then identified by Western blotting analysis with an anti-His tag antibody. The purified Trx-fibulin-5 was refolded by dialysis against redox reagents, and the rfibulin-5 released from the fusion protein by enterokinase cleavage was purified using a RESOURCE RPC column. The final purified rfibulin-5 effectively inhibited angiogenesis in chicken embryos in a dose-dependent manner through a chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assay. Additionally, rfibulin-5 potently suppressed in vitro proliferation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells, but stimulated that of human dermal fibroblasts. The expression and in vitro refolding of rfibulin-5 resulted in production of an active molecule with a yield of 2.1 mg/L.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Blotting, Western
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Chick Embryo
  • Chromatography, Affinity / methods
  • Cloning, Molecular
  • DNA, Complementary / genetics
  • DNA, Complementary / isolation & purification
  • Endothelial Cells / drug effects
  • Enteropeptidase / metabolism
  • Escherichia coli / genetics
  • Extracellular Matrix Proteins / biosynthesis*
  • Extracellular Matrix Proteins / genetics
  • Extracellular Matrix Proteins / isolation & purification*
  • Extracellular Matrix Proteins / pharmacology
  • Gene Expression*
  • Genetic Vectors
  • Humans
  • Neovascularization, Physiologic / drug effects
  • Protein Folding
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / biosynthesis
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / genetics
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / isolation & purification
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / pharmacology

Substances

  • DNA, Complementary
  • Extracellular Matrix Proteins
  • FBLN5 protein, human
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins
  • Enteropeptidase