Inhibition of Cellular Adhesion by Immunological Targeting of Osteopontin Neoepitopes Generated through Matrix Metalloproteinase and Thrombin Cleavage

PLoS One. 2016 Feb 3;11(2):e0148333. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0148333. eCollection 2016.

Abstract

Osteopontin (OPN), a secreted protein involved in inflammatory processes and cancer, induces cell adhesion, migration, and activation of inflammatory pathways in various cell types. Cells bind OPN via integrins at a canonical RGD region in the full length form as well as to a contiguous cryptic site that some have shown is unmasked upon thrombin or matrix metalloproteinase cleavage. Thus, the adhesive capacity of osteopontin is enhanced by proteolytic cleavage that may occur in inflammatory conditions such as obesity, atherosclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, tumor growth and metastasis. Our aim was to inhibit cellular adhesion to recombinant truncated proteins that correspond to the N-terminal cleavage products of thrombin- or matrix metalloproteinase-cleaved OPN in vitro. We specifically targeted the cryptic integrin binding site with monoclonal antibodies and antisera induced by peptide immunization of mice. HEK 293 cells adhered markedly stronger to truncated OPN proteins than to full length OPN. Without affecting cell binding to the full length form, the raised monoclonal antibodies specifically impeded cellular adhesion to the OPN fragments. Moreover, we show that the peptides used for immunization were able to induce antisera, which impeded adhesion either to all OPN forms, including the full-length form, or selectively to the corresponding truncated recombinant proteins. In conclusion, we developed immunological tools to selectively target functional properties of protease-cleaved OPN forms, which could find applications in treatment and prevention of various inflammatory diseases and cancers.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived / immunology
  • Cell Adhesion / genetics
  • Cell Adhesion / immunology
  • Epitopes / genetics
  • Epitopes / immunology*
  • Gelatinases / genetics
  • Gelatinases / immunology*
  • HEK293 Cells
  • Humans
  • Mice
  • Osteopontin / genetics
  • Osteopontin / immunology*
  • Proteolysis*
  • Thrombin / genetics
  • Thrombin / immunology*

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived
  • Epitopes
  • Osteopontin
  • Thrombin
  • Gelatinases

Grants and funding

This study was funded by the Austrian Federal Ministry of Science, Research and Economy and the National Foundation for Research, Technology and Development (to TMS). The funders had no role in the study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. AFFiRiS AG provided support in the form of salaries for authors MLB and GS, but did not have any additional role in the study design, data collection and analysis, or decision to publish.