Causal relationship between conformational change and inhibition of domain functions of glycoxidative fibronectin

Glycoxidative modification of various body proteins, including fibronectin (FN), has been shown to change their structural and functional properties, and be implicated in pathogenesis of diabetic complications. Little is known about the role of secondary structure of glycoxidative FN (gFN) in its domain functions. gFN was prepared by incubation with 25 and 200 mM glucose in 0.2 M sodium phosphate buffer at 37 degrees C on a shaking plate under aerobic and sterile conditions for various time intervals up to 49 days, being defined as gFN25 and gFN200, respectively. Unmodified FN (uFN) was prepared by incubation in 0.2 M sodium phosphate buffer without any glucose at 4 degrees C for 49 days. The extent of glycoxidative modification was examined using a noncompetitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with an antibody against N(epsilon) -(carboxymethyl)lysine (CML), one of the major glycoxidation products. The binding activities of uFN and gFN to collagen, gelatin and heparin were determined by a solid phase enzyme immunoassay or heparin-affinity HPLC. Cell attachment was estimated by the extent of adhesion of FITC-labeled smooth muscle cells to uFN or gFN. Conformational change in gFN was detected by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and spectroscopy (circular dichroism). CML was detected in gFN25 and gFN200 after 49 and 21 days of incubation, respectively. Levels of CML were about six-fold higher in gFN200 than in gFN25 after 49 days. Both gFN25 and gFN200 showed a significant decrease in the ability of binding to collagen and gelatin after 7 days of incubation. The binding activity for heparin was significantly decreased in both gFN25 and gFN200 after one day. Cell attachment activity was reduced to 89% and 76% of the unmodified form in both gFN25 and gFN200 after 49 days, respectively. High molecular weight materials were found in gFN25 and gFN200 after 21 and 7 days, respectively. CD spectrum showed that gFN25 had lost its native conformation after 3 days of incubation, depending upon the concentration and incubation interval of the applied glucose. These in vitro results suggest that the loss of native conformation may reduce the domain functions of gFN, including binding activity to macromolecular ligands and cell attachment, and may play a major role in the pathogenesis of diabetic complications.