Proteolytic cleavage of versican during cardiac cushion morphogenesis.

ABSTRACT: The proteoglycan versican is essential to the formation of endocardial cushion mesenchyme by epithelial-mesenchymal transformation (EMT). A potentially important factor in the regulation of versican activity during cushion EMT is proteolysis by ADAMTS metalloproteinases. Using antibodies to the DPEAAE neoepitope created by ADAMTS proteolysis of versican, we detected the amino terminal 70-kDa versican cleavage fragment in cardiac cushions. Initially (i.e., 9.5 days post coitum [dpc]), the fragment is associated with endocardial cells undergoing EMT and with newly derived mesenchymal cells. ADAMTS-1 and its cofactor fibulin-1 were also associated with these cells. As cushions become increasingly populated with mesenchymal cells (10.5-12.5 dpc), the fragment remains asymmetrically distributed

SUBMITTER: Kern CB 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1828280 | biostudies-literature | 2006 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature