Fibulin-4 and -5, but not Fibulin-2, are Associated with Tropoelastin Deposition in Elastin-Producing Cell Culture.

ABSTRACT: Elastic system fibers consist of microfibrils and tropoelastin. During development, microfibrils act as a template on which tropoelastin is deposited. Fibrillin-1 is the major component of microfibrils. It is not clear whether elastic fiber-associated molecules, such as fibulins, contribute to tropoelastin deposition. Among the fibulin family, fibulin-2, -4 and -5 are capable of binding to tropoelastin and fibrillin-1. In the present study, we used the RNA interference (RNAi) technique to establish individual gene-specific knockdown of fibulin-2, -4 and -5 in elastin-producing cells (human gingival fibroblasts; HGF). We then examined the extracellular deposition of tropoelastin using immunofluorescence. RNAi-mediated down-regulation of fibulin-4 and -5 was responsible for the diminution of

SUBMITTER: Yamauchi Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3015050 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature