Display of Cell Surface Sites for Fibronectin Assembly Is Modulated by Cell Adherence to 1F3 and C-Terminal Modules of Fibronectin

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Abstract
Fibronectin-null cells assemble soluble fibronectin shortly after adherence to a substrate coated with intact fibronectin but not when adherent to the cell-binding domain of fibronectin (modules 7F3-10F3). Interactions of adherent cells with regions of adsorbed fibronectin other than modules 7F3-10F3, therefore, are required for early display of the cell surface sites that initiate and direct fibronectin assembly. To identify these regions, coatings of proteolytically derived or recombinant pieces of fibronectin containing modules in addition to 7F3-10F3 were tested for effects on fibronectin assembly by adherent fibronectin-null fibroblasts. Pieces as large as one comprising modules 2F3-14F3, which include the heparin-binding and cell adhesion domains, were not effective in supporting fibronectin assembly. Addition of module 1F3 or the C-terminal modules to modules 2F3-14F3 resulted in some activity, and addition of both 1F3 and the C-terminal modules resulted in a construct, 1F3-C, that best mimicked the activity of a coating of intact fibronectin. Constructs 1F3-C V0, 1F3-C V64, and 1F3-C Δ(V15F310F1) were all able to support fibronectin assembly, suggesting that 1F3 through 11F1 and/or 12F1 were important for activity. Coatings in which the active parts of 1F3-C were present in different proteins were much less active than intact 1F3-C. These results suggest that 1F3 acts together with C-terminal modules to induce display of fibronectin assembly sites on adherent cells.