alpha(11)beta(1) integrin recognizes the GFOGER sequence in interstitial collagens

: Zhang WM, Kapyla J, Puranen JS, Knight CG, Tiger CF, Pentikainen OT, Johnson MS, Farndale RW, Heino J, Gullberg D

Publisher: AMER SOC BIOCHEMISTRY MOLECULAR BIOLOGY INC

: 2003

: Journal of Biological Chemistry

: JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY

: J BIOL CHEM

: 278

: 9

: 7270

: 7277

: 8

: 0021-9258

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1074/jbc.M210313200

The integrins alpha(1)beta(1), alpha(2)beta(1), alpha(10)beta(1), and alpha(11)beta(1) are referred to as a collagen receptor subgroup of the integrin family. Recently, both alpha(1)beta(1), and alpha(2)beta(1) integrins have been shown to recognize triple-helical GFOGER (where single letter amino acid nomenclature is used, O = hydroxyproline) or GFOGER-like motifs found in collagens, despite their distinct binding specificity for various collagen subtypes. In the present study we have investigated the mechanism whereby the latest member in the integrin family, alpha(11)beta(1), recognizes collagens using C2C12 cells transfected with alpha(11) cDNA and the bacterially expressed recombinant a,, I domain. The ligand binding properties Of alpha(11)beta(1) were compared with those of alpha(2)beta(1).Mg2+-dependent alpha(11)beta(1) binding to type I collagen required micromolar Ca2+ but was inhibited by 1 mm Ca2+, whereas alpha(2)beta(1)-mediated binding was refractory to millimolar concentrations of Ca2+. The bacterially expressed recombinant alpha(11) I domain preference for fibrillar collagens over collagens IV and VI was the same as the alpha(2) I domain. Despite the difference in Ca2+ sensitivity, alpha(11)beta(1)-expressing cells and the alpha(11) I domain bound to helical GFOGER sequences in a manner similar to alpha(2)beta(1)-expressing cells and the alpha(2) I domain. Modeling of the alpha I domain-collagen peptide complexes could partially explain the observed preference of different I domains for certain GFOGER sequence variations. In summary, our data indicate that the GFOGER sequence in fibrillar collagens is a common recognition motif used by alpha(1)beta(1), alpha(2)beta(1), and also alpha(11)beta(1), integrins. Although alpha(10) and alpha(11) chains show the highest sequence identity, alpha(2) and alpha(11) are more similar with regard to collagen specificity. Future studies will reveal whether alpha(2)beta(1), and alpha(11)beta(1), integrins also show overlapping biological functions.