RAS TRANSFORMATION ALTERS THE COMPOSITION OF EXTRACELLULAR-MATRIX PROTEOGLYCANS IN RAT FIBROBLASTS

ts371 KiMuSV-transformed rat kidney fibroblasts growing at the permiss ive temperature to allow the expression of a transforming p21 ras prot ein secrete a different pattern of chondroitin/dermatan sulfate proteo glycans than when growing at the non-permissive temperature. Transform ed cells produce less versican and larger amounts of biglycan and deco rin than their normal counterpart, and they do not secrete S-35-labele d PG-100. Western blot experiments showed the presence of PG-100 epito pe, suggesting that the apparent effect of the oncoprotein is due to a reduced sulfation of the molecule. Transformed and non-transformed ce lls are similarly sensitive to the proteoglycan-induction effect of TG F-beta. (C) 1994 Academic Press, Inc.