ZN-ALPHA(2)-GLYCOPROTEIN IS A NOVEL ADHESIVE PROTEIN

An amino acid sequence (Arg-Gly-Asp-Val) specifically associating with cell adhesion between cells and extracellular matrices was found on t he human Zn-alpha(2)-glycoprotein (Zn alpha(2)gp) molecule. Although o ther mammalian cell lines such as breast carcinoma and melanoma did no t, SMKT R-3 cells (human renal cell carcinoma) but not the kidney cell lines (Vero and COS7) preferentially attached and spread on a tissue culture plate coated with either blood plasma Zn alpha(2)gp or seminal plasma Zn alpha(2)gp. The spreading of SMKT R-3 cells on Zn alpha(2)g p required divalent cations such as Mn2+ and Mg2+, and this spreading was inhibited by synthetic peptides such as RGDS, LRGDV and ELRGDV. Th ese findings suggested that the RGDV region mainly interacted with the cell surface integrins to regulate cell attachment and spreading. (C) 1994 Academic Inc.