Interaction between cells and elastin, the elastin-receptor

This article dedicated to Ines Mandl at her 80th birthday is a short review of the recent work of our team on the elastin receptor. Our studies starte d in the early nineteen eighties aimed at the understanding of cell-elastin interactions, The first experiments reviewed demonstrated the inducible in teraction of cells - smooth muscle cells, fibroblasts - with elastic fibers , Their strong adhesion was accelerated and amplified by elastin peptides a nd cell adhesion to elastin needed protein neosynthesis. The demonstration of the presence of the elastin receptor on leukocytes facilitated the detai led description of the transmission pathway from receptor to the intracellu lar sites activated by the receptor: modifications of ion fluxes, increase of elastase production and excretion of reactive oxygen species, superoxide and NO., The calcium transients triggered by elastin peptides acting on th e receptor decrease with age, the receptor appears to be uncoupled from the G-proteins, but superoxide release is increased. As circulating blood was shown to contain elastin peptides at concentrations saturating for the rece ptor (mu g/ml conc-s for a Kd in the nanomolar range), the receptor on cell s in contact with excess agonists is constantly overstimulated, The continu ous release of lytic enzymes and free radicals might well be involved in ce ll damage. This was demonstrated with human lymphocytes undergoing cell dea th by necrosis and apoptosis in presence of higher concentrations of elasti n peptides.