Incorporation, intracellular trafficking and processing of extracellular heparanase by mast cells: Involvement of syndecan-4-dependent pathway

• Published in: Biochemical and biophysical research communications 2018-09, Vol.503 (4), p.3235-3241
• Main Authors: Higashi, Nobuaki, Waki, Michihiko, Sudo, Yukiaki, Suzuki, Sana, Oku, Teruaki, Tsuiji, Makoto, Tsuji, Tsutomu, Miyagishi, Makoto, Takahashi, Katsuhiko, Nakajima, Motowo, Irimura, Tatsuro
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES; Animals; BONE MARROW; Cell Degranulation; Cells, Cultured; CULTURE MEDIA; Endocytosis; ENZYMES; Glucuronidase - metabolism; Glycosaminoglycans - metabolism; Heparanase; HEPARIN; Heparin - metabolism; Heparitin Sulfate - metabolism; MAST CELLS; Mast Cells - cytology; Mast Cells - metabolism; Mast Cells - physiology; Mice; Protein Transport; Recombinant Proteins - metabolism; Secretory granules; Signal Transduction; Syndecan; Syndecan-4 - metabolism
• ISSN: 0006-291X; 1090-2104
• DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2018.08.132

We investigated the fate of proheparanase added to the culture media of mast cells. A recombinant protein mimicking proheparanase was continuously internalized into mastocytoma cells as well as bone marrow- and peritoneal cell-derived mast cells. Internalized heparanase molecules were accumulated in granules and a significant portion was released by stimulation with ionomycin, indicating that the internalized heparanase was sorted into secretory granules. The pro-form heparanase was processed into a mature and an active form inside the cells, in which intracellular heparin was fragmented by the mature enzyme. The internalization was substantially inhibited by addition of heparin and heparan sulfate to the culture medium, suggesting that glycosaminoglycan is involved in the uptake pathway. Out of four syndecans, expression of syndecan-3 and syndecan-4, especially cell surface syndecan-4, was detected in the mastocytoma cells. Two knockdown clones transfected with a shRNA expression vector targeting the syndecan-4 gene took up significantly lower amounts of heparanase than mock cells. We propose that some exogenous substances like proheparanase can be incorporated into mast cell granules via a glycosaminoglycan-mediated, especially syndecan-4-dependent, uptake pathway. •Exogenous proheparanase is internalized and sorted into mast cell secretory granules.•Incorporated heparanase is processed into a mature and an active form.•Syndecan-4 is involved in the heparanase uptake pathway.