Am. J. Respir. Cell Mol. Biol., Volume 24, Number 2, February, 2001 179-186

Airway Epithelial Cell Wound Repair Mediated by -Dystroglycan

Steven R. White, Kimberly R. Wojcik, Dieter Gruenert, Steven Sun, and Delbert R. Dorscheid

Section of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Division of Biological Sciences, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois; and Division of Molecular Medicine, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont

Dystroglycans (DGs) bind laminin matrix proteins in skeletal and cardiac muscle and are expressed in other nonmuscle tissues. However, their expression in airway epithelial cells has not been demonstrated. We examined expression of DGs in the human airway epithelial cell line 1HAEo, and in human primary airway epithelial cells. Expression of the common gene for - and -DG was demonstrated by reverse transcriptase/ polymerase chain reaction in 1HAEo cells. Protein expression of -DG was demonstrated by both Western blot and flow cytometry in cultured cells. Localization of -DG, using both a monoclonal antibody and the -DG binding lectin wheat-germ agglutinin (WGA), was to the cell membrane and nucleus. We then examined the function of DGs in modulating wound repair over laminin matrix. Blocking -DG binding to laminin in 1HAEo monolayers using either glycosyaminoglycans or WGA attenuated cell migration and spreading after mechanical injury. -DG was not expressed in epithelial cells at the wound edge immediately after wound creation, but localized to the cell membrane in these cells within 12 h of injury. These data demonstrate the presence of DGs in airway epithelium. -DG is dynamically expressed and serves as a lectin to bind laminin during airway epithelial cell repair.

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