# STRUCTURE & FUNCTION OF CELL SURFACE HYALURONATE

> **NIH NIH R01** · GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY · 1988 · $111,917

## Abstract

Hyaluronate has been found to influence various aspects of cell
behavior, including adhesion, phagocytosis and migration.  These
effects are probably mediated by a cellsurface receptor for
hyaluronate which has been identified as an 85,000 Mr
glycoprotein.  Recent experiments have shown that the
hyaluronate receptor is associated with actin filaments.  Thus, the
receptor may be responsible for a transmembrane interaction
between extracellular hyaluronate and the intracellular actin
filaments, which may in turn be important in regulating cell
behavior.  The goals of the present application are to further
examine the hyaluronate receptor with respect to 1) its
association with other proteins, 2) its distribution on the cell
surface under different conditions, and 3) its role in regulating
cell adhesion and migration.

The first series of studies will examine the interaction of the
receptor with other proteins.  Preliminary experiments have
shown that when cells are extracted with detergents under mild
conditions, the receptor is present in a large complex.  This
complex will be isolated by molecularsieve chromatography and
ratezonal centrifugation and the proteins which are present will
be analyzed by SDSPAGE.  In addition, proteins which interact
with the receptor will be identified by binding experiments using
an istopically labeled preparation of the receptor.  The results of
this study should reveal how the receptor interacts with Factin
and other proteins.

The next series of studies will examine the distribution of
receptors on the surfaces of cells subjected to different
conditions.  First, to determine if Factin and/or hyaluronate
controls the distribution of receptors, cells will be treated with
drugs which alter these macromolecules, and the effect on the
receptor distribution will be investigated.  Secondly, the effects
of viraltransformation on the distribution of receptors will be
examined.  And thirdly, migrating cells will be tested to
determine if the receptors are distributed in a characteristic
pattern.  In each case, the receptors, will be visualized by
immunofluorescent staining with a monoclonal antibody (K-3),
specific for the receptor.

The final series of experiments will examine the role of the
receptor in mediating cell behavior.  For this we will investigate
the effects of the K3 monoclonal antibody and other substances
which specifically interact with the receptor on 1) the heterotypic
adhesion between tumor cells and endothelial cells, and 2) the
rate of cell migration.

The results of this study should answer a number of questions
concerning the mechanism by which hyaluronate regulates cell
behavior.  This in turn may be of importance to several aspects of
oncogensis, including tumor cell invasiveness, metastasis and
angiogensis.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3173187
- **Project number:** 5R01CA035592-05
- **Recipient organization:** GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY
- **SAM.gov UEI:** TF2CMKY1HMX9
- **Principal Investigator:** CHARLES B UNDERHILL
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1988
- **Award amount:** $111,917
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1984-07-01 → 1990-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3173187

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3173187, STRUCTURE & FUNCTION OF CELL SURFACE HYALURONATE (5R01CA035592-05). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3173187. Licensed CC0.

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