Actin cytoskeleton of fibroblasts organizes surface proteoglycans that bind basic fibroblast growth factor and lipoprotein lipase.

Cell surface proteoglycans participate in molecular events that regulate cell adhesion, migration, and proliferation. To investigate the organization of these molecules at the cell surface, the distribution of two well-known proteoglycan ligands has been studied. These ligands, lipoprotein lipase and basic fibroblast growth factor, showed a characteristic binding pattern consisting of highly organized parallel arrays that crossed the upper surface of human skin fibroblasts. The proteoglycan nature of the binding sites was evident from their susceptibility to heparinases, and from ligand displacement by heparin. Parallel localization of the ligands and actin, and treatment of the cells with cytochalasin, showed that the binding proteoglycans are organized by the actin cytoskeleton. The ligands induced a different behaviour of the binding sites on incubation of the cells at 37 degrees C. Lipoprotein lipase produced a movement of the binding proteoglycans along the actin filaments towards the cell center. In contrast, after binding of basic fibroblast growth factor the binding proteoglycans remained spread over the cell surface and actin depolymerization was induced. Since an increasing number of ligands appear to depend on proteoglycans for their interactions with their high affinity receptors, distribution and movement of proteoglycans at the cell surface that is organized by the actin cytoskeleton could direct and enhance the encounters between the ligands and their specific receptors.