Cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) and type IX collagen are key structural components of the cartilage extracellular matrix and have important roles in tissue development and homeostasis. Mutations in the genes encoding these glycoproteins result in two related human bone dysplasias, pseudoachondroplasia and multiple epiphyseal dysplasia, which together comprise a "bone dysplasia family." It has been proposed that these diseases have a similar pathophysiology, which is highlighted by the fact that mutations in either the COMP or the type IX collagen genes produce multiple epiphyseal dysplasia, suggesting that their gene products interact. To investigate the interactions between COMP and type IX collagen, we have used rotary shadowing electron microscopy and real time biomolecular (BIAcore) analysis. Analysis of COMP-type IX collagen complexes demonstrated that COMP interacts with type IX collagen through the noncollagenous domains of type IX collagen and the C-terminal domain of COMP. Furthermore, peptide mapping identified a putative collagen-binding site that is associated with known human mutations. These data provide evidence that disruptions to COMP-type IX collagen interactions define a pathogenetic mechanism in a bone dysplasia family.

BackgroundThe expression and study of recombinant proteins in mammalian culture systems can be complicated during the cell lysis procedure by contaminating proteins from cellular compartments distinct from those within which the protein of interest resides and also by solubility issues that may arise from the use of a single lysis buffer. Partial subcellular fractionation using buffers of increasing stringency, rather than whole cell lysis is one way in which to avoid or reduce this contamination and ensure complete recovery of the target protein. Currently published protocols involve time consuming centrifugation steps which may require expensive equipment and commercially available kits can be prohibitively expensive when handling large or multiple samples.FindingsWe have established a protocol to sequentially extract proteins from cultured mammalian cells in fractions enriched for cytosolic, membrane bound organellar, nuclear and insoluble proteins. All of the buffers used can be made inexpensively and easily and the protocol requires no costly equipment. While the method was optimized for a specific cell type, we demonstrate that the protocol can be applied to a variety of commonly used cell lines and anticipate that it can be applied to any cell line via simple optimization of the primary extraction step.ConclusionWe describe a protocol for the crude subcellular fractionation of cultured mammalian cells that is both straightforward and cost effective and may facilitate the more accurate study of recombinant proteins and the generation of purer preparations of said proteins from cell extracts.

Pseudoachondroplasia (PSACH) results from mutations in cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) and the p.D469del mutation within the type III repeats of COMP accounts for approximately 30% of PSACH. To determine disease mechanisms of PSACH in vivo, we introduced the Comp D469del mutation into the mouse genome. Mutant animals were normal at birth but grew slower than their wild-type littermates and developed short-limb dwarfism. In the growth plates of mutant mice chondrocyte columns were reduced in number and poorly organized, while mutant COMP was retained within the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) of cells. Chondrocyte proliferation was reduced and apoptosis was both increased and spatially dysregulated. Previous studies on COMP mutations have shown mutant COMP is co-localized with chaperone proteins, and we have reported an unfolded protein response (UPR) in mouse models of PSACH-MED (multiple epiphyseal dysplasia) harboring mutations in Comp (T585M) and Matn3, Comp etc (V194D). However, we found no evidence of UPR in this mouse model of PSACH. In contrast, microarray analysis identified expression changes in groups of genes implicated in oxidative stress, cell cycle regulation, and apoptosis, which is consistent with the chondrocyte pathology. Overall, these data suggest that a novel form of chondrocyte stress triggered by the expression of mutant COMP is central to the pathogenesis of PSACH. Hum Mutat 33:218–231, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.