The intact urokinase receptor is required for efficient vitronectin binding: receptor cleavage prevents ligand interaction

The urokinase receptor (uPAR) is a receptor for both urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA) and the adhesion protein vitronectin. There are two forms of cell surface-bound uPAR; intact uPAR and a cleaved form, uPAR(2+3), which is formed by uPA-catalyzed cleavage of uPAR. In ligand-blotting experiments we found that vitronectin binds uPAR but not uPAR(2+3). In real-time biomolecular interaction analysis using recombinant, soluble uPAR (suPAR) both plasma and multimeric forms of vitronectin bound to intact, antibody-immobilized suPAR, Monoclonal antibodies against domain 1 of uPAR blocked suPAR binding to vitronectin and vitronectin did not interact with suPAR(2+3). Both suPAR(2+3) and the isolated domain 1 failed to compete with the intact suPAR in binding to vitronectin. We therefore conclude that the intact receptor is required for efficient vitronectin binding. (C) 1997 Federation of European Biochemical Societies.