Syndecan-dependent binding of Drosophila hemocytes to laminin α3/5 chain LG4-5 modules:: potential role in sessile hemocyte islets formation

Heparin-column chromatography and elastase-digestion of medium from hemocyte Kc167 gave Drosophila laminin alpha3/5betagamma trimer, alpha3/5LG2-3 and alpha3/5LG4-5 modules with Outing NaCl concentrations of 450, 280 and 450 mM, respectively. Kc167 cells bound dish surface with alpha3/5betagamma trimer or alpha3/5LG4-5, but not with alpha3/5LG2-3 modules. Cell binding was counteracted by treating with heparin or heparan sulfate. RNA interference of syndecan in Kc167 cells impaired the binding, but that of dally or dally-like did not. Green fluorescent protein-expressing hemocytes also bound surface with alpha3/5betagamma trimer or alpha3/5LG4-5 module. Thus syndecan-dependent binding of hemocytes to laminin may have a potential role in sessile hemocytes islets formation in T2-A8 segments of Drosophila. (C) 2004 Federation of European Biochemical Societies. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.