A SYNTHETIC PEPTIDE DEDUCED FROM THE SEQUENCE IN THE CROSS-REGION OF LAMININ-A CHAIN MEDIATES NEURITE OUTGROWTH, CELL ATTACHMENT AND HEPARIN-BINDING

Synthetic peptides from the cross-region of the laminin A chain were prepared and tested for their biological activities, especially for neurite outgrowth. A synthetic 8-mer peptide (designated LMA-5) in the cross-region of the laminin A chain was found to promote neurite outgrowth in PC12 cells and cerebellar microexplant cultures. Furthermore, this peptide mediated cell attachment and heparin binding. In addition, an antibody against peptide LMA-5 inhibited laminin- and LMA-5-mediated cell attachment. This antibody also inhibited more than half of the LMA-5-promoted neurite outgrowth in cerebellar microexplant cultures. These data suggest that peptide LMA-5 is one of the active sites in laminin that regulate cell behaviour including neurite outgrowth, eel attachment and heparin binding.