The fibronectin content of canine lungs is increased in bleomycin-induced fibrosis

Fibronectin (Fn), a high molecular weight glycoprotein, was found to constitute 0.43% of the normal adult beagle dog lung. The tissue Fn (TFn) was solubilized by sequential chemical extractions and quantified by ELISA (enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay). Subsequent plasmin digestion did not appear to solubilize significantly more Fn. Since 70% of the lung tissue was solubilized by the extractions and plasmin digestions, the TFn quantified represented the bulk of lung Fn. The TFn was identical to plasma fibronectin in the ELISA and one can infer that the Fn molecule is not significantly altered as it is incorporated into the lung connective tissue matrix. Lungs from beagles in which fibrosis had been induced with bleomycin contained 0.99% Fn, more than a twofold increase over normal. In the ELISA TFn from fibrotic lungs gave an inhibition curve of the same shape as did TFn from normal lungs. Thus, Fn from fibrotic lungs is not different qualitatively from Fn from normal lungs in any way detectable with this antiserum. The TFn content of plasmin digests of intact lung was less than that of extracts, which was the converse of results obtained on placenta (B. A. Bray (1985) Biochem. J. 226, 811-815). This difference between lung TFn and placental TFn may be due to differences in degree of glycosylation, which determines susceptibility to proteases.