蛋白质N-糖基化在拟南芥生长周期中的变化规律及去糖基化对根发育的影响

蛋白质N-糖基化修饰在植物生长发育中发挥重要作用。为探究蛋白质N-糖基化在拟南芥(Arabidopsis thaliana)整个生长周期中的变化规律以及去N-糖基化对拟南芥生根发育的影响,通过N-糖链酶解和HPLC与MALDI-TOF-MS分析解析了不同生长时期的拟南芥Col-0植株的N-糖链组成(结构和含量)变化。以...     

miR-10b对MCF10A细胞表达N-糖链 及O-糖链的影响

蛋白质糖基化是蛋白质翻译后修饰之一,对蛋白质功能有重要的调节作用,而异常糖基化在肿瘤的发生、发展以及癌细胞转移过程中起到关键作用.MiRNAs在癌症的发生发展过程中同样起到非常关键的作用,但其如何影响糖基化进而在肿瘤恶性转化过程中发挥生物学功能的研究甚少.本文将miR-10b在人正常乳腺上皮细胞MCF10A中过表达,利用糖类相关基因芯片系统筛选了发生显著变化的糖基转移酶;随后利用本实验室建立的N-糖链及O-糖链测定方法,分析糖链水平的表达差异;最后对关键糖基转移酶基因Fut8、MGAT3及OGT通过荧光定量PCR、蛋白质免疫印迹和凝集素免疫印迹进行了验证,为研究miR-10b在乳腺癌中的作用提供更多糖组学方面的理论基础.     

基于超滤膜辅助的糖蛋白全N-连接糖链的富集和质谱解析

糖基化作为一种常见的蛋白质翻译后修饰,对蛋白质的空间结构、生物功能等具有重要的影响.解析糖蛋白糖链结构有助于更清楚地认识糖蛋白及其功能.本研究建立了一种基于超滤膜富集血清中糖蛋白全N-连接糖链,并利用质谱技术对糖链结构进行分析的方法.根据糖蛋白及其糖链结构之间的分子质量差异,利用Millipore公司的10 ku超滤膜富集血清糖蛋白上酶解(PNGase F)释放的全N-连接糖链,并使用MALDI-TOF/TOF-MS解析糖链结构.通过该技术可以从血清中富集并鉴定到23种独特的N-连接的糖链结构,并且利用二级质谱进行了结构确认.该方法可以被用于从大量生物样本中富集糖蛋白全N-连接糖链,可以达到快速、高通量地解析糖蛋白N-连接糖链的目的.     

糖蛋白过敏原N-糖链与过敏的相关性研究

糖蛋白是一种含有寡糖链的蛋白质,糖链与蛋白质之间以共价键相连。N-糖蛋白为常见过敏原之一,主要来源于食物、吸入物、昆虫毒素等,能够引起过敏反应。N-糖蛋白过敏原的N-糖链结构影响过敏原与IgE的结合,影响抗原提呈细胞（APC）对过敏原的识别和提呈。本文在介绍与过敏相关的N-糖蛋白、常见N-糖蛋白过敏原的N-糖链结构及与过敏相关的糖基化酶的基础上,进一步分析过敏原N-糖链影响过敏的机制,为临床预防与治疗过敏性疾病提供新的思路。     

糖蛋白质组定量技术进展

蛋白质的糖基化是最重要和最普遍的蛋白质翻译后修饰之一,在生物体内起着极为重要的作用。糖蛋白质的量和（或）糖基化程度的改变以及糖链结构的改变等与许多疾病密切相关,因此定量糖蛋白质组研究已经成为一个新的热点。然而由于糖基化蛋白质所具有的独特特征,其定量面临严峻的挑战。糖蛋白质组学定量方法和技术的发展将为更好地研究糖基化蛋白质生物学功能起到重要作用。综述了基于生物质谱的糖蛋白质组定量研究的技术和方法,及其优缺点和未来的发展趋势。     

基于FFPE组织切片的膀胱癌N-连接糖链原位酶解及分析

目的 研究膀胱癌FFPE组织切片的N-连接糖链,发现膀胱癌FFPE肿瘤组织的异常N-连接糖链修饰情况。方法 发展基于FFPE组织切片原位提取N-连接糖链的实验流程。通过PNGase F酶切FFPE组织解释放N-连接糖链。对N-连接糖链自由端进行全甲基化修饰。通过MALDI-TOF/TOF-MS检测N-连接糖链的相对含量。进行数据库匹配,确定N-连接糖链的可能糖型。ROC分析用于预测显著差异N-连接糖链作为预测膀胱癌生物标志物的准确度。结果 MALDI-TOF/TOF-MS检测泛甲基化修饰N-连接糖链的数据显示,在16例膀胱癌患者的肿瘤和癌旁组织的3次重复实验中,肿瘤组织中蛋白质高甘露糖型N2H6、N2H7、N2H8、N2H9和复杂型N5H6F1糖链修饰水平显著上升,同时高甘露糖型N2H5、杂合型N3H5以及复杂型N3H4、N4H4、N5H6F1S2糖链修饰水平显著下降。ROC分析显示,双天线型N-连接糖链N3H4（AUC=0.90）和N4H4（AUC=0.91）在单独或者共同区分膀胱癌患者肿瘤组织和癌旁组织中都具有很好的可靠性,可能成为膀胱癌的潜在生物标志物。结论 膀胱癌FFPE肿瘤组织中存在蛋白质异常N-糖基化修饰,N-连接糖链N3H4和N4H4或可成为膀胱癌的潜在生物标志物。     

N-糖基化位点鉴定方法和非经典N-糖基化序列

蛋白质的N-糖基化修饰是生物体调控蛋白质在组织和细胞中的定位、功能、活性、寿命和多样性的一种普遍的翻译后方式。N-糖基化位点是理解糖链功能的重要前提之一。应用新的糖蛋白、糖肽富集技术和质谱技术,科学家们在不同组织中完成了对N-糖基化位点的鉴定。此外,不同于经典三联子的N-糖基化序列的发现使人们对N-糖基化过程的认识向纵深发展。     

N-糖肽的规模化质谱解析方法进展

蛋白质糖基化修饰的鉴定是蛋白质翻译后修饰分析中最具挑战性的任务之一,近几年尤其受到关注.快速发展的质谱技术为规模化的蛋白质糖基化修饰研究提供了有效的手段.与其他基于质谱技术的翻译后修饰鉴定相比,糖基化鉴定的难点在于糖链是大分子而且存在微观不均一性,另外糖链本身可以在串联质谱中碎裂且与肽段的碎裂规律不同,导致蛋白质组学的质谱解析方法和软件难以完整地鉴定肽段序列和糖链结构.完整N-糖肽的鉴定是糖基化分析的热点内容之一,针对N-糖肽的鉴定,近年来,人们开发了多种多样的质谱解析方法,其中包括用N-糖酰胺酶切除糖链后鉴定N-糖基化位点的方法、基于电子转运裂解的糖肽肽段鉴定、基于高能碰撞裂解与电子转运裂解联用或碰撞诱导裂解与三级谱联用的完整N-糖肽鉴定等等.本文对这些质谱解析方法进行了整理和综述,简要指出了目前完整糖肽鉴定软件存在的一些不足,展望了未来的发展方向.     

综述: 卵巢癌生物标志物的糖链谱研究进展

糖类抗原125(CA125)被认为是卵巢癌诊断的“金标准”,但在临床应用中普遍存在着特异性不高的问题．肿瘤形成和发展过程中常伴有糖基化修饰异常和糖链结构的改变,不同的肿瘤具有特异的异常糖链结构．近年来,借助凝集素芯片、多重质谱分析等糖蛋白组学和糖组学研究技术,发现不同来源CA125的O-糖链和N-糖链结构存在着明显的微观不均一性,以这些特征性糖链结构为标志物,可以显著提高CA125对卵巢癌的诊断特异性．在过去的10年,研究者们除对CA125糖链结构和糖基化模式做了深入的研究外,还利用糖组的研究方法,直接对来自卵巢癌患者血液、体液(腹水、囊泡液等)中糖蛋白的糖链做了精细的结构解析,结果显示,可有效鉴别卵巢癌患者和健康志愿者的特异性N-糖链结构,有可能成为灵敏度高和特异性好的卵巢癌生物标志物．卵巢癌生物标志物研究发展的总趋势是从传统的对蛋白质的定性和定量研究,逐步转向于对标志物糖基化修饰和特异性糖链结构的鉴定以及定量分析．本文从糖组学的视角,对卵巢癌标志物糖组学的研究现状及发展趋势进行了综述和展望．     

胃癌相关糖蛋白糖链谱的研究进展

胃癌是一类高发病率和高死亡率的恶性肿瘤.研究表明,癌前感染与胃癌的发生发展过程始终伴随着蛋白糖基化的异常.例如在癌前感染阶段糖蛋白糖链发挥的作用:在感染阶段,幽门螺杆菌(Helicobacter pylori,H.pylori)吸附导致的唾液酸化路易斯X抗原的上调,增强了H.pylori的吸附作用使其在胃部定殖并诱发持续的炎症反应;在慢性胃炎和肠上皮化生阶段唾液酸化的Tn抗原表达上调.胃癌发生发展过程中涉及到了血清、组织、细胞中的蛋白糖基化的改变,如核心岩藻糖基化N-糖链表达的下调,β1,6-连接的N-乙酰葡糖胺分支型N-糖链的增加,以及细胞黏附分子糖基化的改变.本文综述了胃癌相关糖蛋白糖链研究的最新进展,阐述了糖基化在胃癌的发生发展中发挥的重要作用及其作为胃癌早期生物标志物与药物靶点的潜在临床应用价值.     

Biologically active, magnICON®-expressed EPO-Fc from stably transformed Nicotiana benthamiana plants presenting tetra-antennary N-glycan structures

In the past two decades plants have emerged as a valuable alternative for the production of pharmaceutical proteins. Since N-glycosylation influences functionality and stability of therapeutic proteins, the plant N-glycosylation pathway should be humanized. Here, we report the transient magnICON(?) expression of the erythropoietin fusion protein (EPO-Fc) in Nicotiana benthamiana plants that produce multi-antennary N-glycans without the plant-specific β1,2-xylose and α1,3-fucose residues in a stable manner (Nagels et al., 2011). The EPO-Fc fusion protein consists of EPO with a C-terminal-linked IgG-Fc domain and is used for pulmonary delivery of recombinant EPO to patients (Bitonti et al., 2004). Plant expressed EPO-Fc was quantified using a paramagnetic-particle chemiluminescent immunoassay and shown to be active in vitro via receptor binding experiments in HEK293T cells. Mass spectrometry-based N-glycan analysis confirmed the presence of multi-antennary N-glycans on plant-expressed EPO-Fc. The described research is the next step towards the development of a production platform for pharmaceutical proteins in plants.     

Comparative analysis of the site-specific N-glycosylation of human lactoferrin produced in maize and tobacco plants.

We have compared the site-by-site N-glycosylation status of human lactoferrin (Lf) produced in maize, a monocotyledon, and in tobacco, used as a model dicotyledon. Maize and tobacco plants were stably transformed and recombinant Lf was purified from both seeds and leaves. N-glycopeptides were generated by trypsin digestion of recombinant Lf and purified by reverse-phase HPLC. The N-glycosylation pattern of each site was determined by mass spectrometry. Our results indicated that the N-glycosylation patterns of recombinant Lf produced in maize and tobacco share common structural features. In particular, both N-glycosylation sites of each recombinant Lf are mainly substituted by typical plant paucimannose-type N-glycans, with beta1,2-xylose and alpha1,3-linked fucose at the proximal N-acetylglucosamine. However, tobacco Lf shows a significant amount of processed N-glycans with one or two beta1,2GlcNAc linked to the trimannose core, which are weakly expressed in maize Lf. Finally, no Lewisa epitope was observed on tobacco Lf.     

Plant-derived mouse IgG monoclonal antibody fused to KDEL endoplasmic reticulum-retention signal is N-glycosylated homogeneously throughout the plant with mostly high-mannose-type N-glycans

Plants are potential hosts for the expression of recombinant glycoproteins intended for therapeutic purposes. However, N-glycans of mammalian glycoproteins produced in transgenic plants differ from their natural counterparts. The use of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-retention signal has been proposed to restrict glycosylation of plantibodies to only high-mannose-type N-glycans. Furthermore, little is known about the influence of plant development and growth conditions on N-linked glycosylation. Here, we report a detailed N-glycosylation profiling study of CB.Hep1, a mouse IgG2b monoclonal antibody (mAb) against hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) currently expressed in tobacco plants (Nicotiana tabacum L.). The KDEL ER-retention signal was fused to the C-terminal of both light and heavy chains. The structures of the N-linked glycans of this mAb produced in transgenic tobacco plants at various growth stages were analysed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) profiling techniques and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) and compared with those of murine origin. The high-mannose-type oligosaccharides accounted for more than 80% of the total N-glycans, with Man7GlcNAc2 being the most abundant species. Some complex N-glycans bearing xylose and small amounts of oligosaccharides with both xylose and fucose were identified. No appreciable differences were detected when comparing glycosylation at different leaf ages, e.g. from seedling leaves up to 8 weeks old and top or basal leaves of mature plants, or between leaves, stems and whole plants. A strict retention of glycoproteins to ER by the use of the tetrapeptide KDEL was not sufficient, even though the majority of the resulting N-glycosylation was of the high-mannose type. It is highly likely to be dependent on other factors, which are most probably protein specific.     

Glyco-engineering of biotherapeutic proteins in plants

Many therapeutic glycoproteins have been successfully generated in plants. Plants have advantages regarding practical and economic concerns, and safety of protein production over other existing systems. However, plants are not ideal expression systems for the production of biopharmaceutical proteins, due to the fact that they are incapable of the authentic human N-glycosylation process. The majority of therapeutic proteins are glycoproteins which harbor N-glycans, which are often essential for their stability, folding, and biological activity. Thus, several glyco-engineering strategies have emerged for the tailor-making of N-glycosylation in plants, including glycoprotein subcellular targeting, the inhibition of plant specific glycosyltranferases, or the addition of human specific glycosyltransferases. This article focuses on plant N-glycosylation structure, glycosylation variation in plant cell, plant expression system of glycoproteins, and impact of glycosylation on immunological function. Furthermore, plant glyco-engineering techniques currently being developed to overcome the limitations of plant expression systems in the production of therapeutic glycoproteins will be discussed in this review.     

N-glycans in liver-secreted and immunoglogulin-derived protein fractions

N-glycosylation of proteins provides a rich source of information on liver disease progression because majority of serum glycoproteins, with the exception of immunoglobulins, are secreted by the liver. In this report, we present results of an optimized workflow for MALDI-TOF analysis of permethylated N-glycans detached from serum proteins and separated into liver secreted and immunoglobulin fractions. We have compared relative intensities of N-glycans in 23 healthy controls and 23 cirrhosis patients. We were able to detect 82 N-glycans associated primarily with liver secreted glycoproteins, 54 N-glycans in the protein G bound fraction and 52 N-glycans in the fraction bound to protein A. The N-glycan composition of the fractions differed substantially, independent of liver disease. The relative abundance of approximately 53% N-glycans in all fractions was significantly altered in the cirrhotic liver. The removal of immunoglobulins allowed detection of an increase in a series of high mannose and hybrid N-glycans associated with the liver secreted protein fraction.     

N-glycosylation engineering of plants for the biosynthesis of glycoproteins with bisected and branched complex N-glycans

Glycoengineering is increasingly being recognized as a powerful tool to generate recombinant glycoproteins with a customized N-glycosylation pattern. Here, we demonstrate the modulation of the plant glycosylation pathway toward the formation of human-type bisected and branched complex N-glycans. Glycoengineered Nicotiana benthamiana lacking plant-specific N-glycosylation (i.e. β1,2-xylose and core α1,3-fucose) was used to transiently express human erythropoietin (hEPO) and human transferrin (hTF) together with modified versions of human β1,4-mannosyl-β1,4-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase (GnTIII), α1,3-mannosyl-β1,4-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase (GnTIV) and α1,6-mannosyl-β1,6-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase (GnTV). hEPO was expressed as a fusion to the IgG-Fc domain (EPO-Fc) and purified via protein A affinity chromatography. Recombinant hTF was isolated from the intracellular fluid of infiltrated plant leaves. Mass spectrometry-based N-glycan analysis of hEPO and hTF revealed the quantitative formation of bisected (GnGnbi) and tri- as well as tetraantennary complex N-glycans (Gn[GnGn], [GnGn]Gn and [GnGn][GnGn]). Co-expression of GnTIII together with GnTIV and GnTV resulted in the efficient generation of bisected tetraantennary complex N-glycans. Our results show the generation of recombinant proteins with human-type N-glycosylation at great uniformity. The strategy described here provides a robust and straightforward method for producing mammalian-type N-linked glycans of defined structures on recombinant glycoproteins, which can advance glycoprotein research and accelerate the development of protein-based therapeutics.     

N-glycan structures and N-glycosylation sites of mouse soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 revealed by MALDI-TOF and FTICR mass spectrometry

Intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) is a heavily N-glycosylated transmembrane protein comprising five extracellular Ig-like domains. The soluble isoform of ICAM-1 (sICAM-1), consisting of its extracellular part, is elevated in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with severe brain trauma. In mouse astrocytes, recombinant mouse sICAM-1 induces the production of the CXC chemokine macrophage inflammatory protein-2 (MIP-2). MIP-2 induction is glycosylation dependent, as it is strongly enhanced when sICAM-1 carries sialylated, complex-type N-glycans as synthesized by wild-type Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. The present study was aimed at elucidating the N-glycosylation of mouse sICAM-1 expressed in wild-type CHO cells with regard to sialylation, N-glycan profile, and N-glycosylation sites. Ion-exchange chromatography and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry (MS) of the released N-glycans showed that sICAM-1 mostly carried di- and trisialylated complex-type N-glycans with or without one fucose. In some sialylated N-glycans, one N-acetylneuraminic acid was replaced by N-glycolylneuraminic acid, and approximately 4% carried a higher number of sialic acid residues than of antennae. The N-glycosylation sites of mouse sICAM-1 were analyzed by MALDI-Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FTICR)-MS and nanoLC-ESI-FTICR-MS of tryptic digests of mouse sICAM-1 expressed in the Lec1 mutant of CHO cells. All nine consensus sequences for N-glycosylation were found to be glycosylated. These results show that the N-glycans that enhance the MIP-2-inducing activity of mouse sICAM-1 are mostly di- and trisialylated complex-type N-glycans including a small fraction carrying more sialic acid residues than antennae and that the nine N-glycosylation sites of mouse sICAM-1 are all glycosylated.     

Glycoengineering in plants for the development of N-glycan structures compatible with biopharmaceuticals

Plants and plant cells are emerging as promising alternatives for biopharmaceutical production with improved safety and efficiency. Plant cells are capable of performing post-translational modifications (PTMs) similar to those of mammalian cells and are safer than mammalian cells with regard to contamination by infectious pathogens, including animal viruses. However, a major obstacle to producing biopharmaceuticals in plants lies in the fact that plant-derived N-glycans include plant-specific sugar residues such as β1,2-xylose and α1,3-fucose attached to a pentasaccharide core (Man₃GlcNAc₂) as well as β1,3-galactose and α1,4-fucose involved in Lewis a (Le^a) epitope formation that can evoke allergic responses in the human body. In addition, sugar residues such as α1,6-fucose, β1,4-galactose and α2,6-sialic acid, which are thought to play important roles in the activity, transport, delivery and half-life of biopharmaceuticals are absent among the N-glycans naturally found in plants. In order to take advantage of plant cells as a system in which to produce biopharmaceuticals development of plants producing N-glycan structures compatible with biopharmaceuticals is necessary. In this article we summarize the current state of biopharmaceutical production using plants as well as what is known about N-glycosylation processes occurring in the endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus in plants. Finally, we propose and discuss a strategy for and the associated technical barriers of producing customized N-glycans via removal of enzyme genes that add plant-specific sugar residues and introducing enzyme genes that add sugar residues absent in plants.     

Myrosinases TGG1 and TGG2 from Arabidopsis thaliana contain exclusively oligomannosidic N-glycans

In all eukaryotes N-glycosylation is the most prevalent protein modification of secretory and membrane proteins. Although the N-glycosylation capacity and the individual steps of the N-glycan processing pathway have been well studied in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana, little attention has been paid to the characterization of the glycosylation status of individual proteins. We report here the structural analysis of all N-glycans present on the endogenous thioglucoside glucohydrolases (myrosinases) TGG1 and TGG2 from A. thaliana. All nine glycosylation sites of TGG1 and all four glycosylation sites of TGG2 are occupied by oligomannosidic structures with Man₅GlcNAc₂ as the major glycoform. Analysis of the oligomannosidic isomers from wild-type plants and mannose trimming deficient mutants by liquid chromatography with porous graphitic carbon and mass spectrometry revealed that the N-glycans from both myrosinases are processed by Golgi-located α-mannosidases.     

N-Glycosylation in the Moss Physcomitrella patens is Organized Similarly to that in Higher Plants

Abstract: Allergenicity of plant glycoproteins in humans may prevent the use of plants as production factories for pharmaceutically important proteins. The major difference between plant and mammalian N-glycans is the presence of xylosyl and α1,3-fucosyl residues in the former. In a first step towards "humanization" of the N-glycosylation pathway in the moss Physcomitrella patens, which could be an excellent system for industrial production of therapeutic proteins, we isolated the cDNAs and genes for N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase I (GNTI), α1,3-fucosyltransferase, and β1,2-xylosyltransferase. Sequence analysis revealed that all three proteins are homologous to their counterparts from higher plants, however, the conservation of the primary structure was only 35 - 45 %. The gene encoding the key enzyme of the pathway, gntI, was disrupted in P. patens by homologous recombination. Although the mutation of this gene in mouse or A. thaliana led to a significantly altered pattern of N-glycans, the glycosylation pattern in the gntI knockouts did not differ from that in wild-type moss and was identical to that in higher plants. Protein secretion, analysed in assays with recombinant human VEGF₁₂₁ protein, was not affected in the knockouts. We conclude from our findings that the N-glycosylation pathway in P. patens is identically organized to that in higher plants. However, P. patens probably possesses more than one isoform of GNTI which complicates a straightforward knockout. Therefore, and since complex type structures appear more desirable than oligomannosidic N-glycans, future modifications of the pathway should target α1,3-fucosyltransferase and/or β1,2-xylosyltransferase.