The ST6Gal I sialyltransferase selectively modifies N-glycans on CD45 to negatively regulate galectin-1-induced CD45 clustering,phosphatase modulation,and T cell death

The addition of sialic acid to T cell surface glycoproteins influences essential T cell functions such as selection in the thymus and homing in the peripheral circulation. Sialylation of glycoproteins can be regulated by expression of specific sialyltransferases that transfer sialic acid in a specific linkage to defined saccharide acceptor substrates and by expression of particular glycoproteins bearing saccharide acceptors preferentially recognized by different sialyltransferases. Addition of alpha2,6-linked sialic acid to the Galbeta1,4GlcNAc sequence, the preferred ligand for galectin-1, inhibits recognition of this saccharide ligand by galectin-1. SAalpha2,6Gal sequences, created by the ST6Gal I enzyme, are present on medullary thymocytes resistant to galectin-1-induced death but not on galectin-1-susceptible cortical thymocytes. To determine whether addition of alpha2,6-linked sialic acid to lactosamine sequences on T cell glycoproteins inhibits galectin-1 death, we expressed the ST6Gal I enzyme in a galectin-1-sensitive murine T cell line. ST6Gal I expression reduced galectin-1 binding to the cells and reduced susceptibility of the cells to galectin-1-induced cell death. Because the ST6Gal I preferentially utilizes N-glycans as acceptor substrates, we determined that N-glycans are essential for galectin-1-induced T cell death. Expression of the ST6Gal I specifically resulted in increased sialylation of N-glycans on CD45, a receptor tyrosine phosphatase that is a T cell receptor for galectin-1. ST6Gal I expression abrogated the reduction in CD45 tyrosine phosphatase activity that results from galectin-1 binding. Sialylation of CD45 by the ST6Gal I also prevented galectin-1-induced clustering of CD45 on the T cell surface, an initial step in galectin-1 cell death. Thus, regulation of glycoprotein sialylation may control susceptibility to cell death at specific points during T cell development and peripheral activation.     

Alpha2,3 and alpha2,6 N-linked sialic acids facilitate efficient binding and transduction by adeno-associated virus types 1 and 6

Recombinant adeno-associated viruses (AAVs) are promising vectors in the field of gene therapy. Different AAV serotypes display distinct tissue tropism, believed to be related to the distribution of their receptors on target cells. Of the 11 well-characterized AAV serotypes, heparan sulfate proteoglycan and sialic acid have been suggested to be the attachment receptors for AAV type 2 and types 4 and 5, respectively. In this report, we identify the receptor for the two closely related serotypes, AAV1 and AAV6. First, we demonstrate using coinfection experiments and luciferase reporter analysis that AAV1 and AAV6 compete for similar receptors. Unlike heparin sulfate, enzymatic or genetic removal of sialic acid markedly reduced AAV1 and AAV6 binding and transduction. Further analysis using lectin staining and lectin competition assays identified that AAV1 and AAV6 use either alpha2,3-linked or alpha2,6-linked sialic acid when transducing numerous cell types (HepG2, Pro-5, and Cos-7). Treatment of cells with proteinase K but not glycolipid inhibitor reduced AAV1 and AAV6 infection, supporting the hypothesis that the sialic acid that facilitates infection is associated with glycoproteins rather than glycolipids. In addition, we determined by inhibitor (N-benzyl GalNAc)- and cell line-specific (Lec-1) studies that AAV1 and AAV6 require N-linked and not O-linked sialic acid. Furthermore, a resialylation experiment on a deficient Lec-2 cell line confirmed a 2,3 and 2,6 N-linked sialic acid requirement, while studies of mucin with O-linked sialic acid showed no inhibition effect for AAV1 and AAV6 transduction on Cos-7 cells. Finally, using a glycan array binding assay we determined that AAV1 efficiently binds to NeuAcalpha2-3GalNAcbeta1-4GlcNAc, as well as two glycoproteins with alpha2,3 and alpha2,6 N-linked sialic acids. Taken together, competition, genetic, inhibitor, enzymatic reconstitution, and glycan array experiments support alpha2,3 and alpha2,6 sialic acids that are present on N-linked glycoproteins as primary receptors for efficient AAV1 and AAV6 viral infection.     

α2-3- and α2-6- N-linked sialic acids allow efficient interaction of Newcastle Disease Virus with target cells

Receptor recognition and binding is the first step in the viral cycle. It has been established that Newcastle Disease Virus (NDV) interacts with sialylated molecules such as gangliosides and glycoproteins at the cell surface. Nevertheless, the specific receptor(s) that mediate virus entry are not well known. We have analysed the role of the sialic acid linkage in the early steps of the viral infection cycle. Pretreatment of ELL-0 cells with both α2,3 and α2,6 specific sialidases led to the inhibition of NDV binding, fusion and infectivity, which were restored after α2,3(N)- and α2,6(N)-sialyltransferase incubation. Moreover, α2,6(N)-sialyltransferases also restored NDV activities in α2-6-linked sialic acid deficient cells. Competition with α2-6 sialic acid-binding lectins led to a reduction in the three NDV activities (binding, fusion and infectivity) suggesting a role for α2-6- linked sialic acid in NDV entry. We conclude that both α2-3- and α2-6- linked sialic acid containing glycoconjugates may be used for NDV infection. NDV was able to efficiently bind, fuse and infect the ganglioside-deficient cell line GM95 to a similar extent to that of its parental MEB4, suggesting that gangliosides are not essential for NDV binding, fusion and infectivity. Nevertheless, the fact that the interaction of NDV with cells deficient in N-glycoprotein expression such as Lec1 was less efficient prompted us to conclude that NDV requires N-linked glycoproteins for efficient attachment and entry into the host cell.     

Biosynthesis of the glycoproteins present in plasma membrane, lysosomes and secretory materials, as visualized by radioautography

Synopsis The three major types of glycoproteins present in animal cells, that is, the secretory, lysosomal and plasma membrane glycoproteins, were examined with regard to the sites of synthesis of their carbohydrate side chains and to their subsequent migration within cells.The site at which a monosaccharide is added to a growing glycoprotein depends on the position of that monosaccharide in the carbohydrate side-chain. Thus, radiauutography of thyroid cells within minutes of the intravenous injection of labelled mannose, a sugar located near the base of the larger side-chains, reveals that it is incorporated in rough endoplasmic reticulum, whereas the more distally located galactose and fucose are incorporated in the Golgi apparatus. Recently [³H]N-acetylmannosamine, a specific precursor for the terminally located sialic acid residues, was shown to be also added in the Golgi apparatus. Presumably synthesis of glycoproteins is completed in this organelle.Radioautographs of animals sacrificed a few hours after injection of [³H]N-acetylmannosamine show that, in many secretory cells, labelled glycoproteins pass into secretory products. In these cells, as well as in non-secretory cells, the label may also appear within lysosomes and at the cell surface. In the latter site, it is presumably included within the plasma membrane glycoproteins whose carbohydrate side-chains form the cell coat. The continual migration of glycoproteins from Golgi apparatus to cell surface implies turnover of plasma membrane glycoproteins. Radioautographic quantitation of [³H]fucose label at the surface of proximal tubule cells in the kidney of singly-injected adult mice have shown that, after an initial peak, cell surface labelling decreases at a rate indicating a half-life of plasma membrane glycoproteins of about three days.     

Glycoengineering the N-acyl side chain of sialic acid of human erythropoietin affects its resistance to sialidase

Abstract During the last years, the use of therapeutic glycoproteins has increased strikingly. Glycosylation of recombinant glycoproteins is of major importance in biotechnology, as the glycan composition of recombinant glycoproteins impacts their pharmacological properties. The terminal position of N-linked complex glycans in mammals is typically occupied by sialic acid. The presence of sialic acid is crucial for functionality and affects the half-life of glycoproteins. However, glycoproteins in the bloodstream become desialylated over time and are recognized by the asialoglycoprotein receptors via the exposed galactose and targeted for degradation. Non-natural sialic acid precursors can be used to engineer the glycosylation side chains by biochemically introducing new non-natural terminal sialic acids. Previously, we demonstrated that the physiological precursor of sialic acid (i.e., N-acetylmannosamine) can be substituted by the non-natural precursors N-propanoylmannosamine (ManNProp) or N-pentanoylmannosamine (ManNPent) by their simple application to the cell culture medium. Here, we analyzed the glycosylation of erythropoietin (EPO). By feeding cells with ManNProp or ManNPent, we were able to incorporate N-propanoyl or N-pentanoyl sialic acid in significant amounts into EPO. Using a degradation assay with sialidase, we observed a higher resistance of EPO to sialidase after incorporation of N-propanoyl or N-pentanoyl sialic acid.     

Affinity chromatography of galactose containing biopolymers using covalently coupled Ricinus communis lectin to sepharose 4B

A galactose-specific lectin isolated from Ricinus communis beans has been covalently coupled to Sepharose 4B activated with cyanogen bromide. The immonolized lectin retains its polysaccharide-binding property. The Sepharoselectin can be used for the purification of polysaccharides containing terminal nonreducing galactose.Only a small fraction of “native fetuin’ and ‘native ceruloplasmin’ are retarded on Sepharose-lectin. On analysis it was observed that hey had a lower content of sialic acid as compared to the native and unbound glycoproteins (sialated fractions). However, on desialation, fetuin and ceruloplasmin were completely adsorbed to Sepharose-lectin. The asialoglycoproteins interact strongly with Sepharose-lectin as compared to ‘partially sialated glycoproteins’. This has been attributed to the exposure of galactose residues of these glycoproteins on enzymatic desialation. These experiments demonstrated that Sepharose-lectin interacts with glycoproteins through their terminal, nonreducing galactose. On the basis of these experiments it is suggested that Sepharose-lectin can be used as an analytical tool for separation of ‘fully sialated glycoproteins’ from the ‘partially sialated glycoproteins’.     

Intracellular trafficking of cell surface sialoglycoconjugates

Recent reports have suggested that the majority of the molecular traffic through the Golgi apparatus is comprised of recycling, rather than newly synthesized, molecules. To evaluate the importance of this recycling pathway in greater detail, we examined the internalization and recycling of cell surface glycoproteins on EL-4 cells, a murine T-cell lymphoma, using sialic acids as covalent markers. Sialic acids were removed from the surface of living cells by exhaustive treatment with Vibrio cholerae sialidase at 4 degrees C and shown to be derived primarily from glycoproteins (93%), with only a small amount from glycolipids (7%). Cells were recultured at 37 degrees C over time and monitored for the resialylation of the cell surface using a sensitive high pressure liquid chromatography adaptation of the thiobarbituric acid assay for sialic acids. The return of sialic acid to the cell surface was found to be contingent upon de novo protein synthesis indicating that the bulk of plasma membrane sialoglycoconjugates do not recycle to an endogenous sialyltransferase-containing compartment for oligosaccharide reprocessing. Identical results were found for K562 cells, a human erythroleukemia cell line. The movement of specific glycoproteins was followed using the enzyme rat liver alpha 2-6Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc sialyltransferase together with CMP-[3H]NeuAc as an impermeant probe of the cell surface. Surface sialoglycoproteins were internalized slowly, a process unaffected by cycloheximide treatment. Only a few of these internalized glycoproteins were found to return to a trans-Golgi compartment followed by recycling to the cell surface. Taken together, these data indicate that the majority of replacement of sialic acids on the cell surface is due to de novo synthesis of glycoproteins and that only a small number of glycoproteins recycle through a trans-Golgi compartment.     

Modification of blood-borne arrest properties of lymphoma cells by inhibitors of protein glycosylation suggests the existence of endogenous lectins

The requirement for intact carbohydrates of glycoproteins at the cell surface was investigated after treatment of lymphoma cells with compounds which interfere at different steps in N-linked glycosylation: swainsonine and 1-deoxynojirimycin act at different levels during the processing, so that complex oligosaccharides cannot be formed; 2-deoxyglucose, beta-hydroxynorvaline, and tunicamycin completely prevent the formation of N-linked (high-mannose as well as complex) oligosaccharides. The role of sialic acid was investigated by treating the cells with neuraminidase. These treatments resulted in altered patterns of surface-labelled glycoproteins after SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Blood-borne arrest of lymphoma cells in the spleen was sensitive to neuraminidase and to treatments interfering with the processing of complex N-linked oligosaccharides. It is suggested that carbohydrates are signals for cellular interactions involved in the recirculation and homing behaviour of lymphoid cells and probably interact with endogenous lectins at their site of homing.     

Binding of transmissible gastroenteritis coronavirus to cell surface sialoglycoproteins

The surface glycoprotein S of transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV) has two binding activities. (i) Binding to porcine aminopeptidase N (pAPN) is essential for the initiation of infection. (ii) Binding to sialic acid residues on glycoproteins is dispensable for the infection of cultured cells but is required for enteropathogenicity. By comparing parental TGEV with mutant viruses deficient in the sialic acid binding activity, we determined the contributions of both binding activities to the attachment of TGEV to cultured cells. In the presence of a functional sialic acid binding activity, the amount of virus bound to two different porcine cell lines was increased sixfold compared to the binding of the mutant viruses. The attachment of parental virus was reduced to levels observed with the mutants when sialic acid containing inhibitors was present or when the cells were pretreated with neuraminidase. In virus overlay binding assays with immobilized cell surface proteins, the mutant virus only recognized pAPN. In addition, the parental virus bound to a high-molecular-mass sialoglycoprotein. The recognition of pAPN was sensitive to reducing conditions and was not dependent on sialic acid residues. On the other hand, binding to the sialic acid residues of the high-molecular-mass glycoprotein was observed regardless of whether the cellular proteins had been separated under reducing or nonreducing conditions. We propose that binding to a surface sialoglycoprotein is required for TGEV as a primary attachment site to initiate infection of intestinal cells. This concept is discussed in the context of other viruses that use two different receptors to infect cells.     

Alpha 1- and beta 2-adrenergic receptors co-expressed on cloned MDCK cells are distinct glycoproteins

We have explored the molecular differences between alpha 1- and beta 2-adrenergic receptors that are co-expressed by a clonally-derived cell line, Madin-Darby canine kidney clone D (MDCK-D). MDCK-D membranes were pre-labeled with selective alpha 1- and beta-adrenergic radioligands and were then solubilized with the non-ionic detergent digitonin. Solubilized alpha 1- and beta 2-adrenergic receptors were retained by immobilized wheat germ agglutinin and were eluted following addition of N-acetyl-D-glucosamine or sialic acid. Both receptors were also retained by immobilized Limax flavus lectin, a sialic acid-binding lectin. Lectins that were specific for N-acetyl-D-glucosamine residues did not bind to these receptors. These results indicate that both alpha 1 and beta 2 receptors are sialylated glycoproteins. The solubilized alpha 1- and beta 2-adrenergic receptors migrated with different elution profiles from an Ultragel AcA 34 column. The apparent molecular sizes of the digitonin-receptor complexes were 68A for the alpha 1 receptor and 55A for the beta 2 receptor. These results show that alpha 1- and beta 2-adrenergic receptors can be present on the same cell as distinct sialic acid-containing glycoproteins.     

Binding of cationized ferritin to the cell-coat glycoproteins of human and rat small-intestinal absorptive cells

Summary The binding of cationized ferritin (CF) to the cell-coat (glycocalyx) glycoproteins of human and rat intestinal absorptive cells was investigated in relation to the amount of sialic acid in these macromolecules. The cell coat of human absorptive cells exhibited poor binding of CF and contained a small amount of sialic acid. The cell coat of rat absorptive cells had about ten times more sialic acid than that of human cells and showed a strong affinity for the marker. The removal of sialic acid from the cell-coat glycoproteins of rat intestinal cells by neuraminidase treatment abolished CF binding. These results suggest that sialic acid is necessary for CF binding and that human and rat intestinal absorptive cells show a species-specific difference in the sugar composition of the cell coat.     

Changes in the forms of invertase during germination of mung bean seeds

High levels of ‘alkaline’ invertase activity occur in dormant mung bean seeds. During germination this activity decreases rapidly and is replaced by high ‘acid’ invertase activity. Cycloheximide prevented the formation of the latter activity and also inhibited germination. It is suggested that de novo synthesis of ‘acid’ invertase occurs during germination. Both enzymes bind to concanavalin A and, hence, are presumed to be glycoproteins. Affinity-purified enzyme samples show similar ratios of ‘acid’ and ‘alkaline’ invertase activities to the crude preparations indicating that specific enzyme inhibitors or activators are probably not involved in controlling the activities in vivo.     

Inhibition of reovirus type 3 binding to host cells by sialylated glycoproteins is mediated through the viral attachment protein.

The interaction of mammalian reoviruses with sialylated glycoproteins was studied and found to be highly serotype specific in that attachment of type 3 Dearing reovirus to murine L cell receptors could be strongly inhibited by bovine submaxillary mucin (BSM), fetuin, and alpha 1 acid glycoprotein, albeit at different efficiencies, whereas attachment of type 1 Lang reovirus was inhibited only by fetuin. We subsequently demonstrated, by using reassortants between type 3 and 1 reoviruses, that inhibition of reovirus attachment to cell receptors was specified by the viral attachment protein gene S1. Using a solid-phase binding assay, we further demonstrated that the ability of reovirus type 3 or reassortant 1HA3 and the inability of reovirus type 1 or reassortant 3HA1 to bind avidly to BSM was a property of the viral S1 genome segment and required the presence of sialic acid residues on BSM oligosaccharides. Taken together, these results demonstrated that there is a serotype-specific difference in the ability of the reovirus attachment protein, sigma 1, to interact with sialylated oligosaccharides of glycoproteins. Interaction of reovirus type 3 with sialylated oligosaccharides of BSM is dramatically affected by the degree of O-acetylation of their sialic acid residues, as indicated by the findings that chemical removal of O-acetyl groups stimulated reovirus type 3 attachment to BSM, whereas preferential removal of residues lacking or possessing reduced amounts of O-acetyl groups per sialic acid molecule with Vibrio cholerae sialidase abolished binding. We also demonstrated that BSM was 10 times more potent in inhibiting attachment of infectious reovirus to L cells than was V. cholerae-treated BSM. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that sialylated oligosaccharides on host cells or erythrocytes may act as binding sites or components of binding sites for type 3 reovirus through a specific interaction with the virus attachment protein.     

Cell adhesion: More than just glue (Review)

The ability of cells to interact with each other and their surroundings in a co-ordinated manner depends on multiple adhesive interactions between neighbouring cells and their extracellular environment. These adhesive interactions are mediated by a family of cell surface proteins, termed cell adhesion molecules. Fortunately these adhesion molecules fall into distinct families with adhesive interactions varying in strength from strong binding involved in the maintenance of tissue architecture to more transient, less avid, dynamic interactions observed in leukocyte biology. Adhesion molecules are extremely versatile cell surface receptors which not only stick cells together but provide biochemical and physical signals that regulate a range of diverse functions, such as cell proliferation, gene expression, differentiation, apoptosis and migration. In addition, like many other cell surface molecules, they have been usurped as portals of entry for pathogens, including prions. How the mechanical and chemical messages generated from adhesion molecules are integrated with other signalling pathways (such as receptor tyrosine kinases and phosphatases) and the role that aberrant cell adhesion plays in developmental defects and disease pathology are currently very active areas of research. This review focuses on the biochemical features that define whether a cell surface molecule can act as an adhesion molecule, and discusses five specific examples of how cell adhesion molecules function as more than just 'sticky’ receptors. The discussion is confined to the signalling events mediated by members of the integrin, cadherin and immunoglobulin gene superfamilies. It is suggested that, by controlling the membrane organization of signalling receptors, by imposing spatial organization, and by regulating the local concentration of cytosolic adapter proteins, intercellular and cell-matrix adhesion is more than just glue holding cells together. Rather dynamic ‘conversations’ and the formation of multi-protein complexes between adhesion molecules, growth factor receptors and matrix macromolecules can now provide a molecular explanation for the long-observed but poorly understood requirement for a number of seemingly distinct cell surface molecules to be engaged for efficient cell function to occur.     

Nature of the Sendai virus receptor: glycoprotein versus ganglioside.

Gangliosides were compared with glycoproteins as potential receptors for Sendai virus by incorporating measured amounts of the glycoconjugates into lecithin-cholesterol liposomes and measuring binding by a hemagglutination assay with sheep erythrocytes. HeLa cell gangliosides showed no binding activity toward the virus up to 15 micrograms of sialic acid per 5 mumol of lecithin-cholesterol, whereas HeLa cell glycoproteins incorporated into similar liposomes caused avid virus binding below 1 microgram of sialic acid. These sialoglycoproteins could be separated from the bulk of cell proteins by multiple chloroform-methanol extractions. Purified rat brain gangliosides at a level of 120 micrograms of sialic acid in liposomes did not bind virus, whereas chloroform-methanol-extracted rat brain proteins caused only marginal binding. Bovine brain gangliosides differed slightly from the rat brain mixture in showing weak binding properties. Our results thus indicate that glycoproteins, rather than gangliosides, are the natural receptors for Sendai virus and that tissues differ as to the quantity of such protein receptors.     

Sialic acid functions in enterovirus 70 binding and infection

The interaction of viruses with host cell receptors is the initial step in viral infection and is an important determinant of virus host range, tissue tropism, and pathogenesis. The complement regulatory protein decay-accelerating factor (DAF/CD55) is an attachment receptor for enterovirus 70 (EV70), a member of the Picornaviridae, commonly associated with an eye infection in humans known as acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis. In early work, the EV70 receptor on erythrocytes, responsible for its hemagglutinating activity, was shown to be sensitive to neuraminidase, implying an essential role for sialic acid in virus attachment. Here, we extend these results to show that cell surface sialic acid is required for EV70 binding to nucleated cells susceptible to virus infection and that sialic acid binding is important in productive infection. Through the use of site-directed mutagenesis to eliminate the single N-linked glycosylation site of DAF and of a chimeric receptor protein in which the O-glycosylated domain of DAF was replaced by a region of the HLA-B44 molecule, a role in EV70 binding for the sialic acid residues of DAF was excluded, suggesting the existence of at least one additional, sialylated EV70-binding factor at the cell surface. Treatment of cells with metabolic inhibitors of glycosylation excluded a role for the N-linked oligosaccharides of glycoproteins but suggested that O-linked glycosylation is important for EV70 binding.     

Oligosaccharides as receptors for JC virus

JC virus (JCV) belongs to the polyomavirus family of double-stranded DNA viruses and in humans causes a demyelinating disease of the central nervous system, progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy. Its hemagglutination activity and entry into host cells have been reported to depend on an N-linked glycoprotein containing sialic acid. In order to identify the receptors of JCV, we generated virus-like particles (VLP) consisting of major viral capsid protein VP1. We then developed an indirect VLP overlay assay to detect VLP binding to glycoproteins and a panel of glycolipids. We found that VLP bound to sialoglycoproteins, including alpha1-acid glycoprotein, fetuin, and transferrin receptor, and that this binding depended on alpha2-3-linked sialic acids and N-linked sugar chains. Neoglycoproteins were synthesized by using ovalbumin and conjugation with oligosaccharides containing the terminal alpha2-3- or alpha2-6-linked sialic acid or the branched alpha2-6-linked sialic acid. We show that the neoglycoprotein containing the terminal alpha2-6-linked sialic acid had the highest affinity for VLP, inhibited the hemagglutination activity of VLP and JCV, and inhibited the attachment of VLP to cells. We also demonstrate that VLP bound to specific glycolipids, such as lactosylceramide, and gangliosides, including GM3, GD2, GD3, GD1b, GT1b, and GQ1b, and that VLP bound weakly to GD1a but did not bind to GM1a, GM2, or galactocerebroside. Furthermore, the neoglycoprotein containing the terminal alpha2-6-linked sialic acid and the ganglioside GT1b inhibited JCV infection in the susceptible cell line IMR-32. These results suggest that the oligosaccharides of glycoproteins and glycolipids work as JCV receptors and may be feasible as anti-JCV agents.