Membrane biogenesis in embryonal carcinomas: glycoproteins destined for the cell surface are delayed in a pre-Golgi compartment

Embryonal carcinoma and early embryonic cells assemble a family of unusually large and complex carbohydrates. These glycans are highly branched, repeating copolymers of the sugars galactose and N-acetylglucosamine, referred to as polylactosamines, and are frequently decorated with fucose, sulfate, and sialic acid. We have previously shown that in teratocarcinoma cells these glycans are part of a large spectrum of glycans assembled on mannose cores derived from a common precursor glycan. Metabolic studies revealed a large excess of high-mannose glycans at a time when complex-type glycans cease to accumulate. The present studies demonstrate that these high-Man glycans are not degraded internally or secreted directly but are on glycoproteins destined for the cell surface. These unprocessed glycoproteins replace material lost during the extensive membrane turnover that occurs in these cells. Their export to the cell surface is delayed in a pre-Golgi compartment.     

Heterogeneity of the complex N-linked oligosaccharides at specific glycosylation sites of two secreted carrot glycoproteins

The N-linked glycans from the 52/54-kDa medium protein and cell wall beta-fructosidase, two glycoproteins secreted by carrot suspension culture cells, were characterized. Carrot cells were labelled with [3H]glucosamine or [3H]fucose. The 52/54-kDa medium protein was isolated from the culture medium and beta-fructosidase from cell walls. The purified proteins were digested with trypsin and glycopeptides were isolated and sequenced. Glycans obtained from individual glycopeptides were separated by gel filtration chromatography and characterized by concanavalin A chromatography, by treatments with exoglycosidases and by sugar composition analysis. The 52/54-kDa medium protein and cell wall beta-fructosidase have one high-mannose-type glycan similar to those from yeast and animal glycoproteins. In addition, the 52/54-kDa medium protein has three complex-type and cell wall beta-fructosidase two complex-type glycans per polypeptide. The complex-type glycans isolated from individual glycosylation sites are fairly large and very heterogeneous. The smallest of these glycans has the structure [Xyl](Man)3[Fuc](GlcNAc]2Asn (square brackets indicating branching) whereas the larger ones carry additional sugars like terminal N-acetylglucosamine and possibly rhamnose and arabinose in the case of the 52/54-kDa medium protein and only arabinose in the case of cell wall beta-fructosidase. These terminal sugars are linked to the alpha-mannose residues of the glycan cores. The 52/54-kDa medium protein is secreted with large and homogeneous complex glycans, their heterogeneity originates from slow processing after secretion. The complex glycans from cell wall beta-fructosidase are processed before the enzyme is integrated into the cell wall.     

Transient expression of sialylated glycans during glycoprotein processing by embryonal carcinomas

Embryonal carcinoma and early embryonic cells express unusually large and complex carbohydrates on their surfaces that are lost during differentiation. These carbohydrates are composed of alternating galactose and N-acetylglucosamine residues and have either linear or branched architectures. Compared to the glycans expressed by many differentiated cells these glycans are poorly sialylated. However, metabolic studies reveal that there is a transient expression of sialylated glycans during the processing of glycoproteins by embryonal carcinomas. After a short pulse with mannose the major complex-type glycan is a biantennary glycan with two sialic acids. During subsequent chase periods this glycan species is replaced by unsialylated glycans that have elongated branches composed of alternating galactose and N-acetylglucosamine residues.     

Self-recognition of high-mannose type glycans mediating adhesion of embryonal fibroblasts

High-mannose type N-linked glycan with 6 mannosyl residues, termed "M6Gn2", displayed clear binding to the same M6Gn2, conjugated with ceramide mimetic (cer-m) and incorporated in liposome, or coated on polystyrene plates. However, the conjugate of M6Gn2-cer-m did not interact with complex-type N-linked glycan with various structures having multiple GlcNAc termini, conjugated with cer-m. The following observations indicate that hamster embryonic fibroblast NIL-2 K cells display homotypic autoadhesion, mediated through the self-recognition capability of high-mannose type glycans expressed on these cells: (i) NIL-2 K cells display clear binding to lectins capable of binding to high-mannose type glycans (e.g., ConA), but not to other lectins capable of binding to other carbohydrates (e.g. GS-II). (ii) NIL-2 K cells adhere strongly to plates coated with M6Gn2-cer-m, but not to plates coated with complex-type N-linked glycans having multiple GlcNAc termini, conjugated with cer-m; (iii) degree of NIL-2 K cell adhesion to plates coated with M6Gn2-cer-m showed a clear dose-dependence on the amount of M6Gn2-cer-m; and (iv) the degree of NIL-2 K adhesion to plates coated with M6Gn2-cer-m was inhibited in a dose-dependent manner by α1,4-L-mannonolactone, the specific inhibitor in high-mannose type glycans addition. These data indicate that adhesion of NIL-2 K is mediated by self-aggregation of high mannose type glycan. Further studies are to be addressed on auto-adhesion of other types of cells based on self interaction of high mannose type glycans.     

Isolation of a mutant Arabidopsis plant that lacks N-acetyl glucosaminyl transferase I and is unable to synthesize Golgi-modified complex N-linked glycans.

The complex asparagine-linked glycans of plant glycoproteins, characterized by the presence of beta 1-->2 xylose and alpha 1-->3 fucose residues, are derived from typical mannose9(N-acetylglucosamine)2 (Man9GlcNAc2) N-linked glycans through the activity of a series of glycosidases and glycosyl transferases in the Golgi apparatus. By screening leaf extracts with an antiserum against complex glycans, we isolated a mutant of Arabidopsis thaliana that is blocked in the conversion of high-manne to complex glycans. In callus tissues derived from the mutant plants, all glycans bind to concanavalin A. These glycans can be released by treatment with endoglycosidase H, and the majority has the same size as Man5GlcNAc1 glycans. In the presence of deoxymannojirimycin, an inhibitor of mannosidase I, the mutant cells synthesize Man9GlcNAc2 and Man8GlcNAc2 glycans, suggesting that the biochemical lesion in the mutant is not in the biosynthesis of high-mannose glycans in the endoplasmic reticulum but in their modification in the Golgi. Direct enzyme assays of cell extracts show that the mutant cells lack N-acetyl glucosaminyl transferase I, the first enzyme in the pathway of complex glycan biosynthesis. The mutant plants are able to complete their development normally under several environmental conditions, suggesting that complex glycans are not essential for normal developmental processes. By crossing the complex-glycan-deficient strain of A. thaliana with a transgenic strain that expresses the glycoprotein phytohemagglutinin, we obtained a unique strain that synthesizes phytohemagglutinin with two high-mannose glycans, instead of one high-mannose and one complex glycan.     

Glycoprotein biosynthesis in Dictyostelium discoideum: Developmental regulation of the protein-linked glycans

The biosynthesis of glycoprotein N-linked oligosaccharides in D. discoideum is initiated by the transfer of a large precursor glycan from a carrier lipid. The subsequent processing of this precursor is dramatically dependent upon the stage of development. In early development processing retains the high mannose structure of the precursor and modifies some glycans by addition of fucose to core sugars and sulfate and phosphate to others. These reactions are coordinately lost during aggregation. Processing in late development extensively trims the precursor and adds fucose to peripheral mannose units of the smallest glycans. These reactions appear coincident with formation of tips on cell mounds. Experiments in which cells were starved in shaken suspension suggest that intercellular contacts and cyclic AMP signals may be sufficient to cause the controlled expression of these two alternate sets of processing enzymes.     

Functional integrins from normal and glycosylation-deficient baby hamster kidney cells. Terminal processing of asparagine-linked oligosaccharides is not correlated with fibronectin-binding activity.

We have examined the properties of the alpha 5 beta 1 integrin of baby hamster kidney (BHK) cells, a ricin-resistant variant Ric14 lacking N-acetylglucosaminyl transferase I, and hence unable to complete assembly of hybrid- or complex-type N-glycans, and BHK cells treated with 1-deoxymannojirimycin (dMM), an inhibitor of Golgi mannosidases involved in the initial processing of N-glycan precursors. Comparable amounts of alpha 5 beta 1 integrin were isolated from these cells by chromatography of detergent extracts on a fibronectin cell-binding fragment affinity column and elution with EDTA. The alpha 5 beta 1 integrin obtained from normal BHK cells by fibronectin affinity chromatography contained mainly endoglycosidase H-resistant oligosaccharides, whereas in RicR14 cells or dMM-treated BHK cells these were entirely endoglycosidase H-sensitive. Analysis of lactoperoxidase labeled or long term biosynthetically 35S-labeled proteins from cultures of normal or glycosylation deficient cells showed similar steady state levels of alpha 5 beta 1 integrin and expression at the cell surface. Pulse-chase experiments in normal BHK cells showed rapid conversion of the alpha 5 subunit into a mature form containing oligosaccharides resistant to endoglycosidase H and slower maturation of a precursor beta 1 subunit, as in other cell types. In Ric14 cells the precursor beta 1 subunit was found to carry glycans larger than the fully processed Man5GlcNAc2 glycan of the mature subunit, indicating that the bulk precursor pool had not been translocated into the cis-Golgi compartment containing mannosidase I. We conclude that in BHK cells terminal oligosaccharide processing of alpha 5 beta 1 integrin subunits is not required for dimer formation, surface expression, and fibronectin binding, and that expression of the glycosylation defect of Ric14 cells on the alpha 5 beta 1 integrin does not account for the reduced adhesiveness of these cells on fibronectin compared with normal and dMM-treated BHK cells.     

A transient tobacco expression system coupled to MALDI-TOF-MS allows validation of the impact of differential targeting on structure and activity of a recombinant therapeutic glycoprotein produced in plants

Tobacco-based transient expression was employed to elucidate the impact of differential targeting to subcellular compartments on activity and quality of gastric lipase as a model for the production of recombinant glycoproteins in plants. Overall N-linked glycan structures of recombinant lipase were analyzed and for the first time sugar structures of its four individual N-glycosylation sites were determined in situ by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) on a trypsin digest without isolation or deglycosylation of the peptides. Three glycosylation sites contain both complex-type N-glycans and high-mannose-type structures, the fourth is exclusively linked to high-mannose glycans. Although the overall pattern of glycan structures is influenced by the targeting, our results show that the type of glycans found linked to a given Asn residue is largely influenced by the physico-chemical environment of the site. The transient tobacco system combined with MALDI-TOF-MS appears to be a useful tool for the evaluation of glycoprotein production in plants.     

Influence of culture medium supplementation of tobacco NT1 cell suspension cultures on the N-glycosylation of human secreted alkaline phosphatase

We report for the first time that culture conditions, specifically culture medium supplementation with nucleotide-sugar precursors, can alter significantly the N-linked glycosylation of a recombinant protein in plant cell culture. Human secreted alkaline phosphatase produced in tobacco NT1 cell suspension cultures was used as a model system. Plant cell cultures were supplemented with ammonia (30 mM), galactose (1 mM) and glucosamine (10 mM) to improve the extent of N-linked glycosylation. The highest levels of cell density and active extracellular SEAP in supplemented cultures were on average 260 g/L and 0.21 U/mL, respectively, compared to 340 g/L and 0.4 U/mL in unsupplemented cultures. The glycosylation profile of SEAP produced in supplemented cultures was determined via electrospray ionization mass spectrometry with precursor ion scanning and compared to that of SEAP produced in unsupplemented cultures. In supplemented and unsupplemented cultures, two biantennary complex-type structures terminated with one or two N-acetylglucosamines and one paucimannosidic glycan structure comprised about 85% of the SEAP glycan pool. These three structures contained plant-specific xylose and fucose residues and their relative abundances were affected by each supplement. High mannose structures (6-9 mannose residues) accounted for the remaining 15% glycans in all cases. The highest proportion (approximately 66%) of a single complex-type biantennary glycan structure terminated in both antennae by N- acetylglucosamine was obtained with glucosamine supplementation versus only 6% in unsupplemented medium. This structure is amenable for in vitro modification to yield a more human-like glycan and could serve as a route to plant cell culture produced therapeutic glycoproteins.     

In vitro mutated phytohemagglutinin genes expressed in tobacco seeds: role of glycans in protein targeting and stability.

Phytohemagglutinin is a glycoprotein that accumulates in the protein storage vacuoles of bean seeds. The mature glycoprotein has a high-mannose and a complex glycan. We describe here the use of site-directed mutagenesis and expression of the mutated genes in transgenic tobacco to study the role of glycans in intracellular targeting. The reading frame for phytohemagglutinin-L was mutated so that either one or both of the glycosylation signals were disrupted to specifically prevent the attachment of asparagine-linked glycans. Expression of these genes with the beta-phaseolin promoter in the seeds of transgenic tobacco plants showed that phytohemagglutinin-L with only one glycan or without glycans was correctly targeted to the protein storage vacuoles of the seeds. Furthermore, the absence of either the complex glycan or the high-mannose glycan did not alter the processing of the other glycan. On the basis of these results, we propose that the targeting signal of this vacuolar protein is contained in its polypeptide domain and not in its glycans.     

High-mannose glycans on the Fc region of therapeutic IgG antibodies increase serum clearance in humans

Glycan structures attached to the C(H)2 domain of the Fc region of immunoglobulin G (IgG) are essential for specific effector functions but their role in modulating clearance is less clear. Clearance is of obvious importance for therapeutic monoclonal antibodies (Mabs) as it directly impacts efficacy. Here, we study the impact of Fc glycan structure on the clearance of four therapeutic human IgGs (one IgG1 and three IgG2s) in humans. The therapeutic IgGs were affinity purified from serum samples from human pharmacokinetic studies, and changes to the glycan profile over time were determined by peptide mapping employing high-resolution mass spectrometry. Relative levels of high-mannose 5 (M5) glycan decreased as a function of circulation time, whereas other glycans remained constant. These results demonstrate that therapeutic IgGs containing Fc high-mannose glycans are cleared more rapidly in humans than other glycan forms. The quantitative effect of this on pharmacokinetic area under the curve was calculated and shown to be relatively minor for three of the four molecules studied, but, depending on the dosing regimen and the relative level of the high-mannose glycan, this can also have significant impact. High-mannose content of therapeutic Mabs should be considered an important product quality attribute which may affect pharmacokinetic properties of therapeutic antibodies.     

Asparagine-linked oligosaccharide processing in lepidopteran insect cells. Temporal dependence of the nature of the oligosaccharides assembled on asparagine-289 of recombinant human plasminogen produced in baculovirus vector infected Spodoptera frugiperda (IPLB-SF-21AE) cells

Previous studies from this laboratory have established that lepidopteran insect cells possess the glycosylation machinery needed to assemble N-linked complex-type oligosaccharides on Asn289 of recombinant human plasminogen (r-HPg). In the present paper, we show that the nature of N289-linked glycosylation of [R561E]r-HPg expressed in Spodoptera frugiperda (IPLB-SF-21AE) cells is dependent upon the length of time of infection of the cells with the recombinant baculovirus/HPg-cDNA construct. At the earliest postinfection (p.i.) time period studied, i.e., 0-20 h, virtually all (96%) of the oligosaccharides released with glycopeptidase F from N289 of the expressed r-HPg were of the high-mannose type and comprised nearly the full range of such structures, containing 3-9 mannose units. At a time window of 60-96 h, p.i., essentially all of the oligosaccharides (92% of the total) assembled on N289 of rHPg were of the biantennary, triantennary, and tetraantennary complex classes, with varying extents of outer arm completion. At an intermediate time period window, of 20-60 h, p.i., a mixture of complex-type oligosaccharides, totaling approximately 77% of the glycans, with various levels of branching and outer arm completion, and high-mannose type of oligosaccharides, totaling approximately 23% of the glycans, was assembled on N289 of the r-HPg produced. These studies demonstrate that lepidopteran insect cells contain the glycosyltransferase genes required for assembly of N-linked complex oligosaccharide and that these transferases are utilized under proper conditions. The time dependency of the assembly of complex-type oligosaccharides on r-HPg indicates that an activation of the appropriate glycosyl transferases and/or transferase genes can take place. Thus, one consequence of the infective process with the recombinant baculovirus/HPg-cDNA construct is to alter the normal glycosylation characteristics of insect cells and to allow complex-type oligosaccharide processing to occur.     

An engineered Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain binds the broadly neutralizing human immunodeficiency virus type 1 antibody 2G12 and elicits mannose-specific gp120-binding antibodies

The glycan shield of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) envelope (Env) protein serves as a barrier to antibody-mediated neutralization and plays a critical role in transmission and infection. One of the few broadly neutralizing HIV-1 antibodies, 2G12, binds to a carbohydrate epitope consisting of an array of high-mannose glycans exposed on the surface of the gp120 subunit of the Env protein. To produce proteins with exclusively high-mannose carbohydrates, we generated a mutant strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae by deleting three genes in the N-glycosylation pathway, Och1, Mnn1, and Mnn4. Glycan profiling revealed that N-glycans produced by this mutant were almost exclusively Man(8)GlcNAc(2), and four endogenous glycoproteins that were efficiently recognized by the 2G12 antibody were identified. These yeast proteins, like HIV-1 gp120, contain a large number and high density of N-linked glycans, with glycosidase digestion abrogating 2G12 cross-reactivity. Immunization of rabbits with whole Delta och1 Delta mnn1 Delta mnn4 yeast cells produced sera that recognized a broad range of HIV-1 and simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) Env glycoproteins, despite no HIV/SIV-related proteins being used in the immunization procedure. Analyses of one of these sera on a glycan array showed strong binding to glycans with terminal Man alpha1,2Man residues, and binding to gp120 was abrogated by glycosidase removal of high-mannose glycans and terminal Man alpha1,2Man residues, similar to 2G12. Since S. cerevisiae is genetically pliable and can be grown easily and inexpensively, it will be possible to produce new immunogens that recapitulate the 2G12 epitope and may make the glycan shield of HIV Env a practical target for vaccine development.     

Accumulation of free complex-type N-glycans in MKN7 and MKN45 stomach cancer cells

During the N-glycosylation reaction, it has been shown that 'free' N-glycans are generated either from lipid-linked oligosaccharides or from misfolded glycoproteins. In both cases, occurrence of high mannose-type free glycans is well-documented, and the molecular mechanism for their catabolism in the cytosol has been studied. On the other hand, little, if anything, is known with regard to the accumulation of more processed, complex-type free oligosaccharides in the cytosol of mammalian cells. During the course of comprehensive analysis of N-glycans in cancer cell membrane fractions [Naka et al. (2006) J. Proteome Res. 5, 88-97], we found that a significant amount of unusual, complex-type free N-glycans were accumulated in the stomach cancer-derived cell lines, MKN7 and MKN45. The most abundant and characteristic glycan found in these cells was determined to be NeuAcalpha2-6Galbeta1-4GlcNAcbeta1-2Manalpha1-3Manbeta1-4GlcNAc. Biochemical analyses indicated that those glycans found were cytosolic glycans derived from lysosomes due to low integrity of the lysosomal membrane. Since the accumulation of these free N-glycans was specific to only two cell lines among the various cancer cell lines examined, these cytosolic N-glycans may serve as a specific biomarker for diagnosis of specific tumours. A cytosolic sialidase, Neu2, was shown to be involved in the degradation of these sialoglycans, indicating that the cytosol of mammalian cells might be equipped for metabolism of complex-type glycans.     

Novel carboxylated N-glycans contain oligosaccharide-linked glutamic acid

We previously reported that N-glycans from bovine lung contain novel carboxylate groups. Here, we provide evidence that the carboxylated glycans contain glutamic acid. We labeled HeLa cells with [2,3-(3)H]glutamate and used a carboxylate-specific monoclonal antibody to enrich for the desired proteins. PNGaseF digestion of these proteins released labeled N-glycans with a free amino group and 1-3 carboxylates. Mild acid hydrolysis had no effect, but strong acid hydrolysis of the glycans released >80% of the (3)H as glutamate. Reducing the carboxylates to alcohols prior to hydrolysis eliminated the [(3)H]glutamate and generated [(3)H]4-amino 5-hydroxy pentanoic acid, suggesting that [(3)H]glutamate was linked to the glycan through its gamma-carboxyl. The glutamate-containing N-glycans resisted exoglycosidase digestion and oligosaccharide processing inhibitors greatly reduced [(3)H]glutamate incorporation. These results demonstrate that mammalian cells synthesize complex-type N-glycans with glutamate linked to their antennae, further expanding their potential for covalent or ionic interactions.     

Changes in surface glycopeptides after malignant transformation of rat liver cells and during the regression of hepatoma cells

Normal liver cells, Zajdela's hepatoma cells, and regressing hepatoma cells were metabolically labeled with either radioactive glucosamine or mannose. Glycopeptides obtained by exhaustive pronase digestion of these cells were compared after fractionation by gel filtration on Bio-Gel P-6. Chemical analysis, affinity chromatography on immobilized lectins, alkaline treatment, and susceptibility toward endo-beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase and tunicamycin revealed dramatic changes in the glycopeptide patterns of transformed cells during the recovery of normal phenotype. The most prominent feature was the presence on the surface of hepatoma cells of a large glycopeptide, which was absent from normal liver cells and disappeared almost completely during the regression of hepatoma cells. This large glycopeptide had a Mr of 70,000, contained essentially O-glycosidically linked glycan chains, and did not result from a hypersialylation. N-glycosidically linked glycopeptides, high-mannose, and complex-type oligosaccharides were present in distinct proportions according to the differentiation state. Transformation of liver cells led to a reduction of high-mannose type oligosaccharides and an increase in the degree of branching of complex-type oligosaccharides. In addition, "bisected" glycopeptides were present only on hepatoma cells. The pattern of N-linked glycopeptides of normal liver cells was recovered during the regression of hepatoma cells. The origin of glycopeptide differences between normal and transformed cells and the evidence of a relation between carbohydrate changes, in particular the appearance of a large glycopeptide, and tumorigenicity are discussed.     

Identification and characterization of a novel antigen complex on mouse mammary tumor cells using a monoclonal antibody against platelet glycoprotein Ic

The rat monoclonal antibody GoH3 identifies a complex of glycoproteins Ic and IIa on human and mouse platelets. The GoH3 epitope is located on glycoprotein Ic. A novel glycoprotein complex is identified by GoH3 on the surface membranes of mouse mammary epithelial tumor cells. This antigen complex is composed of glycoprotein Ic noncovalently associated with a monomor or a disulfide-linked multimer of a high molecular weight glycoprotein (Ic-binding protein (IcBP]. Glycoprotein Ic is synthesized as a large precursor with asparagine N-linked high mannose oligosaccharides. Processing of this precursor involves a proteolytic cleavage of the large polypeptides into two smaller disulfide-linked polypeptide chains, Ic alpha (heavy) and Ic beta (light), and conversion of the majority of the high mannose oligosaccharides into complex-type glycans. Likewise, glycoprotein IcBP is initially glycosylated with high mannose asparagine N-linked oligosaccharides which are processed to complex units in the mature form. Association of glycoprotein Ic with IcBP occurs within the cell soon after their synthesis. The kinetics of labeling show non-coordinate processing consistent with the idea that the concentration of glycoprotein Ic limits complex formation and the subsequent processing of glycoprotein IcBP.     

N-linked glycans of the human insulin receptor and their distribution over the crystal structure

The human insulin receptor (IR) homodimer is heavily glycosylated and contains a total of 19 predicted N-linked glycosylation sites in each monomer. The recent crystal structure of the IR ectodomain shows electron density consistent with N-linked glycosylation at the majority of sites present in the construct. Here, we describe a refined structure of the IR ectodomain that incorporates all of the N-linked glycans and reveals the extent to which the attached glycans mask the surface of the IR dimer from interaction with antibodies or other potential therapeutic binding proteins. The usefulness of Fab complexation in the crystallization of heavily glycosylated proteins is also discussed. The compositions of the glycans on IR expressed in CHO-K1 cells and the glycosylation deficient Lec8 cell line were determined by protease digestion, glycopeptide purification, amino acid sequence analysis, and mass spectrometry. Collectively the data reveal: multiple species of complex glycan at residues 25, 255, 295, 418, 606, 624, 742, 755, and 893 (IR-B numbering); multiple species of high-mannose glycan at residues 111 and 514; a single species of complex glycan at residue 671; and a single species of high-mannose glycan at residue 215. Residue 16 exhibited a mixture of complex, hybrid, and high-mannose glycan species. Of the remaining five predicted N-linked sites, those at residues 397 and 906 were confirmed by amino acid sequencing to be glycosylated, while that at residue 78 and the atypical (NKC) site at residue 282 were not glycosylated. The peptide containing the final site at residue 337 was not recovered but is seen to be glycosylated in the electron density maps of the IR ectodomain. The model of the fully glycosylated IR reveals that the sites carrying high-mannose glycans lie at positions of relatively low steric accessibility.     

The effect of Fc glycan forms on human IgG2 antibody clearance in humans

Several studies using a variety of approaches have investigated the impact of the Fc glycan structure on IgG clearance rates. Most, but not all, of these studies have concluded that glycan structural differences do not affect clearance. Here we investigated the impact of glycan on the clearance of a human antibody in humans. To monitor glycan-dependent changes, a human IgG2 was affinity purified in a single step from serum samples from a human pharmacokinetic study. The glycan profile from the purified antibody samples was determined by RP-HPLC/MS analysis of the 2-aminobenzamide-labeled glycans. Relative levels of high-mannose species (M6-M9) decreased over circulation time. Differences in the individual high-mannose structural isoform clearance rates were measured from extracted ion current profiles. Similar changes to the glycan profile could be achieved through incubation of the antibody in serum in vitro, suggesting that the changes observed in vivo were the result of glycan cleavage, not differential antibody clearance. These results confirm that antibody clearance is not significantly affected by the Fc glycan structure and provide evidence for the presence of circulating mannosidase activity in humans.     

Carbohydrate structure of the concanavalin A molecular variants of alpha-fetoprotein

The structure of the carbohydrate units of alpha-fetoprotein from fetal calf serum has been studied. Glycopeptides and oligosaccharides were prepared from alpha-fetoprotein by protease treatment and hydrazinolysis, respectively, and subjected to carbohydrate and amino acid analysis. Two N-glycosidic glycans are present in each alpha-fetoprotein molecule. These were separated into concanavalin A (ConA)-reactive and nonreactive species on ConA-Sepharose. Methylation analysis, Smith degradation, sequential exoglycosidase treatments, and sizing suggested that the major, ConA-nonreactive fraction is composed of triantennary and the minor, ConA-reactive fraction, of biantennary complex-type ConA-reactive and -nonreactive fractions of intact alpha-fetoprotein, respectively, and refractionated on Con A-Sepharose. The results indicate that 75% of alpha-fetoprotein molecules contain two triantennary complex-type glycans, 20% contain one triantennary and one biantennary glycan, and 5% contain two biantennary glycans. The last two molecular variants are bound to ConA. These results explain, at least in part, the previously found heterogeneity of alpha-fetoprotein with respect to charge and molecular size, and provide a biochemical basis for the differing reactivities toward ConA of alpha-fetoprotein from the yolk sac, fetal liver, and various tumors.