Granulocytic differentiation of HL-60 cells is associated with increase of poly-N-acetyllactosamine in Asn-linked oligosaccharides attached to human lysosomal membrane glycoproteins

HL-60 cells were induced to differentiate into granulocytic cells by dimethyl sulfoxide, and structures of Asn-linked oligosaccharides attached to lysosomal membrane glycoproteins (lamp-1 and lamp-2) were elucidated before and after differentiation. Lamp-1 and lamp-2 were immunoprecipitated from the cells after labeling with radioactive sugars, and glycopeptides were prepared. The structures of glycopeptides obtained after serial lectin-affinity chromatography were elucidated by endo-beta-galactoside and methylation analysis. Glycopeptides bound to tomato lectin-Sepharose were found to be tetraantennary oligosaccharides that contain two or three poly-N-acetyllactosaminyl chains, of which one side chain contains three or more N-acetyllactosaminyl repeats, whereas those bound to Datura stramonium agglutinin-Sepharose were found to be tetraantennary oligosaccharides containing one or two short poly-N-acetyllactosaminyl side chains. Glycopeptides that were not bound to concanavalin A, tomato lectin, or D. stramonium agglutinin were found to be triantennary oligosaccharides with a negligible amount of poly-N-acetyllactosaminyl side chains. Comparison of Asn-linked oligosaccharides from undifferentiated and differentiated HL-60 cells reveals the following features. First, the number of Asn-linked oligosaccharides containing poly-N-acetyllactosaminyl side chains increases dramatically with a concomitant decrease in less complex Asn-linked oligosaccharides after differentiation. Second, the number of poly-N-acetyllactosaminyl side chains per Asn-linked oligosaccharides increases significantly. These increases in poly-N-acetyllactosamine were associated with increased activity of UDP-GlcNAc:beta-D-Gal-beta 1----3-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase "extension enzyme," a key enzyme in the formation of poly-N-acetyllactosamines. Furthermore, the increased amount of poly-N-acetyllactosamine in lamp-1 and lamp-2 resulted in longer half-lives of lamp-1 and lamp-2 in differentiated HL-60 cells. These results suggest strongly that the differentiation of HL-60 cells into more phagocytic cells is associated with an increase in the complexity of Asn-linked oligosaccharides attached to lysosomal membrane glycoproteins, which in turn may play a role in stabilizing lysosomes.     

The polylactosaminoglycans of human lysosomal membrane glycoproteins lamp-1 and lamp-2. Localization on the peptide backbones

Lysosome membrane glycoproteins, lamp-1 and lamp-2, have been shown to contain 18 and 16 N-glycans, some of which are modified by poly-N-acetyl-lactosamine. We have localized the polylactosaminoglycans to specific sites on lamp-1 and lamp-2 purified from human chronic myelogenous leukemia cells. Polylactosaminoglycan-containing glycopeptides, obtained by trypsin, pepsin, and V8 protease digestion of the glycoproteins, were isolated by Datura stramonium agglutinin affinity chromatography, gel filtration, and reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography. The poly-N-acetyllactosaminyl structures of isolated glycopeptides were confirmed by the susceptibility of their released oligosaccharides to endo-beta-galactosidase. Amino acid analysis and sequencing demonstrated that polylactosaminoglycans were located at Asn-34, Asn-93 and/or Asn-102, and Asn-195 and/or Asn-200 in lamp-1, and at Asn-4 and/or Asn-10, and Asn-279 in lamp-2. These results indicated that only certain glycosylation sites can be selectively modified by poly-N-acetyllactosamine, and those sites may confer the requirement by beta 1----3-N-acetylglucosaminyl transferase.     

Purification of two glycoproteins expressing beta 1-6 branched Asn-linked oligosaccharides from metastatic tumour cells.

Increased branching at the trimannosyl core of 'complex-type' Asn-linked oligosaccharides has been observed in both human and murine tumour cells, and appears to be associated with enhanced metastatic potential in several murine tumour models [Dennis, Laferte, Waghorne, Breitman & Kerbel (1987), Science 236, 582-585]. The lectin leucoagglutinin (L-PHA) requires the-GlcNAc beta 1-6Man alpha 1-6Man-linked lactosamine antenna in complex-type oligosaccharides for high-affinity binding and can be used to detect these structures in glycoproteins separated on SDS/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis. The major L-PHA-binding glycoproteins in the highly metastatic lymphoid tumour cell line called MDAY-D2 were purified and resolved into two major species, termed P2A (110 kDa) and P2B (130 kDa). P2A had L-PHA-reactive Asn-linked oligosaccharides with polylactosamine sequences as well as a large component of sialylated O-linked carbohydrates. The glycoprotein showed structural characteristics similar to those of leukosialin (i.e. CD43), a glycoprotein previously identified on the surface of leukocytes. Based on monosaccharide compositional analysis and glycosidase digestions, P2B was found to be 50-60% Asn-linked oligosaccharide containing polylactosamine sequences and sialic acid. The N-terminal peptide sequence of P2B was determined to be very similar to that of murine lysosomal membrane glycoprotein (LAMP-1), a ubiquitous glycoprotein found largely in the lysosomal membranes but also in the plasma membrane of several murine and human tumour cell lines.     

Structures of sialylated fucosyl polylactosaminoglycans isolated from chronic myelogenous leukemia cells

Polylactosaminoglycans were isolated from human chronic myelogenous leukemia cells and their structures were elucidated. The lactosaminoglycan saccharides were isolated by hydrazinolysis and fractionated by QAE-Sephadex. The structures of fractionated oligosaccharides were analyzed by fast atom bombardment-mass spectrometry and methylation before and after treatment with specific exoglycosidases, such as alpha 2----3 specific neuraminidase. Based on these experiments, the structures of sialyl polylactosaminoglycans of chronic myelogenous leukemia cells were found to contain the following unique structure which is absent in normal mature granulocytes: (formula; see text) In addition to this, chronic myelogenous leukemia polylactosaminoglycans can be distinguished from normal granulocyte polylactosaminoglycans by the following characteristics. Leukemic polylactosaminoglycans are (a) shorter, (b) more highly sialylated and contain fully sialylated, tetrasialosyl polylactosaminoglycans, (c) are less fucosylated at C-3 of N-acetylglucosamine of polylactosaminyl side chains, and (d) contain a significant amount of sialyl Lex, NeuNAc alpha 2----3Gal beta 1----4(Fuc alpha 1----3)GlcNAc beta 1----3, structure. These results indicate that chronic myelogenous leukemia cells express unique polylactosaminoglycan structures which are distinct from normal mature granulocytes.     

Poly-N-acetyllactosaminyl O-glycans attached to leukosialin. The presence of sialyl Le(x) structures in O-glycans.

Poly-N-acetyllactosamine extension has been found in O-glycans in addition to N-glycans and glycosphingolipids. Attempts were made in HL-60 and K562 cells to determine the amount of poly-N-acetyllactosaminyl O-glycans in the major sialoglycoprotein, leukosialin. Leukosialin was immunoprecipitated from [3H]glucosamine-labeled HL-60 and K562 cells. Glycopeptides were prepared by Pronase digestion, and O-glycan-containing glycopeptides were isolated by affinity chromatography using Jacalin-agarose. The glycopeptides bound to Jacalin-agarose and those unbound were treated with alkaline borohydride, and the released O-glycans were fractionated by Bio-Gel P-4 filtration. Sequential glycosidase digestion of the O-glycans, with or without pretreatment by fucosidase or neuraminidase, revealed the following conclusions. 1) Leukosialin from HL-60 cells contains about 1-2 poly-N-acetyllactosaminyl O-glycan chains/molecule. 2) About 50% of these poly-N-acetyllactosaminyl O-glycans contain sialyl Le(x) termini, NeuNAc alpha 2-->3Gal beta 1-->4 (Fuc alpha 1-->3)GlcNAc beta 1-->R. The amount of sialyl Le(x) structure in leukosialin is roughly equivalent to that on cell surfaces of HL-60 cells. 3) Leukosialin from K562 cells, on the other hand, contains no detectable amount of poly-N-acetyllactosaminyl O-glycans. 4) The presence of poly-N-acetyllactosamine in O-glycans is dependent on the core 2 beta 1,6-N-acetylglucosaminyl transferase. 5) Jacalin-agarose binds to sialylated small oligosaccharides such as NeuNAc alpha 2-->3Gal beta 1-->3(NeuNAc alpha 2-->6) GalNAc but not the hexasaccharide NeuNAc alpha 2-->3Gal beta 1-->3(NeuNAc alpha 2-->3Gal beta 1-->4GlcNAc beta 1-->6) GalNAc. These results indicate that the formation of polylactosaminyl O-glycans and sialyl Le(x) structure in O-glycans is dependent on the core 2 formation.     

The poly-N-acetyllactosamines attached to lysosomal membrane glycoproteins are increased by the prolonged association with the Golgi complex.

The poly-N-acetyllactosamines on neutrophils and monocytes have been shown to serve as ligands for various selectins present on endothelial cells and platelets. We have previously shown that only a limited number of glycoproteins contain poly-N-acetyllactosamine and found that lysosomal membrane glycoproteins (lamps) are the major glycoproteins carrying poly-N-acetyllactosamine. In order to understand the reason why only certain glycoproteins can be modified by poly-N-acetyllactosamine, we have utilized 21 degrees C incubation conditions, which were previously shown to cause the accumulation of glycoproteins at the trans-Golgi. HL-60 cells were labeled with [3H]galactose at 21 or 37 degrees C for 6 or 24 h, and lamp-1 and lamp-2 were immunoprecipitated. Upon examination by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, each lamp from HL-60 cells incubated at 21 degrees C exhibited a much broader, slower migrating band than that isolated from the cells incubated at 37 degrees C. The number of N-glycans containing poly-N-acetyllactosamine, estimated by their binding to tomato lectin column, increased approximately 30-50% after incubation at 21 degrees C than incubation at 37 degrees C. The analysis of oligosaccharides released by endo-beta-galactosidase digestion demonstrates that the amount of side chains containing three or more N-acetyllactosamine repeats increased about 100% after incubation at 21 degrees C, and methylation analysis confirmed these results. The same analysis and the results obtained by ion-exchange chromatography also provided evidence that the N-glycans of lamps are sialylated at 21 degrees C as much as at 37 degrees C. Pulse-chase experiments using [35S]methionine labeling indicated that the time necessary for processing of lamps is much longer at 21 degrees C than at 37 degrees C. These results therefore indicate that incubation at 21 degrees C causes the lamps to reside longer within the Golgi complex, and such longer residence allows lamps to acquire more polylactosaminoglycan. These results also suggest that the time necessary for moving through the Golgi complex is a critical factor for poly-N-acetyllactosamine formation.     

The distribution of repeating [Gal beta 1,4GlcNAc beta 1,3] sequences in asparagine-linked oligosaccharides of the mouse lymphoma cell lines BW5147 and PHAR 2.1

The occurrence and distribution of the repeating disaccharide [Gal beta 1,4GlcNAc beta 1,3] in the different types of Asn-linked oligosaccharides in mouse lymphoma BW5147 cells have been studied. Glycopeptides were prepared from cells grown in medium containing [6-3H]galactose, and the bi-, tri-, and tetraantennary Asn-linked oligosaccharides were fractionated by serial lectin affinity chromatography on concanavalin A-Sepharose, pea lectin -Sepharose, leukoagglutinating phytohemagglutinin-agarose, and Datura stramonium agglutinin-agarose. As described in this report, the latter lectin binds glycopeptides that contain either the repeating N-acetyllactosamine sequence or an outer mannose residue substituted at C-2 and C-6 by N-acetyllactosamine. The isolated glycopeptides were subjected to methylation analysis, specific exoglycosidase treatments, and digestion with Escherichia freundii endo-beta-galactosidase. Our data indicate that approximately two-thirds of the tetraantennary and one-half of the triantennary Asn-linked oligosaccharides contain repeating N-acetyllactosamine sequences in at least one branch. Many of the repeating sequences contain an additional galactose residue linked alpha 1,3 to a penultimate galactose residue. By contrast, less than 10% of the biantennary oligosaccharides contain the repeating disaccharide. The distribution of the repeating N-acetyllactosamine unit was also examined in a cell line ( PHAR 2.1) that is deficient in UDP-GlcNAc:alpha-mannoside beta 1,6-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase. These cells are unable to synthesize tetraantennary and certain triantennary species and instead accumulate biantennary oligosaccharides. The total content of repeating N-acetyllactosamine units is greatly decreased in this line, and those that are present are found predominantly in triantennary Asn-linked oligosaccharides. These results demonstrate that the repeating N-acetyllactosamine sequence occurs commonly in complex-type Asn-linked oligosaccharides in BW5147 cells but is confined primarily to tri- and teraantennary species.     

Altered glycosylation of surface glycoproteins in tumor cells and its clinical application

Appearance of large Asn-linked sugar chains in the surface glycoprotein is one of the most widely found phenomena in malignant cells and is called the Warren-Glick phenomenon. Comparative study of the sugar chain structures of the surface glycoproteins of cultured cells and their malignant transformants revealed that the altered glycosylation is induced by enhancement of N-acetyl-glucosaminyltransferase V. The change seems to be highly correlated with the metastatic potential of tumor cells.     

岩藻糖糖链与肝癌细胞的迁移作用

通过凝集素印迹转移电泳和亲和层析技术,对岩藻糖糖基化蛋白在肝癌细胞中的作用进行了研究.在化学诱发的大鼠肝癌过程中, 分子质量在23 ku到40 ku范围内与荆豆凝集素(UEA)及扁豆凝集素(LCA)结合的岩藻糖糖基化蛋白显著减少, 诱癌至17～20周这些条带重新恢复,而分子质量为80 ku的条带却在诱癌过程中逐周增加.比较高、低转移性肝癌细胞的岩藻糖糖基化蛋白, 发现高转移性肝癌细胞具有多种增强的条带.利用橘果粉胞凝集素(AAL)和LCA亲和层析柱分离了这些岩藻糖基化糖蛋白, 并用这些糖蛋白直接作用于肝癌细胞,发现AAL-糖蛋白具有显著抑制肝癌细胞迁移的作用,迁移细胞数从对照的(100±4.9)%下降到(48.1±2.5)% (P＜0.01), LCA-糖蛋白也有类似作用.用胰酶和木瓜蛋白酶水解蛋白质部分后,形成的糖肽抑制肝癌细胞迁移的作用并不改变,甚至增强.此外直接用肝癌转移灶的组织测定了岩藻糖转移酶活性,发现α1,6岩藻糖基转移酶活性显著比正常肝组织高,而α1,3岩藻糖基转移酶活性没有显著的改变.用系列凝集素分析发现这些糖链主要能结合伴刀豆凝集素A, 也能结合E-型及L-型植物凝集素, 显示这种糖蛋白的糖链可能含有较多的高甘露糖型.这些结果提示糖链在诱癌过程中结构有了改变,使之在肝癌细胞的迁移和转移中起重要作用.     

Inhibition of processing of asparagine-linked carbohydrate chains on IgG2a by using swainsonine has no influence upon antibody effector functions in vitro

Removal of asparagine (Asn)-linked carbohydrate chains from IgG antibody molecules reduces their antibody effector functions such as C activation and FcR binding. We have prepared IgG2a mAb with modified structure of carbohydrate chains by treating the hybridoma cells with swainsonine, which inhibits the processing of Asn-linked carbohydrate chains at the site of action of mannosidase II. These antibodies have obtained the capacity to bind lentil lectin and have become sensitive to endoglycosidase H digestion, indicating the structural changes of oligosaccharides from complex type to hybrid type. They behaved in an identical manner to the normal IgG2a antibodies with regards to extracellular secretion, Ag-binding capacity, C-mediated hemolysis and FcR-mediated functions. Critical moieties of Asn-linked carbohydrate chains on IgG molecules to retain their antibody effector functions were discussed.     

Structural study of the sugar chains of human leukocyte cell adhesion molecules CD11/CD18.

Leu-CAMs (CD11/CD18) consisting of LFA-1, Mac-1, and p150/95 are leukocyte cell surface glycoproteins that are involved in various leukocyte functions. The asparagine-linked sugar chains were released as oligosaccharides from Leu-CAMs by hydrazinolysis. About 12 mol of sugar chains was released from 1 mol of Leu-CAMs. These sugar chains were converted to radioactive oligosaccharides by reduction with sodium borotritide and separated into neutral and acidic fractions by paper electrophoresis. All of the acidic oligosaccharides were converted to neutral ones by digestion with sialidase, indicating that they are sialyl derivatives. The neutral and sialdase-treated acidic oligosaccharides were fractionated by chromatography on lectin columns followed by Bio-Gel P-4 column chromatography. Structural studies of each oligosaccharide by sequential exo- and endoglycosidase digestion and by methylation analysis revealed that Leu-CAMs contain mainly high mannose type and high molecular weight complex type sugar chains. The latter sugar chains were of bi-, tri-, and tetraantennary complex types with the Gal beta 1----4(Fuc alpha 1----3)GlcNAc beta 1----and/or the Gal beta 1----3GlcNAc beta 1----groups together with the Gal beta 1----4GlcNAc group in their outer-chain moieties. In addition to these sugar chains, a small amount of monoantennary complex type and hybrid type sugar chains was found in Leu-CAMs. Furthermore, analysis of the asparagine-linked sugar chains released from the beta-subunit of Leu-CAMs by a series of lectin chromatography showed that subunit-specific glycosylation is not observed between the alpha- and beta-subunits of Leu-CAMs.     

The oligosaccharide moieties of the epidermal growth factor receptor in A-431 cells. Presence of complex-type N-linked chains that contain terminal N-acetylgalactosamine residues

The receptor for epidermal growth factor (EGF) in the human epidermoid carcinoma cell line A-431 is a glycoprotein of apparent molecular weight = 170,000. During biosynthesis, the receptor is first detected as a precursor of apparent Mr = 160,000. In this report we describe our studies on the structures of the oligosaccharide moieties of the mature receptor and its precursor. A-431 cells were grown in medium containing radioactive sugars and the radiolabeled receptors were purified by immunoprecipitation and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Radiolabeled glycopeptides were prepared from the purified receptor by proteolysis, and their structures were examined by a variety of techniques. The mature EGF receptor contains both complex-type and high mannose-type Asn-linked oligosaccharides in the approximate ratio of 2 to 1, while the precursor contains only high mannose-type chains. A number of experimental results demonstrate that the mature receptor does not contain oligosaccharides in O-linkage through N-acetylgalactosamine to either serine or threonine. The high mannose-type oligosaccharides in both precursor and mature receptor can be cleaved by endo-beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase H and occur in the mature receptor as Man9GlcNAc2 (6%), Man8GlcNAc2 (49%), Man7GlcNAc2 (25%), and Man6GlcNAc2 (20%), whereas, in the receptor precursor the high mannose chains occur primarily as Man8GlcNAc2 (70%). The complex-type oligosaccharides in the mature receptor are predominantly tri- or tetraantennary species and are unusual in several respects. (i) Many of the chains do not contain sialic acid, while the remaining chains contain 1-2 sialic acid residues. (ii) Half of the [3H] mannose-derived radioactivity was recovered as [3H] fucose and the remaining half as [3H] mannose, indicating that there may be an average of 3 fucose residues/chain. (iii) About one-third of the [3H] glucosamine-derived radioactivity in these glycopeptides was recovered as N-acetylgalactosamine and these residues are all alpha-linked and occur at the nonreducing termini. These data demonstrate that the complex-type Asn-linked oligosaccharides in the EGF receptor from A-431 cells contain sugar residues related to human blood type A. In light of other recent studies, these results suggest that in A-431 cells blood group determinants in surface glycoproteins are contained in Asn-linked but not O-linked oligosaccharides.     

Structural analysis of the asparagine-linked glycan units of the ZP2 and ZP3 glycoproteins from mouse zona pellucida

Zona pellucida (ZP), the extracellular glycocalyx that surrounds the mammalian egg plasma membrane, is a relatively simple structure consisting of three to four glycoproteins. In the mouse, the ZP is composed of three glycoproteins, namely ZP1 (200 kDa), ZP2 (120 kDa), and ZP3 (83 kDa). Extensive studies in this species have resulted in the identification of primary (mZP3) and secondary (mZP2) binding sites for spermatozoa. The two zona components are highly glycosylated containing N-linked and O-linked glycan units. In an attempt to characterize N-linked glycan units, mZP2 and mZP3 were purified and the N-linked carbohydrate chains were released by exhaustive digestion with N-glycanase. The released oligosaccharides (OSs) were radiolabeled by reduction with NaB3H4 and resolved by gel filtration on a column of Bio-Gel P-4. The OSs separated into several peaks indicating the presence of a variety of N-linked glycans. Interestingly, the radioactive peaks resolved from mZP2 and mZP3 were quite different, a result suggesting qualitative and quantitative differences in the glycans. The [SH]-labeled glycans present in mZP2 and mZP3 were pooled separately and fractionated by serial lectin chromatography. Experimental evidence included in this report strongly suggests that mZP3 (but not mZP2) contains polylactosaminyl glycan with terminal, nonreducing alpha-galactosyl residues. The mZP3 glycans eluted from the immobilized lectin columns were further characterized by lectin and sizing column chromatography before or after digestion with endo-/ exo-glycohydrolases. Data revealed the presence of a variety of OSs, including poly-N-acetyllactosaminyl, bi-, tri-, and tetraantennary complex-type, and high-mannose-type glycans. Taken together, these results provide additional evidence on the complex nature of the glycan chains present on mZP glycoconjugates.     

Beta-subunits of equine chorionic gonadotropin and lutenizing hormone with an identical amino acid sequence have different asparagine-linked oligosaccharide chains.

The glycoprotein hormones, equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG) and lutenizing hormone (eLH), possess a beta-subunit with an identical amino acid sequence. The Asn-linked oligosaccharide chains of eCG beta and eLH beta were quantitatively liberated as tritium-labeled oligosaccharides by hydrazinolysis followed by N-acetylation and NaB3H4-reduction. Paper electrophoresis in combination with sialidase digestion and solvolytic desulfation indicated that eCG beta contained neutral and sialylated oligosaccharides, while eLH beta contained neutral, sialylated, sulfated, and both sialylated and sulfated oligosaccharides. In addition, elution profiles on a Bio-Gel P-4 column of the neutralized oligosaccharide mixtures of eCG beta and eLH beta were different, indicating that the molecular masses of oligosaccharides of the two glycoproteins are different. Therefore, this suggests that the structures of the Asn-linked oligosaccharide chains of eCG beta and eLH beta are different although they have an identical amino acid sequence.     

The S-type lectin from calf heart tissue binds selectively to the carbohydrate chains of laminin.

We report that the S-type lectin in calf heart tissue, termed calf heart agglutinin (CHA), binds to immobilized mouse laminin in ligand blotting and solid-phase radioligand binding assays. When compared with other glycoproteins, radioiodinated CHA binds preferentially to immobilized laminin. The binding is saturable with a Kd of 9.2 x 10(-7) M and is competitively inhibited by nonradiolabeled CHA as well as a similar lectin from porcine heart tissue. Both lactose and N-acetyllactosamine are good inhibitors of binding to laminin but binding is not inhibited by heparin. Exoglycosidase treatments demonstrated that the binding of radioiodinated CHA to laminin is not dependent on terminal sialyl-, fucosyl-, beta- or alpha-linked galactosyl residues, whereas treatment of laminin with endo-beta-galactosidase significantly decreases the lectin binding. Thus, CHA binds selectively to the poly-N-acetyllactosamine chains on complex-type Asn-linked oligosaccharides in laminin.     

Sialyl Lewis(a): a tumor-associated carbohydrate antigen involved in adhesion and metastatic potential of cancer cells

Neoplastic transformation is often associated with characteristic changes in the expression of the sialyl Lewis(a) and sialyl Lewis(x) antigens, representing typical tumor-associated carbohydrate antigens. High amounts of sialyl Lewis(a) are present in human adenocarcinomas of the colon, pancreas and stomach. A growing amount of data suggests that this carbohydrate structure is the ligand for E-selectin. Sialylated Lewis structures present on the surface of tumor cells are carried by the carbohydrate chains of glycoproteins and glycolipids. There are several lines of evidence showing that sialyl Lewis(a) is responsible for the adhesion of human cancer cells to endothelium. E-selectin present on endothelial cells mediates these interactions. Selectins and their carbohydrate ligands can thus play an important role in the selective homing of tumor cells during metastasis. However, the presence of sialyl Lewis(a) antigen on the surface of tumor cells and their adhesion to E-selectin-expressing cells in in vitro adhesion assay by itself can not be directly related to metastatic properties of all cancer cells.     

Transfection with fragments of the adenovirus 12 gene induces tumorigenicity-associated alteration of N-linked sugar chains in rat cells

N-linked sugar chains of rat 3Y1 cells and their poorly tumorigenic (E1Y cells) and highly tumorigenic (CY1 cells) transformants carrying various adenovirus 12 gene fragments were quantitatively released as oligosaccharides from their membrane preparations by hydrazinolysis. After being fractionated by a series of immobilized lectin column chromatography, structures of oligosaccharides in each fraction were studied by sequential glycosidase digestion in combination with methylation analysis. All cells contain bi-, tri-, and tetraantennary complex-type oligosaccharides as well as high mannose-type oligosaccharides in different molar ratio. Expression of 2,4-branched triantennary oligosaccharides increased in both transformed cells. However, their contents were rather higher in poorly tumorigenic E1Y cells than in highly tumorigenic CY1 cells. In contrast, the increase of 2,6-branched triantennary and tetraantennary oligosaccharides was positively correlated to the tumorigenic potential of the transformed cells. The data indicate that glycosylation of cellular proteins is differently affected by the expression of specific regions of the adenovirus genome, and the combined action of E1 and E4 gene products is important for the expression of the GlcNAc beta 1----6Man group associated with tumorigenicity of the cells.     

Rice lectin: Physico-chemical and carbohydrate-binding properties

Rice seeds contain a 2-acetamido-2-deoxy- -glucose-specific lectin. It has an M_r of 36 000 and is composed of two identical, non-covalently bound subunits of M_r 18 000. Each subunit consists of two disulfide-linked polypeptide chains of M_rs 10 000 and 8000. The lectin activity is highly stable to several chemical denaturants and heat treatment. The lectin interacts with glycoproteins, which have either clustered O-linked oligosaccharides or N-linked oligosaccharides. The N-linked glycoproteins include high -mannose, hybrid and complex biantennary structures.     

LAMP-1 in CHO cells is a primary carrier of poly-N-acetyllactosamine chains and is bound preferentially by a mammalian S-type lectin

Recent studies indicate that some mammalian S-type lectins bind preferentially to oligosaccharides containing the repeating disaccharide [3Gal beta 1,4GlcNAc beta 1]n or poly-N-acetyllactosamine (PL) sequence. We report here our investigation on the distribution of these sequences in glycoproteins in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells and the interaction of glycoproteins containing PL chains with an immobilized S-type lectin (L14) from calf heart tissue. Our results demonstrate that PL chains are carried by a few high molecular weight glycoproteins which are bound by tomato-lectin Sepharose and one of these was precipitated by antibody to LAMP-1 (a lysosomal-associated membrane glycoprotein). More importantly, these high molecular weight glycoproteins, including LAMP-1, were bound with high affinity by L14. These results indicate that mammalian S-type lectins are highly specific in their interactions with glycoproteins and that LAMPs carry important recognition sequences for these lectins.     

Monoclonal antibody recognizing a determinant on type 2 chain blood group A and B oligosaccharides detects oncodevelopmental changes in azoxymethane-induced rat colon tumors and human colon cancer cell lines

Altered expression of ABH blood group substances is a common feature of human colorectal carcinoma, yet it remains unclear how these structural changes influence the biological properties of tumor cells. Azoxymethane-induced rat colon tumors display many features of the human disease, thereby providing a potentially useful model to study the role of blood group substances in colon cancer progression. We have prepared monoclonal antibodies to a microsomal fraction isolated from an azoxymethane-induced rat colon tumor and selected an antibody that detects cancer-associated changes. Monoclonal antibody (mAb) 3A7 recognizes a determinant on type 2 chain blood group A (GalNAcα1–3[Fucα1–2]Galβ1–4GlcNAc-R) and B (Galα1–3[Fucα1–2]Galβ1–4GlcNAc-R) oligosaccharides. Expression of the epitope detected by this antibody was developmentally regulated in rat colon, with maximal expression from day 4–21 after birth. Immunohistochemical staining and Western blotting analyses of azoxymethane-induced colon tumors revealed increased expression of the epitope in all of the 21 colonic tumors examined, including preneoplastic glands within transitional mucosa. Conventional and signet-ring adenocarcinomas that had invaded through the muscularis propria (Duke's B2) consistently showed the most intense staining with mAb 3A7, including regions depicting angioinvasion. Some of the lymph node metastases (Duke's C2) stained poorly with the antibody. The epitope was also expressed in blood group A positive human colon carcinoma cell lines, including HT29 and SW480 but not by SW620, a cell line derived from a lymph node metastasis isolated in vivo from the SW480 primary tumor, or in the blood group B cell line SW1417. The glycoproteins detected by mAb 3A7 in rat colon tumors and HT29 cells ranged in size between 50 and 200 kd, including a major species of 140 kd. Affinity chromatography of detergent lysates of normal rat colon on the blood group A specific lectin Dolichos biflorus (DBA)-agarose resulted in nearly quantitative binding of glycoprotein species detected by the antibody. By contrast, immunoreactive glycoproteins from rat colon tumors or HT29 cells bound poorly to DBA-agarose but were retained by another blood group A-binding lectin, Helix-pomatia (HPA)-agarose. These results indicate that colon carcinogenesis results in quantitative as well as qualitative changes in oligosaccharides detected by mAb 3A7 and suggest that the combined use of mAb 3A7 and blood group A-specific lectins may provide a useful tool for early detection of colon cancer.