Human natural killer cells and cytotoxic T lymphocytes require cell surface carbohydrate determinants for lytic function

Cloned and uncloned populations of natural killer (NK) cells and cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) were treated with tunicamycin, an antibiotic that inhibits N-linked glycosylation, in order to study the potential role of cell surface carbohydrate determinants in lytic function. It is shown that tunicamycin-treated NK and CTL effector cells lose killer function in a dose-dependent manner. This effect is reversible; cells washed free of tunicamycin begin to recover their killer activity within 2 to 3 days after initial treatment. Conjugate experiments indicate that killer-target cell binding is not affected by tunicamycin treatment of the NK cells. It is also shown that tunicamycin treatment of target cells does not significantly affect their ability to be lysed by NK or CTL effector cells. These studies provide evidence that carbohydrate determinants are important in the lytic mechanism of both CTL and NK cells, rather than in specific effector-target cell binding.     

Glycosylation of CD4. Tunicamycin inhibits surface expression

The T-cell surface glycoprotein CD4 plays an important role in mediating cellular immunity and serves as the receptor for human immunodeficiency virus. We have examined the glycosylation of CD4 and asked whether carbohydrate addition is essential for proper expression of the glycoprotein on the cell membrane. Under conditions where treatment of CD4+ human acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells (CEM-CM3 cells) with the glycosylation inhibitor tunicamycin decreased surface expression of CD4 in a time- and concentration-dependent manner, the surface expression of several other glycoproteins was unaffected. Incubation with tunicamycin for 48 h inhibited mannose incorporation by 98%, caused a 76% decrease in CD4 surface expression as judged by flow cytometry, and had little effect on methionine incorporation. Scatchard analysis showed a decrease in the total number of CD4 molecules on the cell surface from 17,000 to 8,900 after 24 h of tunicamycin treatment. Immunoprecipitation of metabolically labeled CD4 revealed the presence of an unglycosylated precursor in tunicamycin-treated cells. The observed difference between the Mr of the glycoprotein and its precursor is consistent with glycosylation at two potential N-linked sites. However, this precursor could not be detected by measuring steady state levels by immunoblotting. Also, no intracellular accumulation of CD4 in tunicamycin-treated cells was detectable using immunofluorescence microscopy. We conclude that surface expression of CD4 depends on glycosylation of the protein and that the unglycosylated precursor is preferentially degraded.     

N-linked oligosaccharides are not involved in the function of a cell-cell binding glycoprotein E-cadherin

E-cadherin is a Ca2+-dependent cell-cell adhesion molecule identified as a glycoprotein with a molecular weight (MW) of 124,000. To study the role of the sugar moieties of this adhesion molecule, we tested the effect of tunicamycin on aggregation mediated by E-cadherin of teratocarcinoma cells. Immunoblot analysis using a monoclonal antibody to E-cadherin showed that in cells treated with tunicamycin this adhesion molecule is converted into two forms with MW of 118,000 and 131,000. The smaller one was exposed on the cell surface and showed a trypsin sensitivity characteristic to E-cadherin, suggesting that this is the peptide moiety of E-cadherin whose glycosylation with N-linked oligosaccharides was blocked by tunicamycin. The larger one was not removed by trypsin treatment of cells, suggesting an intracellular location. These tunicamycin-treated cells aggregated in a Ca2+-dependent manner, and the aggregation was inhibited by a monoclonal antibody to E-cadherin. These results suggested that N-linked oligosaccharides are not involved in the functional sites of this adhesion molecule.     

Target cell recognition structures in LDCC and ODCC

Cytotoxic T lymphocyte effector cells specific for a defined class I antigen can kill target cells displaying a wide range of different class I proteins in the presence of certain lectins and oxidizing agents. However, optimal lysis of the target cell (TC) still requires interaction of the CTL with the TC class I proteins. This raises the question of how the lectin or oxidizing agent alters the system in such a way that an "inappropriate" CTL-TC interaction takes place, in a class I-dependent manner. In this study we show that if papain-sensitive molecules are cleared from the TC surface and are allowed to regenerate in the presence of tunicamycin, the cells still serve as targets in direct, class I antigen-specific CTL killing, but not in LDCC or ODCC. Target cells treated in this way display N-linked carbohydrate-less class I proteins, and presumably other N-linked carbohydrate-less, papain-sensitive molecules as well. We present data showing that both types of molecules are important in nonspecific lytic reactions.     

Effect of tunicamycin on hexose transport in mouse embryo fibroblast Swiss 3T3 cells

The role of glycosylation of the carrier in the transporting activity was investigated in Swiss 3T3 cells. Inhibition of protein glycosylation by tunicamycin resulted in the decrease of hexose uptake in a dose- and time-dependent manner without a cytotoxic effect. From kinetic analysis, a decrease in the number or availability of hexose carriers in the plasma membrane was suggested. This was in good correlation with the decrease in the amount of photoaffinity cytochalasin B binding in the plasma membrane by the treatment with tunicamycin. The rate of phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate-induced translocation of the hexose carrier from microsomal to plasma membrane was reduced in tunicamycin-treated cells, which may be correlated with the decrease in the number of the completely glycosylated carrier translocatable from the microsomal membrane. In both tunicamycin-treated and untreated cells, the stimulation of hexose transport by phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate was abolished by the removal of phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate, and upon its readdition the stimulation recovered to the same degree as before the removal. Thus, the recycling of the functionally mature hexose carrier appeared not to be affected by the treatment with tunicamycin. These results suggested that complete glycosylation of the carrier may be necessary for the translocation of the carrier from microsomal to plasma membrane to accomplish its function on the cell surface.     

Inhibition of N-linked glycosylation in Dictyostetium discoideum: Effects of aggregate formation

The aggregation program of Dictyostelium discoideum is extremely sensitive to the effects of tunicamycin when the drug is added to cells during the first few hours of starvation. Inhibition of development is observed with concentrations as low as 0.5 micrograms/ml, which cause only a 25%-30% inhibition of general N-linked glycosylation. However, 0.5 micrograms/ml tunicamycin can result in the total inhibition of N-linked glycosylation of specific, developmentally regulated, proteins, as exemplified by the glycoprotein 117 antigen. If added after the first hours of starvation, tunicamycin cannot inhibit aggregation even when present at 10 micrograms/ml, which maximally inhibits N-linked glycosylation. cAMP pulses can override the inhibitory effects of tunicamycin on cell aggregation. The data support the hypothesis that there is an early developmental pathway that is dependent on the N-linked glycosylation of one, or a small set of developmentally regulated proteins and that this pathway may involve the biogenesis of the chemotactic signalling system. In addition, the data raise questions as to the role of N-linked oligosaccharides in cell cohesion.     

地衣霉素对细胞膜表面运铁蛋白受体功能的影响

应用抑制糖蛋白Ｎ－糖链合成的地衣霉素处理ＳＭＭＣ－７７２１人肝癌细胞,３Ｈ甘露糖掺入实验显示细胞膜表面糖蛋白Ｎ－糖链的合成受到显著抑制,但细胞膜表面运铁蛋白受体内吞再循环的过程无显明变化,进一步的研究表明受体与运铁蛋白的亲和力亦无改变,但细胞膜表面运铁蛋白受体数减少。结果提示用地衣霉素处理细胞后,在内质网合成的无Ｎ－糖链的运铁蛋白受体影响其运输到细胞膜表面表达。     

Maturation and secretion of lipoprotein lipase in cultured adipose cells. II. Effects of tunicamycin on activation and secretion of the enzyme

The effects of N-linked glycosylation on the activation and secretion of lipoprotein lipase were studied in Ob17 cells. The cells were first depleted of any activity and enzyme content by cycloheximide treatment and of precursors of oligosaccharide chains by tunicamycin. The repletion of lipoprotein lipase content was studied in these cells maintained in the presence of tunicamycin after cycloheximide removal. During the repletion phase, the EC50 values of inhibition by tunicamycin (approx. 0.2 microgram/ml) of the incorporation of labeled glucose, mannose or galactose into trichloroacetic acid-insoluble material were found to be identical. Under these conditions, the rate of protein synthesis was maximally decreased by 30%. The results showed clearly that the recovery in lipoprotein lipase activity was parallel to the recovery in hexose incorporation, no activity being recovered in the absence of glycosylation. An inactive form of lipoprotein lipase from tunicamycin-treated cells was detected by competition experiments with mature active lipoprotein lipase for the binding to immobilized antilipoprotein lipase antibodies, as well as by immunofluorescence staining. SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and Western blots of cellular extracts and of extracellular media, obtained after tunicamycin-treated cells were exposed to heparin, revealed a single immunodetectable Mr 52 000 protein, whereas a single Mr 57 000 protein was detected in control cells. Therefore, the results indicate that the acquisition by lipoprotein lipase of a catalytically active conformation is linked directly or indirectly to glycosylation. Despite this lack of activation, the lipoprotein lipase molecule was able to migrate intracellularily and to undergo secretion after heparin stimulation of the tunicamycin-treated cells.     

Glycosylation of the epidermal growth factor receptor in A-431 cells. The contribution of carbohydrate to receptor function

A-431 cells were treated with inhibitors of either N-linked glycosylation (tunicamycin or glucosamine) or of N-linked oligosaccharide processing (swainsonine or monensin) to examine the glycosylation of epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptors and to determine the effect of glycosylation modification on receptor function. The receptor was found to be an Mr = 130,000 polypeptide to which a relatively large amount of carbohydrate is added co-translationally in the form of N-linked oligosaccharides. Processing of these oligosaccharides accounts for the 10,000-dalton difference in electrophoretic migration between the Mr = 160,000 precursor and Mr = 170,000 mature forms of the receptor. No evidence was found for O-linked oligosaccharides on the receptor. Mr = 160,000 receptors resulting from swainsonine or monensin treatment were present on the cell surface and retained full function, as judged by 125I-EGF binding to intact cells and detergent-solubilized extracts and by in vitro phosphorylation in the absence or presence of EGF. On the other hand, when cells were treated with tunicamycin or glucosamine, ligand binding was reduced by more than 50% in either intact cells or solubilized cell extracts. The Mr = 130,000 receptors synthesized in the presence of these inhibitors were not found on the cell surface. In addition, no Mr = 130,000 phosphoprotein was detected in the in vitro phosphorylation of tunicamycin or glucosamine-treated cells. It appears, therefore, that although terminal processing of N-linked oligosaccharides is not necessary for proper translocation or function of the EGF receptor, the addition of N-linked oligosaccharides is required.     

TGF-β sensitivity is determined by N-linked glycosylation of the type II TGF-β receptor

N-linked glycosylation is a critical determinant of protein structure and function, regulating processes such as protein folding, stability and localization, ligand-receptor binding and intracellular signalling. TβRII [type II TGF-β (transforming growth factor β) receptor] plays a crucial role in the TGF-β signalling pathway. Although N-linked glycosylation of TβRII was first demonstrated over a decade ago, it was unclear how this modification influenced TβRII biology. In the present study, we show that inhibiting the N-linked glycosylation process successfully hinders binding of TGF-β1 to TβRII and subsequently renders cells resistant to TGF-β signalling. The lung cancer cell line A549, the gastric carcinoma cell line MKN1 and the immortal cell line HEK (human embryonic kidney)-293 exhibit reduced TGF-β signalling when either treated with two inhibitors, including tunicamycin (a potent N-linked glycosylation inhibitor) and kifunensine [an inhibitor of ER (endoplasmic reticulum) and Golgi mannosidase I family members], or introduced with a non-glycosylated mutant version of TβRII. We demonstrate that defective N-linked glycosylation prevents TβRII proteins from being transported to the cell surface. Moreover, we clearly show that not only the complex type, but also a high-mannose type, of TβRII can be localized on the cell surface. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that N-linked glycosylation is essentially required for the successful cell surface transportation of TβRII, suggesting a novel mechanism by which the TGF-β sensitivity can be regulated by N-linked glycosylation levels of TβRII.     

Lysis of target cells infected with vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) in the presence of tunicamycin by anti-VSV cytotoxic T lymphocytes

We have analyzed the requirement for the expression of the major surface glycoprotein (G protein) of vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) on target cells for recognition and lysis by anti-VSV cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL). In addition, we have attempted to determine if the carbohydrate moieties on the G protein are required for recognition and lysis by anti-VSV CTL. When VSV (Orsay) is grown at 30 degrees C in the presence of tunicamycin (TM), glycosylation of G protein is inhibited; however, nonglycosylated G protein is found on the surface of the cell and active virus particles are produced. In contrast, VSV (Orsay) grown at 39 degrees C in the presence of TM produces low titers of virus and the presence of G protein on the surface of cells is not detectable. The susceptibility of these target cells to lysis by anti-VSV CTL was analyzed. The results suggest that expression of the G protein is required for target cell lysis by anti-VSV CTL. However, the presence of the carbohydrate moieties on the G protein are nt an absolute requirement for recognition by anti-VSV CTL. VSV-infected target cells incubated in the presence of TM were lysed by anti-VSV CTL up to 50 to 80% of the infected target cell control. This result suggests either that some clones of anti-VSV CTL recognize carbohydrate moieties or that carbohydrate moieties play some as yet undefined nonantigenic role in the recognition of the target antigen by the CTL receptor.     

Two-step glycosylation of the contact site A protein of Dictyostelium discoideum and transport of an incompletely glycosylated form to the cell surface

Two different types of oligosaccharides, designated type 1 and 2 carbohydrate residues, are present on the contact site A molecule, an 80-kDa glycoprotein involved in the formation of EDTA-stable cell adhesion during cell aggregation in Dictyostelium discoideum. The first precursor detected by pulse-chase labeling with [35S]methionine was a 68-kDa glycoprotein carrying type 1 carbohydrate. Conversion of the precursor into the 80-kDa form occurred simultaneously with the addition of type 2 carbohydrate. Tunicamycin inhibited type 1 glycosylation more efficiently than type 2 glycosylation. The first precursor detected in tunicamycin-treated cells by pulse-chase labeling was a 53-kDa protein lacking both carbohydrates, which was converted through addition of type 2 carbohydrate into a 66-kDa final product. Labeling of intact cells indicated that this 66-kDa glycoprotein is transported to the cell surface. Prolonged treatment with tunicamycin resulted in the accumulation within the cells of the 53-kDa precursor with no detectable exposure of this protein on the cell surface. It is concluded that type 1 carbohydrate, which is cotranslationally added in N-glycosidic linkages, is neither required for transport of the protein to the Golgi apparatus nor for type 2 glycosylation or protection of the protein against proteolytic degradation. Incapability of tunicamycin-treated cells of forming EDTA-stable cell contacts suggests a role for type 1 carbohydrate in cell adhesion. Type 2 carbohydrate is added posttranslationally. It is required in the absence of type 1 glycosylation for transport of the protein to the cell surface.     

Inhibition of N-linked glycosylation causes apoptosis in hamster BHK21 cells

The tsBN7 cell line is one of the temperature-sensitive mutants for cell proliferation derived from hamster BHK21 cell line. It has a mutation in the DAD1 gene and enters apoptosis at the restrictive temperature of 39 degrees C. The defect of Dad1p causes a loss of N-linked glycosylation; therefore, it was thought that an inhibition of N-linked glycosylation induced apoptosis.However, tunicamycin, a potent inhibitor of N-linked glycosylation, had not caused apoptosis in wild-type BHK21 cells. In order to clarify this discrepancy, wild-type BHK21 cells treated with tunicamycin and tsBN7 cells incubated at 39.5 degrees C were examined by the annexin V staining and TUNEL methods. Both methods showed that tunicamycin induces apoptosis in wild-type BHK21 cells, similar to the defect of Dad1p. Thus, we concluded that loss of N-linked glycosylation causes apoptosis.     

Effects of tunicamycin on thin-section and freeze-fracture images of microvilli of the duodenal epithelial cells of the mouse

Summary The effect of tunicamycin, which is known to inhibit the synthesis of N-linked glycoprotein, on the duodenal absorptive epithelial cell of the mouse was studied in thin-section as well as freeze-fracture images. In tunicamycin-treated animals, the apical part of the epithelial cell was almost negative to the PAS reaction. Moreover, microvilli of the epithelial cell became shorter, larger in diameter, and fewer in number in tunicamycin-treated mice. In addition, freeze-fracture images revealed that the population density of membrane particles of the microvillus membrane was lowered by tunicamycin treatment. These results may indicate that the inhibition of synthesis of N-linked glycoprotein causes a decrease of membrane supply from the Golgi apparatus to the apical plasma membrane.This study was supported by grants from the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture.     

Effects of tunicamycin on the expression and function of formyl peptide chemotactic receptors of differentiated HL-60 cells

We previously showed that formyl peptide chemotactic receptors (FPCR) of human phagocytic cells contain at least two asparagine-linked oligosaccharide chains located at the distal end of the receptor. The requirement of these N-linked oligosaccharide chains for expression and function of FPCR was investigated in HL-60 cells induced to differentiate by N6,O2-dibutyryladenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (Bt2cAMP) in the presence or absence of 5 micrograms/ml tunicamycin. Tunicamycin did not prevent the changes in morphology associated with Bt2cAMP-induced differentiation of HL-60 cells. Autoradiographic analysis after SDS-PAGE of FPCR affinity labeled with N-formyl-Nle-Leu-Phe-Nle-[125I]iodo-Tyr-Lys (formyl 125I-hexapeptide) and ethylene glycol bis(succinimidyl succinate) demonstrated that greater than 95% of FPCR expressed by tunicamycin-treated cells completely lacked N-linked oligosaccharide (Mr 32,000), and no fully glycosylated FPCR (Mr 62,000 to 85,000) was detectable. Scatchard analysis of formyl 125I-hexapeptide binding indicated the presence of two classes of binding sites for both control and tunicamycin-treated cells (control cells, 82,000 +/- 32,000 sites/cell with Kd 10.0 +/- 4.3 nM and 520,000 +/- 40,000 sites/cell with Kd 250 +/- 80 nM; tunicamycin-treated cells, 11,000 +/- 5000 sites/cell with Kd 3.0 +/- 1.9 nM and 470,000 +/- 70,000 sites/cell with Kd of 500 +/- 140 nM). Both control and tunicamycin-treated cells augmented superoxide anion release, exhibited a migratory response, and showed a transient rise in intracellular free Ca2+ upon stimulation with N-formyl-Nle-Leu-Phe. However, the responses of the tunicamycin-treated cells were less than that of the control cells. The present studies demonstrate that N-glycosylation of FPCR is not essential for cell surface expression or for several FPCR-mediated cell responses.     

The nature of hemopoietic histocompatibility determinants. Differential sensitivity of Hh-1b and H-2b determinants to tunicamycin

NK cell-dependent resistance of F1 hybrid mice to parental H-2b hemopoietic allografts is directed to cell surface structures controlled by the Hh-1 locus in or near the H-2D region. Crucial to an understanding of this enigmatic phenomenon is the information on the biochemical nature of the Hh-1 locus-controlled structures. Therefore, we examined the effect of tunicamycin (TM), an inhibitor of asparagine-linked glycosylation and ganglioside biosynthesis, on the expression of Hh-1 determinants in H-2b/Hh-1b lymphomas. The Hh-1b determinants on EL-4 and RBL-5 cells were no longer detectable after TM treatment, as demonstrated by the failure of the treated cells to inhibit hybrid resistance to parental H-2b bone marrow cells in vivo. This interpretation was supported by the unaltered ability of the TM-treated cells to localize in the spleens of irradiated F1 hybrid recipients. In contrast, TM caused only moderate reduction in H-2Kb and H-2Db expression as measured by binding of specific antibodies. This was accompanied by reduced susceptibility to alloimmune anti-H-2Db CTL, but not to anti-H-2Kb CTL. No decrease was found in the susceptibility to NK cell cytotoxicity in vitro. These data indicate that N-linked glycosylation or ganglioside synthesis is crucial for the expression of the Hh-1 locus-controlled target structures, but not for the H-2 class I molecules. The data also show that the Hh-1b determinants are substantially different from those which confer the susceptibility to NK cell-mediated in vitro cytotoxicity.     

A Common Role for Target Cell Histocompatibility Antigens in Both Nonspecific and Specific T Lymphocyte-Mediated Cytolysis

We have investigated the role of target cell major histocompatibility complex antigens (MHC-Ag) in nonspecific lectin-dependent lymphocyte-mediated cytolysis (LDCC). In contrast to previous reports, we provide evidence that in LDCC the lectin Concanavalin A (Con A) does not mediate lysis by simply bridging cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) and targets via cell surface sugars or by activating the lytic function of CTLs attached to targets via the lectin. Lysis occurs when target cells are pretreated with lectin, but not when CTL are pretreated. Moreover, when CTL populations are used as both aggressors and targets, and only one is pretreated with lectin, lysis occurs only in the direction of the pretreated CTL target. We have observed that in LDCC, as in specific CTL-mediated killing, target recognition proceeds through interaction of CTL receptors (distinct from sugar moieties) and target cell surface determinants perhaps modified by, but distinct from, the lectin itself. We present evidence that the target determinants recognized in LDCC are MHC-Ag: 1) Cells that display reduced amounts of MHC-Ag are poor targets in LDCC; 2) removal of MHC-Ag by papain renders targets refractory to LDCC, however susceptibility is regained upon regeneration of MHC-Ag; and 3) antisera to target cell MHC-Ag block LDCC. The latter finding is also observed in oxidation-dependent CTL-mediated cytotoxicity. Involvement of MHC proteins in both specific and nonspecific CTL-mediated lysis reconciles an apparent fundamental distinction between these two processes and suggests a possible role for MHC proteins in a postrecognition step(s) leading to lysis.     

The Kinematics of Cytotoxic Lymphocytes Influence Their Ability to Kill Target Cells

Cytotoxic lymphocytes (CTL) have been reported to show a range of motility patterns from rapid long-range tracking to complete arrest, but how and whether these kinematics affect their ability to kill target cells is not known. Many in vitro killing assays utilize cell lines and tumour-derived cells as targets, which may be of limited relevance to the kinetics of CTL-mediated killing of somatic cells. Here, live-cell microscopy is used to examine the interactions of CTL and primary murine skin cells presenting antigens. We developed a qualitative and quantitative killing assay using extended-duration fluorescence time-lapse microscopy coupled with large-volume objective software-based data analysis to obtain population data of cell-to-cell interactions, motility and apoptosis. In vivo and ex vivo activated antigen-specific cytotoxic lymphocytes were added to primary keratinocyte targets in culture with fluorometric detection of caspase-3 activation in targets as an objective determinant of apoptosis. We found that activated CTL achieved contact-dependent apoptosis of non-tumour targets after a period of prolonged attachment – on average 21 hours – which was determined by target cell type, amount of antigen, and activation status of CTL. Activation of CTL even without engagement of the T cell receptor was sufficient to mobilise cells significantly above baseline, while the addition of cognate antigen further enhanced their motility. Highly activated CTL showed markedly increased vector displacement, and velocity, and lead to increased antigen-specific target cell death. These data show that the inherent kinematics of CTL correlate directly with their ability to kill non-tumour cells presenting cognate antigen.     

Physiological properties and differential glycosylation of phosphorylated and nonphosphorylated forms of osteopontin secreted by normal rat kidney cells

In a previous study we have shown that normal rat kidney (NRK) cells in vitro secrete a 69-kDa osteopontin in both phosphorylated (pp69) and nonphosphorylated (np69) forms. Only pp69 interacts with the cell surface and np69 forms a heat-dissociable complex with plasma fibronectin, suggesting functional modulation of osteopontin by phosphorylation. Using tunicamycin, an inhibitor of N-linked glycosylation, and peptide:N-glycosidase F, which removes N-linked oligosaccharide chains from glycoproteins, we show here that np69, but not pp69, contains N-linked carbohydrates. Our results also demonstrate that tunicamycin treatment does not inhibit the cell surface binding of pp69; however, np69 secreted by the treated cells fails to complex with plasma fibronectin, suggesting importantly, our data show that pp69 forms a heat-stable complex with cell surface fibronectin, suggesting that it is an integral component of the extracellular matrix of NRK cells. Finally, sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis of deglycosylated and in vitro translated osteopontin suggests that the acidic nature of osteopontin as well as its post-translational modifications play a role in the anomalous behavior of osteopontin in sodium dodecyl sulfate gels, observed in several laboratories. The data presented here provide evidence for possible functional roles of 69-kDa osteopontin and suggest that its physiological properties are regulated by post-translational modifications.     

Influence of the N-linked oligosaccharides on the biosynthesis, intracellular routing, and function of the human asialoglycoprotein receptor

The human asialoglycoprotein receptor (ASGP-R) is a membrane glycoprotein of 46,000 Da which possesses two N-linked oligosaccharide chains (Schwartz, A. L., and Rup, D. (1983) J. Biol. Chem. 258, 11249-11255). In order to examine the role of N-linked oligosaccharides in the biosynthesis, intracellular routing, and function of the ASGP-R, we have used Hep G2 cells, which have a large number of ASGP-R, and two inhibitors of glycosylation, swainsonine and tunicamycin. In the presence of swainsonine, newly synthesized ASGP-R is a 43,000-Da species which is endoglycosidase H-sensitive, appears on the Hep G2 cell surface, and specifically binds 125I-asialoorosomucoid (ASOR). In the presence of tunicamycin newly synthesized ASGP-R is a 34,000-Da nonglycosylated species which appears on the Hep G2 cell surface where it specifically binds 125I-ASOR. There is no major effect on subsequent uptake and degradation of 125I-ASOR in cells whose ASGP-R was synthesized in the presence of tunicamycin. The turnover of ASGP-R synthesized in the presence of either swainsonine or tunicamycin is not significantly altered from that found for the normal 46,000-Da species. Thus, it appears that the two N-linked oligosaccharide chains of the human ASGP-R do not play a major role in the intracellular routing, turnover, or function of ASGP-R.