Contribution of α- -galactopyranosyl end groups to attachment of highly and low metastatic murine fibrosarcoma cells to various substrates

There are much greater numbers of cell surface terminal, non-reducing α- -galactorpyranosyl groups in highly malignant (metastatic) cells than are found in low malignant cells derived from the same murine fibrosarcoma. We have examined the contribution of these residues to attachment of the cells to various collagens and to plastic. Removal of these carbohydrate groups with α-galactosidase or blocking them with lectins from Griffonia simplicifolia seeds or with anti-blood group B antiserum all dramatically inhibited the attachment of both the highly malignant and the low malignant cells. Following removal with the enzyme, the α- -galactopyranosyl end groups were rapidly resynthesized. This resynthesis was inhibited by tunicamycin, an inhibitor of de novo glycoprotein synthesis. This antibiotic also impaired cell attachment and, when used in addition to treatment with α-galactosidase, it inhibited cell attachment more than did treatment with the enzyme alone. The effects of all treatments on cell attachment were greater for the highly malignant than for the low malignant cells. With the latter cells, inhibition by lectin was seen only in the absence of serum, whereas the adhesion of highly malignant cells was affected in both the presence and the absence of serum. On their surface membrane the highly malignant cells express much more than do the low malignant cells of a glycoprotein that cross-reacts immunologically with laminin. The basement membrane glycoprotein laminin promotes cell attachment to collagen, and both glycoproteins contain terminal, non-reducing α- -galactopyranosyl groups. Attachment of cells is a requirement for the formation of a metastasis, and thus the laminin-like molecule and the α- -galactopyranosyl end groups (whether on the laminin-related moiety or on other cell surface molecules) may both be important for expression of the most malignant phenotype.     

Binding of Griffonia simplicifolia I lectin to rat pulmonary alveolar macrophages and its use in purifying type II alveolar epithelial cells

We report that the isolectin Griffonia simplicifolia I-B4 isolated from G. simplicifolia seeds binds to rat alveolar macrophages present in frozen sections of lung tissue or bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. G. simplicifolia I-B4 does not bind to alveolar epithelial cells. We established that G. simplicifolia I-B4 binds to the macrophages via interaction with terminal alpha-D-galactopyranosyl residues present on these cells. This was substantiated by demonstrating that binding is inhibited either by the haptenic sugar alpha-D-galactopyranoside or by treating the cells with coffee bean alpha-galactosidase. Because murine laminin is known to contain terminal alpha-D-galactopyranosyl end-groups, and because we found that an anti-laminin antiserum binds to rat alveolar macrophages, we suspect that G. simplicifolia I-B4 may be binding to laminin present on the macrophages. To isolate alveolar type II epithelial cells from rat lungs, we developed a method that utilizes the lectin G. simplicifolia I. When proteinase-derived suspensions of pulmonary cells are incubated with G. simplicifolia I, the macrophages agglutinate and can be removed by filtration through nylon mesh. After incubating the resulting cellular suspension in tissue culture, the adherent cells are 94 +/- 2% (S.D.) type II cells. When compared to cells isolated by repeated differential adherence, the lectin-prepared type II cells have similar morphology and staining characteristics, form domes in monolayers and incorporate similar amounts of palmitate into disaturated phosphatidylcholine. We believe that the procedure outlined in this report provides a simple and effective method to isolate type II alveolar epithelial cells from rat lungs.     

Laminin inhibits the adhesion of a murine tumor of macrophage origin

The adhesive behavior of the M5076 reticulum cell sarcoma, a highly metastatic murine tumor of macrophage origin, was investigated in vitro both in the presence and in the absence of purified exogeneous laminin. Although laminin enhanced the adhesion of other murine cell lines to collagen-coated and plastic surfaces, it reduced the attachment to both substrates of M5076 cells, peritoneal macrophages and the macrophage cell line WEHI-3. Thus, the inhibition appeared to be related to the macrophage nature of the M5076 tumor. The effects of laminin were reversible and did not cause loss of viability or functional capacity of the M5076 cells. Laminin appeared to exert this inhibitory effect by binding to the substrates rather than binding to the cells. These studies indicate that laminin, a glycoprotein from the basement membrane, may either stimulate or inhibit cell attachment, depending on the type of cell.     

Avian neural crest cell attachment to laminin: involvement of divalent cation dependent and independent integrins.

The mechanisms of neural crest cell interaction with laminin were explored using a quantitative cell attachment assay. With increasing substratum concentrations, an increasing percentage of neural crest cells adhere to laminin. Cell adhesion at all substratum concentrations was inhibited by the CSAT antibody, which recognizes the chick beta 1 subunit of integrin, suggesting that beta 1-integrins mediate neural crest cell interactions with laminin. The HNK-1 antibody, which recognizes a carbohydrate epitope, inhibited neural crest cell attachment to laminin at low coating concentrations (greater than 1 microgram ml-1; Low-LM), but not at high coating concentration of laminin (10 micrograms ml-1; High-LM). Attachment to Low-LM occurred in the absence of divalent cations, whereas attachment to High-LM required greater than 0.1 mM Ca2+ or Mn2+. Neural crest cell adherence to the E8 fragment of laminin, derived from its long arm, was similar to that on intact laminin at high and low coating concentrations, suggesting that this fragment contains the neural crest cell binding site(s). The HNK-1 antibody recognizes a protein of 165,000 Mr which is also found in immunoprecipitates using antibodies against the beta 1 subunit of integrin and is likely to be an integrin alpha subunit or an integrin-associated protein. Our results suggest that the HNK-1 epitope on neural crest cells is present on or associated with a novel or differentially glycosylated form of beta 1-integrin, which recognizes laminin in the apparent absence of divalent cations. We conclude that neural crest cells have at least two functionally independent means of attachment to laminin which are revealed at different substratum concentrations and/or conformations of laminin.     

Glycosidases of Ehrlich ascites tumor cells and ascitic fluid--purification and substrate specificity of alpha-N-acetylgalactosaminidase and alpha-galactosidase: comparison with coffee bean alpha-galactosidase

Ehrlich ascites tumor cells and ascitic fluid were assayed for glycosidase activity. alpha-Galactosidase and beta-galactosidase, alpha- and beta-mannosidase, alpha-N-acetylgalactosaminidase, and beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase activities were detected using p-nitrophenyl glycosides as substrates. alpha-Galactosidase and alpha-N-acetylgalactosaminidase were isolated from Ehrlich ascites tumor cells on epsilon-aminocaproylgalactosylamine-Sepharose. alpha-Galactosidase was purified 160,000-fold and was free of other glycosidase activities. alpha-N-Acetylgalactosaminidase was also purified 160,000-fold but exhibited a weak alpha-galactosidase activity which appears to be inherent in this enzyme. Substrate specificity of the alpha-galactosidase was investigated with 12 substrates and compared with that of the corresponding coffee bean enzyme. The pH optimum of the Ehrlich cell alpha-galactosidase centered near 4.5, irrespective of substrate, whereas the pH optimum of the coffee bean enzyme for PNP-alpha-Gal was 6.0, which is 1.5 pH units higher than that for other substrates of the coffee bean enzyme. The reverse was found for alpha-N-acetylgalactosaminidase: the pH optimum for the hydrolysis of PNP-alpha-GalNAc was 3.6, lower than the pH 4.5 required for the hydrolysis of GalNAc alpha 1,3Gal. Coffee bean alpha-galactosidase showed a relatively broad substrate specificity, suggesting that it is suited for cleaving many kinds of terminal alpha-galactosyl linkages. On the other hand, the substrate specificity of Ehrlich alpha-galactosidase appears to be quite narrow. This enzyme was highly active toward the terminal alpha-galactosyl linkages of Ehrlich glycoproteins and laminin, both of which possess Gal alpha 1, 3Gal beta 1,4GlcNAc beta-trisaccharide sequences. The alpha-N-acetylgalactosaminidase was found to be active toward the blood group type A disaccharide, and trisaccharide, and glycoproteins with type A-active carbohydrate chains.     

Identification of asparagine-linked oligosaccharides involved in tumor cell adhesion to laminin and type IV collagen

MDW4, a wheat germ agglutinin-resistant nonmetastatic mutant of the highly metastatic murine tumor cell line called MDAY-D2 has previously been shown to attach to fibronectin and type IV collagen, whereas MDAY- D2 and phenotypic revertants of MDW4 attached poorly to these substrates. The increased adhesiveness of the mutant cells appeared to be closely related to a lesion in cell surface carbohydrate structures. In an effort to identify the carbohydrates involved in cell attachment, glycopeptides isolated from mutant and wild-type cells as well as from purified glycoproteins were tested for their ability to inhibit the attachment of MDW4 cells to plastic surfaces coated with fibronectin, laminin, or type IV collagen. The addition of mannose-terminating glycopeptide to the adhesion assay inhibited MDW4 cell attachment to type IV collagen. In contrast, a sialylated poly N-acetyllactosamine- containing glycopeptide, isolated from wheat germ agglutinin-sensitive MDAY-D2 cells but absent in MDW4 cells, inhibited MDW4 attachment to laminin. None of the glycopeptides used in this study inhibited attachment of MDW4 cells to fibronectin-coated plastic. Peptide N- glycosidase treatment of the cells to remove surface asparagine-linked oligosaccharides inhibited MDW4 adhesion to type IV collagen, but not to laminin, and the same treatment of the wheat germ agglutinin- sensitive cells enhanced attachment to laminin. Tumor cell attachment to, and detachment from, the sublaminal matrix protein laminin and type IV collagen are thought to be important events in the metastatic process. Our results indicate that tumor cell attachment to these proteins may be partially modulated by the expression of specific oligosaccharide structures associated with the cell surface.     

Cranial and trunk neural crest cells use different mechanisms for attachment to extracellular matrices.

We have used a quantitative cell attachment assay to compare the interactions of cranial and trunk neural crest cells with the extracellular matrix (ECM) molecules fibronectin, laminin and collagen types I and IV. Antibodies to the beta 1 subunit of integrin inhibited attachment under all conditions tested, suggesting that integrins mediate neural crest cell interactions with these ECM molecules. The HNK-1 antibody against a surface carbohydrate epitope under certain conditions inhibited both cranial and trunk neural crest cell attachment to laminin, but not to fibronectin. An antiserum to alpha 1 intergrin inhibited attachment of trunk, but not cranial, neural crest cells to laminin and collagen type I, though interactions with fibronectin or collagen type IV were unaffected. The surface properties of trunk and cranial neural crest cells differed in several ways. First, trunk neural crest cells attached to collagen types I and IV, but cranial neural crest cells did not. Second, their divalent cation requirements for attachment to ECM molecules differed. For fibronectin substrata, trunk neural crest cells required divalent cations for attachment, whereas cranial neural crest cells bound in the absence of divalent cations. However, cranial neural crest cells lost this cation-independent attachment after a few days of culture. For laminin substrata, trunk cells used two integrins, one divalent cation-dependent and the other divalent cation-independent (Lallier, T. E. and Bronner-Fraser, M. (1991) Development 113, 1069-1081). In contrast, cranial neural crest cells attached to laminin using a single, divalent cation-dependent receptor system. Immunoprecipitations and immunoblots of surface labelled neural crest cells with HNK-1, alpha 1 integrin and beta 1 integrin antibodies suggest that cranial and trunk neural crest cells possess biochemically distinct integrins. Our results demonstrate that cranial and trunk cells differ in their mechanisms of adhesion to selected ECM components, suggesting that they are non-overlapping populations of cells with regard to their adhesive properties.     

High-affinity binding of laminin by Helicobacter pylori: Evidence for a lectin-like interaction

Abstract Laminin, the major glycoprotein of basement membranes, was shown to be bound by the human gastric pathogen Helicobacter pylori . Binding of ¹²⁵I-laminin by strain 17874 was time-dependent, specific and saturable. Scatchard analysis of specific binding indicated about 2000 binding sites per cell with a dissociation constant of 8.5 pM. Treatment of the cells by heat (80°) and with proteolytic enzymes drastically reduced laminin binding, suggesting that the laminin receptors are surface proteins. Some highly glycosylated glycoproteins inhibited laminin binding by 50%. Furthermore, N -acetylneuraminyllactose decreased laminin binding by 70% and neuraminidase treatment of laminin by 50%, while a recombinant B1 chain of laminin, containing high-mannose type oligosaccharides, inhibited binding by only 25%. This suggests that terminal sialic acids on laminin compete for a specific sugar binding protein(s) on H. pylori cells.     

Migration by haptotaxis of a Schwann cell tumor line to the basement membrane glycoprotein laminin

Laminin is a large (greater than 850-kdalton) glycoprotein that is localized within basement membranes. Recent work has indicated that this protein is present within the endoneurium of mouse sciatic nerve. Furthermore, it has been shown that a rat Schwannoma cell line, RN22F, produced laminin and that laminin promoted the attachment of these cells to bacterial plastic. This report presents evidence that RN22F cells migrate in vitro to laminin in a concentration-dependent fashion. Laminin was extracted from the mouse EHS tumor and purified by molecular sieve and heparin-agarose affinity chromatography. The migration of Schwannoma cells to laminin, as assessed in a microwell modified Boyden chamber, was inhibited in a dose-dependent manner by affinity-purified antilaminin antibody. Zigmond-Hirsch checkerboard analysis experiments indicated that laminin stimulated both random and directed movement of RN22F cells. Additionally, reversal of the laminin gradient in the chambers also stimulated RN22F migration in a concentration-dependent manner, suggesting that directed migration of RN22F cells was due to a substratum-bound laminin (haptotaxis) as opposed to cell movement in response to fluid-phase laminin (chemotaxis). Binding studies using [3H]laminin demonstrated that laminin bound to the filter surface under the assay conditions used, and support the contention that cells are migrating to substrate-bound material. Furthermore, RN22F cells were shown to migrate on filters coated with laminin in the absence of additional fluid-phase laminin. The magnitude of this response could be altered by changing the relative density of bound laminin. In contrast, fibronectin promoted only marginal migration of RN22F cells. Collectively, these observations indicate that haptotaxis may be a mechanism by which laminin may guide cells during development and raise the possibility that it may be involved in peripheral nervous system myelination.     

HeLa cell adhesion to microcarriers in high shear conditions: evidence for membrane receptors for collagen but not laminin or fibronectin

HeLa-S3 cells were analyzed for their ability to attach and spread on cell culture microcarriers that were made either positively or negatively charged with polymeric plastics or were coated with BSA, gelatin, fibronectin or laminin. The cells stuck to all microcarriers under low shear, i.e. low stirring conditions with similar rates of attachment. Except in the case of gelatin microcarriers where cells fully spread, cells did not or only partially spread on the others. Under high shear, cells attached with the following rates: positive = negative = gelatin = BSA greater than laminin greater than fibronectin. Cells detached from all but the gelatin and BSA coated beads. However, the cells did not fully spread on BSA beads. The observation that cells not only attached but also spread on gelatin beads indicated that gelatin could be a specific substratum adhesion protein while the other surfaces were 'non-specific'. It should be noted that neither antibodies to laminin nor fibronectin interfered with attachment to gelatin. Protein synthesis inhibitors reduced the attachment and spreading on gelatin beads under high but not low shear conditions. With low shear, attachment and spreading appeared normal. We concluded that the density of the cell surface attachment proteins was reduced by the protein synthesis inhibitors and there were not enough present to facilitate attachment under high shear. The results also indicated that protein synthesis was not essential for cell spreading. Proteolysis of the cell surface with low concentrations of trypsin abolished the attachment of cells to gelatin-coated beads. The reappearance of attachment ability took several hours and was inhibited by actinomycin-D.     

Regulation of adhesion of mouse bone marrow-derived mast cells to laminin

We have reported that mast cells adhere to laminin after activation with PMA. In this study, we demonstrate that the cross-linking of cell surface high-affinity IgE-R on mast cells derived from mouse bone marrow cultured for 3 wk in the presence of WEHI-3-conditioned media acts as a highly sensitive physiologic stimulus for this attachment and that receptor activation is also induced by calcium ionophore A23187. Adherence occurred at threefold log concentrations less of A23187 and Ag than required for histamine release in a selective subpopulation comprising 20 to 30% of the total cells. At higher concentrations of agonist that permitted histamine release, the time course for degranulation was shown to be more rapid than that of adherence. Adherence was inhibited by antibodies to laminin and laminin receptor and was calcium ion and temperature dependent. Treatment of cells with dibutyryl cAMP, which activates protein kinase A, inhibited both adherence and histamine release induced by Ag or calcium ionophore. Treatment of cells with staurosporin, which inhibits protein kinase C, also inhibited adherence and histamine release induced by calcium ionophore, but was not significantly active against either adherence or histamine release induced by Ag. It thus appears that agents which modulate intracellular signaling mechanisms are equally effective toward histamine release and adherence, suggesting these two events are intimately linked in stimulus secretion coupling. Specific cytokines stimulating mast cell adhesion to laminin could not be found; however, culture of mast cells with TGF-beta 1 was determined to enhance IgE-mediated adherence to laminin. Hence, the high-affinity IgE-R on the mast cell functions not only in exocytosis but also facilitates the process of mast cell adherence to laminin.     

Embryonic neural retinal cell response to extracellular matrix proteins: developmental changes and effects of the cell substratum attachment antibody (CSAT)

Cell attachment and neurite outgrowth by embryonic neural retinal cells were measured in separate quantitative assays to define differences in substrate preference and to demonstrate developmentally regulated changes in cellular response to different extracellular matrix glycoproteins. Cells attached to laminin, fibronectin, and collagen IV in a concentration-dependent fashion, though fibronectin was less effective for attachment than the other two substrates. Neurite outgrowth was much more extensive on laminin than on fibronectin or collagen IV. These results suggest that different substrates have distinct effects on neuronal differentiation. Neural retinal cell attachment and neurite outgrowth were inhibited on all three substrates by two antibodies, cell substratum attachment antibody (CSAT) and JG22, which recognize a cell surface glycoprotein complex required for cell interactions with several extracellular matrix constituents. In addition, retinal cells grew neurites on substrates coated with the CSAT antibodies. These results suggest that cell surface molecules recognized by this antibody are directly involved in cell attachment and neurite extension. Neural retinal cells from embryos of different ages varied in their capacity to interact with extracellular matrix substrates. Cells of all ages, embryonic day 6 (E6) to E12, attached to collagen IV and CSAT antibody substrates. In contrast, cell attachment to laminin and fibronectin diminished with increasing embryonic age. Age-dependent differences were found in the profile of proteins precipitated by the CSAT antibody, raising the possibility that modifications of these proteins are responsible for the dramatic changes in substrate preference of retinal cells between E6 and E12.     

Alpha-galactosidase stimulates acetylcholine receptor aggregation in skeletal muscle cells via PNA-binding carbohydrates

Aggregation of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (AChRs) in skeletal muscle is an essential step in the formation of the mammalian neuromuscular junction. While proteins that bind to myotube receptors such as agrin and laminin can stimulate AChR aggregation in cultured myotubes, removal of cell surface sialic acids stimulates aggregation in a ligand-independent manner. Here, we show that removal of cell surface alpha-galactosides also stimulates AChR aggregation in the absence of added laminin or agrin. AChR aggregation stimulated by alpha-galactosidase was blocked by peanut agglutinin (PNA), which binds to lactosamine-containing disaccharides, but not by the GalNAc-binding lectin Vicia villosa agglutinin (VVA-B4). AChR aggregation stimulated by alpha-galactosidase potentiated AChR clustering induced by either neural agrin or laminin-1 and could be inhibited by muscle agrin. These data suggest that capping of cell surface lactosamines or N-acetyllactosamines with alpha-galactose affects AChR aggregation much as capping with sialic acids does.     

Deposition of Basement Membrane Proteins in Attachment and Neurite Formation of Cultured Murine C-1300 Neuroblastoma Cells

The deposition of the basement membrane glycoproteins, laminin, fibronectin, and type IV procollagen was studied by indirect immunofluorescence microscopy during the attachment and differentiation of murine C-1300 neuroblastoma cells. A typical cytoplasmic perinuclear staining for the basement membrane antigens was seen both in undifferentiated and differentiated cells. Freshly seeded suspended cells lacked surface fluorescence but in two hours after plating, distinct punctate laminin deposits became discernible on the ventral surface of the cells. Notably, in sparsely seeded undifferentiated cultures, the cell-associated extracellular laminin deposits could only be detected under the primary attaching cells, whereas daughter cells in clonal cell colonies lacked such fluorescence. In cultures induced to neurite formation with dibutyryl cyclic AMP, laminin deposition was also detected in association with the growing cytoplasmic extensions. No distinct differences were found between the secreted proteins of cultures of differentiated and nondifferentiated neuroblastoma cells, but the patterns of fucosylation of high-molecular weight proteins in the two cultures were markedly different. We conclude that cultured neuroblastoma cells both synthesize, secrete and deposit laminin. The distribution of laminin during neuroblastoma cell attachment and neurite extension suggests that this glycoprotein may be involved in cell–to–substratum interactions in C-1300 cell cultures.     

Macrophages express cell surface laminin

Laminin, a non-collagenous extracellular connective tissue glycoprotein, was detected on the surface of mouse peritoneal macrophages. As determined by indirect immunofluorescence, as many as 60% of peritoneal macrophages elicited with thioglycollate expressed cell surface laminin. Only 14% of resident cells displayed detectable laminin. The expression of laminin increased with time post-injection. Concomitant with laminin expression, macrophages also displayed a receptor for the IB4 isolectin from Griffonia simplicifolia. This lectin, which binds methyl-alpha-D-galactopyranoside, may also react with the carbohydrate moeity of laminin. A small population of macrophages displayed both laminin and surface fibronectin. Unlike the difference in laminin expression between resident and thioglycollate-stimulated cells, there was no difference in cell surface fibronectin between these cell populations. Since laminin has been found to mediate cell attachment in other systems, expression of this molecule on the surface of stimulated macrophages may be important in cell-cell and cell-matrix adhesive properties of these cells.     

Synthesis and effects of basement membrane components in cultured rat Schwann cells

Schwann cells, the myelin-forming cells of the peripheral nervous system, are surrounded by a basement membrane. Whether cultured rat Schwann cells synthesize the basement membrane-specific components, laminin and collagen type IV, and whether these components influence the adhesion, morphology, and growth of these cells have been investigated. Both laminin and collagen type IV were detected in the cytoplasm of Schwann cells by immunofluorescence. After ascorbate treatment, laminin and collagen type IV were both found in an extracellular fibrillar matrix bound to the Schwann cell surface. Laminin was further localized on the Schwann cell surface by electron microscopy using gold immunolabeling. Anti-laminin IgG-labeled gold particles were scattered over the cell surface, and linear rows of particles and small aggregates were found along the cell edges and at points of contact with other cells. When added to the culture medium, laminin acted as a potent adhesion factor, stimulating Schwann cell adhesion as much as eightfold above control levels on type IV collagen. In the presence of laminin, the cells became stellate and by 24 hr had extended long, thin processes. Laminin also stimulated cell growth in a dose-dependent manner and anti-laminin IgG completely inhibited cell attachment and growth in the absence of exogenous laminin. Thus, cultured Schwann cells synthesize laminin and collagen type IV, two major components of basement membrane, and laminin may trigger Schwann cell differentiation in vivo during early stages of axon-Schwann cell interaction before myelination.     

The Expression of Membrane-Associated 67-kDa Laminin Receptor (67LR) Is Modulated in Vitro by Cell-Contact Inhibition

The interaction of cells with their substratum is an important determinant of cell behaviour, influencing attachment, proliferation, and motility. Such interactions are mediated by cell surface receptors which bind to attachment factors, like the glycoprotein laminin in basement membranes. We have previously shown that expression of the 67-kDa laminin receptor (67LR) is elevated in proliferating retinal microvasculature compared with mature, quiescent vessels. Here, we examined 67LR mRNA and protein expression in primary cultures of retinal microvascular endothelial cells (RMEC) and in the breast cancer cell-line T47D during stages of contact inhibition. In both cell types, the expression levels of 67LR mRNA and membrane-associated 67LR protein were significantly increased during the proliferative phases of monolayer formation. As the cells achieved contact inhibition, 67LR expression was reduced to comparatively low levels. Thus, the differential expression of 67LR between dividing and contact-inhibited cells may indicate a role for this receptor during proliferative processes.     

Glycoconjugates and cell adhesion: the adhesive proteins laminin, thrombospondin and von Willebrand's factor bind specifically to sulfated glycolipids

The adhesive glycoproteins laminin, thrombospondin and von Willebrand's factor bind specifically and with high affinity to sulfated glycolipids, and it is this binding that probably accounts for their ability to agglutinate glutaraldehyde-fixed erythrocytes. The 3 proteins differ, however, in the effect of sulfated polysaccharides on their binding to sulfatides. Fucoidan strongly inhibits binding of both laminin and thrombospondin, but not of von Willebrand's factor, suggesting the involvement of laminin or thrombospondin or other unknown sulfatide-binding proteins in specific cell interactions that are also inhibited by fucoidan. Thrombospondin adsorbed onto plastic promotes the attachment and spreading of G361 melanoma cells. Interestingly, fucoidan and an antibody directed against the sulfatide-binding domain of thrombospondin selectively inhibit spreading but not attachment. Sulfatides, but not neutral glycolipids or gangliosides, when adsorbed onto plastic also promote attachment and spreading of G361 melanoma cells. Direct adhesion of G361 cells requires high densities of sulfatide. In the presence of laminin, however, specific adhesion of G361 cells to sulfatide is strongly stimulated and requires only low densities of adsorbed lipid, suggesting that laminin mediates adhesion by cross-linking receptors on the melanoma cell surface to sulfatide adsorbed onto the plastic. Although thrombospondin binds to sulfatide and to G361 cells, it does not enhance but rather inhibits direct and laminin-dependent G361 cell adhesion to sulfatide, presumably because it is unable to bind simultaneously to ligands on opposing surfaces. Thus, sulfated glycoconjugates participate in both laminin- and thrombospondin-mediated cell adhesion, but their mechanisms of interaction are different.     

Functionally distinct laminin receptors mediate cell adhesion and spreading: the requirement for surface galactosyltransferase in cell spreading

The molecular mechanisms underlying cell attachment and subsequent cell spreading on laminin are shown to be distinct form one another. Cell spreading is dependent upon the binding of cell surface galactosyltransferase (GalTase) to laminin oligosaccharides, while initial cell attachment to laminin occurs independent of GalTase activity. Anti-GalTase IgG, as well as the GalTase modifier protein, alpha-lactalbumin, both block GalTase activity and inhibited B16-F10 melanoma cell spreading on laminin, but not initial attachment. On the other hand, the addition of UDP galactose, which increases the catalytic turnover of GalTase, slightly increased cell spreading. None of these reagents had any effect on cell spreading on fibronectin. When GalTase substrates within laminin were either blocked by affinity- purified GalTase or eliminated by prior galactosylation, cell attachment appeared normal, but subsequent cell spreading was totally inhibited. The laminin substrate for GalTase was identified as N-linked oligosaccharides primarily on the A chain, and to a lesser extent on B chains. That N-linked oligosaccharides are necessary for cell spreading was shown by the inability of cells to spread on laminin surfaces pretreated with N-glycanase, even though cell attachment was normal. Cell surface GalTase was distinguished from other reported laminin binding proteins, most notably the 68-kD receptor, since they were differentially eluted from laminin affinity columns. These data show that surface GalTase does not participate during initial cell adhesion to laminin, but mediates subsequent cell spreading by binding to its appropriate N-linked oligosaccharide substrate. These results also emphasize that some of laminin's biological properties can be attributed to its oligosaccharide residues.     

Inhibitory effect of a synthetic polypeptide, poly(Tyr-Ile-Gly-Ser-Arg), on the metastatic formation of malignant tumour cells

A new type of polypeptide containing the repeating sequence of cell attachment site in laminin, poly(Tyr-Ile-Gly-Ser-Arg), was synthesized by the polymerization procedure with diphenylphosphoryl azide (DPPA). We found that this polypeptide inhibited the metastatic formation in the lung of malignant tumour cells far more effectively than pentapeptide.