Ganglioside-mediated modulation of cell growth. Specific effects of GM3 on tyrosine phosphorylation of the epidermal growth factor receptor

Glycosphingolipids added exogenously to 3T3 cells in culture were shown to inhibit cell growth, alter the membrane affinity to platelet-derived growth factor binding, and reduce platelet-derived growth factor-stimulated membrane phosphorylation (Bremer, E., Hakomori, S., Bowen-Pope, D. F., Raines, E., and Ross, R. (1984) J. Biol. Chem. 259, 6818-6825). This approach has been extended to the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor of human epidermoid carcinoma cell lines KB and A431. GM3 and GM1 gangliosides inhibited both KB cell and A431 cell growth, although GM3 was a much stronger inhibitor of both KB and A431 cell growth. Neither GM3 nor GM1 had any affect on the binding of 125I-EGF to its cell surface receptor. However, GM3 and, to a much lower extent, GM1 were capable of inhibiting EGF-stimulated phosphorylation of the EGF receptor in membrane preparations of both KB and A431 cells. Further characterization of GM3-sensitive receptor phosphorylation was performed in A431 cells, which had a higher content of the EGF receptor. The following results were of particular interest. (i) EGF-dependent tyrosine phosphorylation of the EGF receptor and its inhibition by GM3 were also demonstrated on isolated EGF receptor after adsorption on the anti-receptor antibody-Sepharose complex, and the receptor phosphorylation was enhanced on addition of phosphatidylethanolamine. (ii) Phosphoamino acid analysis of the EGF receptor indicated that the reduction of phosphorylation induced by GM3 was entirely in the phosphotyrosine and not in the phosphoserine nor phosphothreonine content. (iii) The inhibitory effect of GM3 on EGF-dependent receptor phosphorylation could be reproduced in membranes isolated from A431 cells that had been cultured in medium containing 50 nmol/ml GM3 to effect cell growth inhibition. The membrane fraction isolated from such growth-arrested cells was found to be less responsive to EGF-stimulated receptor phosphorylation. These results suggest that membrane lipids, especially GM3, can modulate EGF receptor phosphorylation in vitro as well as in situ.     

A role of lyso-phosphatidylcholine in GM3-dependent inhibition of epidermal growth factor receptor autophosphorylation in A431 plasma membranes

EGF-dependent receptor autophosphorylation (EDRA) in A431 plasma membrane was specifically stimulated by lysophospholipids having phosphorylcholine head group (e.g., lyso-phosphatidylcholine; lyso-PC) but not other lysophospholipids, in the absence of detergent. In contrast, GM3 specifically inhibited EDRA under the same experimental conditions in which lyso-PC stimulated EDRA. This GM3-dependent inhibition was more efficient in the absence (vs. presence) of a detergent (Triton X-100). These results indicate an essential role of lyso-PC in GM3-regulated EGF receptor functions.     

Ganglioside-mediated modulation of cell growth. Specific effects of GM3 and lyso-GM3 in tyrosine phosphorylation of the epidermal growth factor receptor

Epidermal growth factor- (EGF) dependent tyrosine phosphorylation of the EGF receptor was inhibited by the exogenous addition of GM3 to a membrane preparation and to purified EGF receptor adsorbed to antireceptor-antibody-Sepharose (Bremer, E. G., Schlessinger, J., and Hakomori, S. (1986) J. Biol. Chem. 261, 2434-2440). A specific functional correlation between GM3 and EGF receptor function has been further assessed in this study, employing two variant clones of A431 cells showing completely different growth responses to EGF. The A1S clone showed EGF cell growth stimulation and contained GM3 whereas the A5I clone, whose growth was completely inhibited by EGF addition, lacked detectable GM3. Both the endogenous and EGF-dependent receptor tyrosine-kinase activities were low in the A1S clone and were only minimally inhibited by the exogenous addition of GM3. In contrast the EGF receptor kinase activity in A5I cells was much higher and was more strongly inhibited by GM3 than it was in A1S cells. The EGF receptor fraction prepared from A1S cells, eluted from an anti-EGF receptor antibody-Sepharose column, contained GM3, in contrast to the fraction prepared from A5I cells, which lacked detectable GM3. The receptor kinase activity in vitro was greatly influenced by detergent and ATP concentration. GM3 affected the receptor kinase in a biphasic manner, i.e. GM3 was inhibitory at a low concentration of detergent under a physiological concentration of ATP and stimulatory at a high concentration of detergent. In contrast lyso-GM3 displayed a monophasic inhibitory effect under a wide range of detergent concentrations. Lyso-CDH (lactosylsphingosine) had no detectable effect on the receptor kinase activity. The presence of a small quantity of lyso-GM3 in A431 cells was detected after DEAE-Sepharose chromatography followed by high performance liquid chromatography in a n-propanolyl alcohol-ammonia system. It is possible that de-N-fatty acylation of gangliosides could be an effective means to modulate EGF receptor function in membranes.     

Modulation of EGF receptor activity by changes in the GM3 content in a human epidermoid carcinoma cell line, A431

Gangliosides have been described as modulators of growth factor receptors. For example, GM3 addition in cell culture medium inhibits epidermal growth factor (EGF)-stimulated receptor autophosphorylation. Furthermore, depletion of ganglioside by sialidase gene transfection appeared to increase EGF receptor (EGFR) autophosphorylation. These data suggested that changes in GM3 content may result in different responses to EGF. In this study, the ceramide analog d-threo-1-phenyl-2-decannoylamino-3-morpholino-1-propanol ([D]-PDMP), which inhibits UDP-glucose-ceramide glucosyltransferase, and addition of GM3 to the culture medium were used to study the effects of GM3 on the EGFR. Addition of 10 microM [D]-PDMP to A431 cells resulted in significant GM3 depletion. Additionally, EGFR autophosphorylation was increased after EGF stimulation. When exogenous GM3 was added in combination with [D]-PDMP, the enhanced EGFR autophosphorylation was returned to control levels. [D]-PDMP also increased EGF-induced cell proliferation, consistent with its effect on autophosphorylation. Once again, the addition of GM3 in combination with [D]-PDMP reversed these effects. These results indicate that growth factor receptor functions can be modulated by the level of ganglioside expression in cell lines. Addition of GM3 inhibits EGFR activity and decrease of GM3 levels using [D]-PDMP treatment enhances EGFR activity. Modulation of growth factor receptor function may provide an explanation for how transformation-dependent ganglioside changes contribute to the transformed phenotype.     

Ganglioside GM3 sialidase activity in fibroblasts of normal individuals and of patients with sialidosis and mucolipidosis IV. Subcellular distribution and and some properties.

Sensitive assays for the determination of the ganglioside sialidase activity of fibroblast homogenates were established using ganglioside GM3, 3H-labelled in the sphingosine moiety, as a substrate. Ganglioside GM3 sialidase activity was greatly stimulated by the presence of the non-ionic detergent Triton X-100 and was further enhanced by salts such as NaCl; the optimal pH was 4.5. The subcellular localization of this activity was determined by fractionation using free-flow electrophoresis and found to be exclusively associated with the marker for the plasma membrane, but not with that for lysosomes. This Triton-stimulated ganglioside sialidase activity was selectively inhibited by preincubating intact cells in the presence of millimolar concentrations of Cu2+, suggesting that the activity resides on the external surface of the plasma membrane. In normal fibroblasts homogenates, ganglioside GM3 sialidase was also greatly stimulated by sodium cholate. In contrast to the Triton X-100-activated reaction, however, it was not diminished by prior incubation of intact cells in the presence of Cu2+. Only after cell lysis was Cu2+ inhibitory. the cholate-stimulated ganglioside sialidase activity thus paralleled the behaviour of the lysosomal 4-methylumbelliferyl-alpha-D-N-acetylneuraminic acid (4-MU-NeuAc) sialidase. In fibroblasts from sialidosis patients, the cholate-stimulated ganglioside GM3 sialidase activity, but not that of the Triton-activated enzyme, was profoundly diminished. In fibroblasts from patients with mucolipidosis IV (ML IV), both the Triton X-100- and the cholate-stimulated ganglioside GM3 sialidase activities were in the range of normal controls. The Triton-activated enzyme was associated with the plasma membrane in the same manner as in normal cells. Our findings suggest that, in human fibroblasts, there exist two sialidases that degrade ganglioside GM3: one on the external surface of the plasma membrane, and another that is localized in lysosomes and seems identical with the activity that acts on sialyloligosaccharides and 4-MU-NeuAc. As neither activity was found to be deficient in ML IV fibroblasts, our results argue against the hypothesis of a primary involvement of a ganglioside GM3 sialidase in the pathogenesis of ML IV.     

Inhibition of epidermal growth factor-induced phosphorylation by trifluoperazine

We studied the effects of a series of drugs on A431, a cell line with well-characterized growth factor requirements and epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptors. The major [32PO4]-labeled protein immunoprecipitated with anti-phosphotyrosine antibodies from EGF-stimulated A431 cells was the EGF receptor. Both the quantity of [32PO4]-labeled EGF receptor immunoprecipitated and the phosphotyrosine content of total [32PO4]-labeled proteins were reduced by the addition during EGF stimulation of trifluoperazine (TFP). TFP had little effect on the binding, internalization, and processing of [125I]-EGF. In addition to the effects on phosphorylation, TFP inhibited cell growth both in the presence and absence of EGF. Morphologically, TFP blocked EGF-induced ruffling. TFP did not alter the EGF-stimulated phosphatidylinositol turnover. In an in vitro experiment using A431 cell membranes, TFP did not inhibit phosphorylation of the EGF receptor.     

A specific enhancing effect of N,N-dimethylsphingosine on epidermal growth factor receptor autophosphorylation. Demonstration of its endogenous occurrence (and the virtual absence of unsubstituted sphingosine) in human epidermoid carcinoma A431 cells

Our previous study suggested that N,N-dimethylsphingosine, but not unsubstituted sphingosine, could be a modulator of protein kinase C in epidermoid carcinoma A431 cells, since N,N-dimethyl-D-erythrosphingenine showed a stronger stereospecific effect on protein kinase C activity in comparison with N,N-dimethyl-L-erythrosphingenine, unsubstituted D- or L-erythrosphingenine, and gangliosides (Igarashi, Y., Hakomori, S., Toyokuni, T., Dean, B., Fujita, S., Sugimoto, M., Ogawa, T., El-Ghendy, K., and Racker, E. (1989) Biochemistry 28, 6796-6800). Other studies also indicated that commercial sphingosine preparation has an enhancing effect on epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor kinase activity in A431 cells (Davis, R. J., Girones, N., and Faucher, M. F. (1988) J. Biol. Chem. 263, 5373-5379; Faucher, M. F., Girones, N., Hannun, Y. A., Bell, R. M., and Davis, R. J. (1988) J. Biol. Chem. 263, 5319-5327). In the present paper, we report (i) the effect of N,N-dimethylsphingosine as compared with lyso-glycosphingolipids and other sphingolipid breakdown products on EGF receptor autophosphorylation and (ii) demonstration of endogenous N,N-dimethylsphingosine synthesis and the virtual absence of unsubstituted sphingosine in A431 cells. The autophosphorylation of EGF receptor in the absence of detergent was strongly enhanced by N,N-dimethyl-D-erythrosphingenine; this effect was even obvious in the absence of EGF and synergistic in the presence of EGF. Similar enhancing activity was not produced by N,N-dimethyl-L-erythrosphingenine, D- and L-erythrosphingenine, N-monomethyl-D-erythrosphingenine, N-acetyl-D-erythrosphingenine, or the five lyso-glycosphingolipids tested. Labeling of sphingosine in A431 cells by culturing in medium containing [3H]Ser for various durations, followed by extraction and isolation of sphingolipids by standard procedures, resulted in clear bands corresponding to N,N-dimethylsphingosine and ceramide, whereas the band corresponding to sphingosine was virtually absent. The bands corresponding to N,N-dimethylsphingosine and ceramide intensified when cells were treated with metabolic inhibitor for UDP-Glc:Cer beta-Glc transferase (which causes accumulation of ceramide). These results indicate that N,N-dimethylsphingosine acts as a stereospecific enhancer for EGF receptor kinase and is able to produce EGF-like activity in vitro even in the absence of EGF and detergent. Under physiological conditions, N,N-dimethylsphingosine is the major catabolite resulting from ceramide breakdown.     

A novel ganglioside, de-N-acetyl-GM3 (II3NeuNH2LacCer), acting as a strong promoter for epidermal growth factor receptor kinase and as a stimulator for cell growth

A novel ganglioside, de-N-acetyl-GM3 (neuraminyllactosylceramide, II3NeuNH2LacCer), was found in the monosialoganglioside fraction of A431 cells and B16 melanoma cells by high-performance liquid chromatography, thin-layer chromatography, and immunoblotting with its specific monoclonal antibody DH5. This novel type of membrane ganglioside strongly enhanced the kinase activity associated with the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor, and it showed 32, 35, and 12% growth stimulation as compared with control cultures of A431, Swiss 3T3, and B16 melanoma cells, respectively. Exogenously added de-N-acetyl-GM3 did not alter the affinity of EGF binding to its receptor. These properties of de-N-acetyl-GM3 are in striking contrast to those of GM3 and its lyso derivative (lyso-GM3) which were previously shown to inhibit EGF receptor kinase activity and to inhibit growth in the same cells. These data indicate that de-N-acetylation at the sialic acid moiety of GM3 ganglioside is an important mechanism for modulation of EGF-dependent cell growth. The mechanism is antagonistic to that of GM3-dependent modulation of receptor function.     

Lysosomal and plasma membrane ganglioside GM3 sialidases of cultured human fibroblasts. Differentiation by detergents and inhibitors

Cultured human fibroblasts contain two sialidases that degrade gangliosides such as GM3: a lysosomal activity that appears identical with the activity towards water-soluble substrates and that is deficient in the genetic lysosomal disorder sialidosis, and another enzyme that seems localized on the external surface of the plasma membrane. In this report we show that both enzymes can be differentiated in the presence of each other by choice of the detergent used for activation, and also by the inhibitory action of some polyanionic compounds such as sulphated glycosaminoglycans. The lysosomal ganglioside GM3 sialidase is greatly stimulated by sodium glycodeoxycholate and, to lesser degrees, by sodium glycocholate and sodium cholate. The ganglioside GM3 sialidase of the plasma membrane is not measurably active under the conditions of the lysosomal enzyme but is specifically activated by the non-ionic detergent Triton X-100. The glycodeoxycholate-stimulated, but not the Triton-activated, ganglioside GM3 sialidase activity was profoundly diminished in cell lines from patients with the lysosomal disorders sialidosis and galactosialidosis; however, both activities were normal in fibroblasts from patients with mucolipidosis IV, previously thought to be a ganglioside sialidase deficiency disorder. Both the lysosomal and the plasma membrane ganglioside GM3 sialidases were inhibited by sialic acids, suramin, dextran sulphate and sulphated glycosaminoglycans. Among the latter, heparin and heparan sulphate showed a much higher inhibitory potency towards the plasma membrane ganglioside GM3 sialidase than towards the lysosomal onw.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

A direct radioimmunoassay for human epidermal growth factor receptor using 32P-autophosphorylated receptor

A simple and reproducible radioimmunoassay of the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor which uses 32P-labeled EGF receptor and anti-receptor monoclonal antibodies is reported. In vitro phosphorylation of A431 cell membranes with [gamma-32P]ATP in the presence of 20% dimethyl sulfoxide (which stimulates autophosphorylation of the EGF receptor) and 10 microM Na3VO4 (a potent inhibitor of phosphotyrosyl protein phosphatase) provides radiolabeled EGF receptor for radioimmunoassay without further purification. The most selective phosphorylation of the EGF receptor is achieved at ATP concentrations of 0.1-0.2 microM, which corresponds to the reported Km value for the autophosphorylation reaction of the EGF receptor (W. Weber, P.J. Bertics, and G.N. Gill, 1984, J. Biol. Chem. 259, 14631-14939). The incorporation of 32P into EGF receptors increases in proportion to the increase of ATP concentration up to 6 mol of labeled phosphate at 2.0 microM ATP. The label is entirely on tyrosine residues. The cell membranes can be stored at -70 degrees C for 3 months without loss of immunoreactivity and autophosphorylating activity. Standard curves for the radioimmunoassay were constructed employing either A431 cell membranes or whole cell homogenates containing a known amount of EGF receptor. The assay can detect 7 X 10(10) EGF receptor molecules or 20 ng of the receptor protein, and can quantitatively distinguish the difference in EGF receptor numbers between A431 cells and 29E2 and KB cells with 10-fold and 15-fold fewer receptors than A431 cells, respectively. 29E2 cells and KB cells express twofold more immunoreactive EGF receptors than EGF-binding sites. In contrast, A431 cells possess the same number of immunoreactive sites and receptor sites for EGF binding. To assess total EGF receptor expression, it is necessary to use a method which detects EGF receptors regardless of their intrinsic kinase activity, or capacity to bind EGF. This radioimmunoassay detects immunoreactive receptor molecules, even those which do not bind EGF.     

Exogenous ganglioside GD1a enhances epidermal growth factor receptor binding and dimerization

Gangliosides are shed by tumor cells and can bind to normal cells in the tumor microenvironment and affect their function. Exposure of fibroblasts to exogenous gangliosides increases epidermal growth factor (EGF)-induced fibroblast proliferation and enhances EGF receptor (EGFR)-mediated activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway (Li, R., Liu, Y., and Ladisch, S. (2001) J. Biol. Chem. 276, 42782-42792). Here we report that the EGFR itself is the target of this ganglioside effect: Preincubation of normal human dermal fibroblasts with G(D1a) ganglioside enhanced both EGF-induced EGFR autophosphorylation and receptor-tyrosine kinase activity. The enhancement was rapid (within 30 min), not due to alteration of time kinetics of the EGFR response to EGF, and reproduced in purified G(D1a)-enriched cell membranes isolated from ganglioside-preincubated fibroblasts. Evaluating the initial steps underlying activation, EGF binding, and EGFR dimerization, we found that G(D1a) enrichment of the cell membrane increased EGFR dimerization and the effective number of high affinity EGFR without increasing total receptor protein. Unexpectedly, G(D1a) enrichment also triggered increased EGFR dimerization in the absence of growth factor. This resulted in enhanced activation of the EGFR signal transduction cascade when EGF was added. We conclude that membrane ganglioside enrichment of normal fibroblasts (such as by tumor cell ganglioside shedding) facilitates receptor-receptor interactions (possibly by altering membrane topology), causing ligand-independent EGFR dimerization and, in turn, enhanced EGF signaling.     

Epidermal growth factor receptor. Characterization of a monoclonal antibody specific for the receptor of A431 cells

A monoclonal antibody to the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor of A431 cells was obtained after fusion of immunized BALB/c mouse spleen cells with NS-1 myeloma cells. Specific binding of the antibody to the plasma membrane of A431 cells was demonstrated by indirect immunofluorescence and electron microscopy. The antibody did not react with human KB cells, normal rat kidney cells, or Swiss 3T3 cells. The antibody is an IgG3K; it specifically immunoprecipitated a Mr approximately 170,000 protein from radiolabeled A431 cell extracts. This protein is phosphorylated in a EGF-dependent manner in intact A431 cells and in Triton X-100-solubilized plasma membranes. The specificity of the interaction of the antibody with the Mr = 170,000 protein was confirmed by electrophoretic transfer of A431 cell proteins to nitrocellulose followed by incubation with the antibody and 125I-protein A. When 125I-EGF was covalently cross-linked to its receptor, the 125I-EGF-receptor complex was specifically precipitated by the antibody. The monoclonal antibody did not inhibit the binding of 125I-EGF to its receptor in intact A431 cells and also failed to stimulate the phosphorylation of the Triton X-100-solubilized EGF receptor. The results indicate that the antibody and EGF bind to different sites on the EGF receptor. The antibody will be useful for isolating the EGF receptor in an unactivated form.     

Inhibition of EGF-mediated receptor activity and cell proliferation by HK1-ceramide,a stable analog of the ganglioside GM3-lactone

Gangliosides have been described as modulators of growth factor receptor activity and subsequent cellular function. Due to the lower-pH environment found in tumor cells, ganglosides are thought to be formed (at least to some extent) into their lactone forms. The aim of the study was to analyze the mode of action of the lactone of the ganglioside GM3 on epidermal growth factor (EGF) signaling in human ovarial epidermoid carcinoma A431 cells and cell growth in human oral epidermoid carcinoma KB cells by applying the GM3 lactone analog HK1-ceramide 2, which is stable under hydrolytic conditions. Specific inhibition of EGF-dependent receptor tyrosine phosphorylation was observed by HK1-ceramide 2 at 25 microM, whereas GM3 showed a comparable inhibition at eightfold higher concentrations. In cells exposed to low pH, where GM3 is thought to form its lactone to a higher extent, addition of GM3 showed no further inhibitory effect on EGF-dependent receptor phosphorylation. Similarly to GM3, HK1-ceramide 2 does not affect binding of (125)I-EGF to the cell surface receptor. EGF-dependent growth of KB cells was also found to be inhibited by HK1-ceramide 2 at much lower concentrations compared to GM3. In conclusion, our results indicate that the GM3 lactone analog HK1-ceramide 2 is a specific inhibitor of EGF receptor function and is more potent in reducing EGF-dependent tyrosine phosphorylation of the receptor in A431 cells and in inhibiting EGF-dependent growth of KB cells compared to GM3.     

Inhibition of tyrosine protein kinases by halomethyl ketones

A chloromethyl ketone derivative of lactic acid was shown to inhibit protein phosphorylation in plasma membranes of Ehrlich ascites tumor cells [Johnson, H. J., Zimniak, A., & Racker, E. (1982) Biochemistry 21, 2984-2989]. We now show that this inhibitor as well as three halomethyl ketone derivatives of amino acids and peptides specifically inhibits tyrosine protein kinase activity in intact plasma membranes and Triton extracts of plasma membrane of A-431 tumor cells. The most effective inhibitor is a bromomethyl ketone derivative of leucine that inhibits the phosphorylation of a protein that migrates to the same position as the EGF receptor in sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Inhibition of phosphorylation took place in the presence or absence of added EGF, and the inhibitor did not interfere with the binding of EGF to the receptor nor with the dephosphorylation of the EGF-stimulated phosphoprotein. EGF-dependent phosphorylation in a Triton extract of plasma membranes from normal placenta was considerably less sensitive to the bromomethyl ketone derivative of leucine. The tyrosine protein kinase activity of the transformation gene product of Fujinami virus was particularly sensitive to the bromomethyl ketone derivative of leucine, while the src gene product of Rous sarcoma virus was comparatively less sensitive. The bromomethyl ketone inhibitor interfered with the phosphorylation of the EGF receptor by [gamma-32P]-8-azido-ATP but much less with the light-sensitive binding. This observation and the lack of interference with EGF binding suggest that the inhibitor interacts with the protein kinase portion of the receptor complex.     

Ganglioside GM3 inhibition of EGF receptor mediated signal transduction

Ganglioside GM3 is a membrane component that has been describedto modulate cell growth through inhibition of EGF receptor associatedtyrosine kinase. In order to determine if the inhibition ofcell growth by this ganglioside is specifically mediated throughEGF receptor signaling, the effects of GM3 on key enzymes implicatedin EGF signaling were determined and compared to another inhibitorof the EGF receptor kinase. Treatment of A1S cells in cultureby GM3 or a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, leflunomide, led to theinhibition of MAP kinase and PI3 kinase activities. There wasno detectable effect on phosphotyrosine phosphatases. In a cellfree system, however, GM3 had no effect on the activity of thesesignaling intermediates. Leflunomide was able to directly inhibitMAP kinase activity. GM3 and leflunomide were also found toact differently on the expression of the early immediate genes.The expression of c-fos and c-jun was inhibited by both GM3and leflunomide. The expression of c-myc, however, was onlyinhibited by leflunomide. These findings suggest that the actionof GM3 on cell growth and signaling is specifically mediatedby EGF receptor and that this ganglioside does not act directlyon the intracellular intermediates of EGF receptor signaling.In addition, soluble small molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitorssuch as leflunomide can directly affect the activity of MAPkinases and possibly other signaling intermediates. The directeffects of leflunomide on signaling intermediates may explainthe differential effects of leflunomide and GM3 on gene expressionand cell growth. cell growth epidermal growth factor gangliosides GM3 signal transduction     

Intracellular distribution of a biotin-labeled ganglioside, GM1, by immunoelectron microscopy after endocytosis in fibroblasts.

A radioactive and biotin-labeled analogue of GM1 (biotin-GM1) was synthesized which enabled us to analyze its intracellular distribution in the compartments of the endocytic route by electron microscopic immunocytochemistry using thin sections of human skin fibroblasts labeled with gold-conjugated antibiotin antibodies. Metabolic studies with the biotin-GM1 showed its partial degradation to the corresponding GM2 and GM3 derivatives. Further degradation was inhibited by the biotin residue. The distribution of biotin-GM1 after uptake by cells was studied by postembedding labeling techniques. On the plasma membrane the biotin-GM1 was detectable in the form of patches (0.1 micrometer in diameter), in caveola-like structures and, to a much lesser extent, in coated pits or vesicles. During endocytic uptake, the biotin-GM1 became detectable in organelles identified as late endosomes and lysosomes. The intracellular distribution of the biotin-GM1 was compared to the localization of the EGF receptor in EGF-stimulated fibroblasts. Both the biotin-GM1 and the EGF receptor were transported to intraendosomal and intralysosomal membranes, indicating that both membrane constituents follow the same pathway of endocytosis. Our observations show that biotin-GM1 can be successfully incorporated into the plasma membrane and be used as a tool for morphological detection of its pathway to lysosomes.     

C-kinase phosphorylates the epidermal growth factor receptor and reduces its epidermal growth factor-stimulated tyrosine protein kinase activity

The Ca2+- and phospholipid-dependent protein kinase (C-kinase) binds tightly in the presence of Ca2+ to purified membranes of A431 human epidermoid carcinoma cells. The major membrane substrate for C-kinase is the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor. Phosphorylation of the EGF receptor is Ca2+-dependent and occurs at threonine and serine residues. After tryptic digestion of the receptor, three major phosphothreonine-containing peptides were identified. These are identical with three new phosphopeptides present in the EGF receptor isolated from A431 cells treated with either of the tumor promoters 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate or teleocidin. C-kinase catalyzes phosphorylation at these same sites in purified EGF receptor protein. These results indicate that, in A431 cells exposed to tumor promoters, C-kinase catalyzes phosphorylation of a significant population of EGF receptor molecules. This phosphorylation of EGF receptors results in decreased self-phosphorylation of the EGF receptor at tyrosine residues both in vivo and in vitro and in decreased EGF-stimulated tyrosine kinase activity in vivo.     

A specific microdomain ("glycosynapse 3") controls phenotypic conversion and reversion of bladder cancer cells through GM3-mediated interaction of alpha3beta1 integrin with CD9

Cell motility is highly dependent on the organization and function of microdomains composed of integrin, proteolipid/tetraspanin CD9, and ganglioside (Ono, M., Handa, K., Sonnino, S., Withers, D. A., Nagai, H., and Hakomori, S. (2001) Biochemistry 40, 6414-6421; Kawakami, Y., Kawakami, K., Steelant, W. F. A., Ono, M., Baek, R. C., Handa, K., Withers, D. A., and Hakomori, S. (2002) J. Biol. Chem. 277, 34349-34358), later termed "glycosynapse 3" (Hakomori, S., and Handa, K. (2002) FEBS Lett. 531, 88-92, 2002). Human bladder cancer cell lines KK47 (noninvasive and nonmetastatic) and YTS1 (highly invasive and metastatic), both derived from transitional bladder epithelia, are very similar in terms of integrin composition and levels of tetraspanin CD9. Tetraspanin CD82 is absent in both. The major difference is in the level of ganglioside GM3, which is several times higher in KK47 than in YTS1. We now report that the GM3 level reflects glycosynapse function as follows: (i) a stronger interaction of integrin alpha3 with CD9 in KK47 than in YTS1; (ii) conversion of benign, low motility KK47 to invasive, high motility cells by depletion of GM3 by P4 (D-threo-1-phenyl-2-palmitoylamino-3-pyrrolidino-1-propanol) treatment or by knockdown of CD9 by the RNA interference method; (iii) reversion of high motility YTS1 to low motility phenotype like that of KK47 by exogenous GM3 addition, whereby the alpha3-to-CD9 interaction was enhanced; (iv) low GM3 level activated c-Src in YTS1 or in P4-treated KK47, and high GM3 level by exogenous addition caused Csk translocation into glycosynapse, with subsequent inhibition of c-Src activation; (v) inhibition of c-Src by "PP2" in YTS1 greatly reduced cell motility. Thus, GM3 in glycosynapse 3 plays a dual role in defining glycosynapse 3 function. One is by modulating the interaction of alpha3 with CD9; the other is by activating or inhibiting the c-Src activity, possibly through Csk translocation. High GM3 level decreases tumor cell motility/invasiveness, whereas low GM3 level enhances tumor cell motility/invasiveness. Oncogenic transformation and its reversion can be explained through the difference in glycosynapse organization.     

Purification and properties of GM2 synthase, UDP-N-acetylgalactosamine: GM3 beta-N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase from rat liver

A UDP-N-acetylgalactosamine:ganglioside GM3 beta-N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase which catalyzes the conversion of ganglioside GM3 to GM2 has been purified over 6300-fold from a Triton X-100 extract of rat liver particulate fractions by hydrophobic chromatography and affinity chromatography on GM3-acid-Sepharose. The purified enzyme has two identical subunits of 64,000 daltons. The enzyme has a pH optimum of pH 6.7-6.9 and requires divalent cations such as Mn2+ and Ni2+. In studies on substrate specificity GM3 containing N-acetylneuraminic acid (GM3(NeuAc] and GM3 containing N-glycolylneuraminic acid were both good acceptors for the purified enzyme. The plots of the activity of transferase as a function of GM3(NeuAc) showed sigmoidal relationships. The oligosaccharide of GM3, sialyllactose, was also a good acceptor, which indicates that the preferred acceptor substrate has the possible structure NeuAc alpha 2- or NeuGc alpha 2-3 Gal beta 1-4Glc-OR.     

Modulation of the epidermal growth factor receptor by basic fibroblast growth factor

Treatment of Swiss 3T3 fibroblasts with basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) lead to a rapid reduction in epidermal growth factor (EGF) binding and a slower inhibition of EGF receptor autophosphorylation. The reduction in binding was due to a complete loss of the highest affinity EGF binding sites and a reduction in the lower affinity binding sites. Neither the inhibition of EGF binding nor the inhibition of EGF receptor autophosphorylation required protein kinase C. Treatment of cells with bFGF stimulated the phosphorylation of the EGF receptor, which persisted for several hours. The inhibition of EGF receptor autophosphorylation by bFGF was reduced in the presence of cycloheximide. However, cycloheximide had no effect on the reduction of EGF binding by bFGF. In contrast to these results with Swiss 3T3 fibroblasts, treatment of PC12 cells with bFGF lead to a reduction in EGF binding but no inhibition of EGF receptor autophosphorylation. Thus inhibited of EGF receptor autophosphorylation and inhibition of EGF binding can be uncoupled. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.