Swainsonine inhibits macrophage receptor-mediated uptake and degradation of a mannosyl-oligosaccharide

Rat pulmonary macrophages were incubated in the presence of a radiolabeled mannosyl-oligosaccharide obtained from ovalbumin. Receptor-mediated endocytosis and degradation of this ligand by the cells was followed in the presence or absence of swainsonine, an inhibitor of alpha-mannosidases. The results indicated that at higher concentrations (greater than 1 microgram/ml) of swainsonine, both the internalization and degradation of the radiolabeled ligand were inhibited. At a concentration of 0.1 microgram/ml of swainsonine, only the degradation was inhibited while the uptake was unaltered. The degradation of the oligosaccharide was blocked due to the inhibition of lysosomal alpha-mannosidase. However, the inhibition of lysosomal alpha-mannosidase was reversible upon withdrawal of swainsonine.     

Effect of swainsonine on the processing and turnover of lysosomal beta-galactosidase and beta-glucuronidase from mouse peritoneal macrophages

The effect of swainsonine, an inhibitor of Golgi alpha-mannosidase II and lysosomal alpha-mannosidase, on the synthesis, processing, and turnover of two glycoproteins, lysosomal beta-galactosidase and lysosomal beta-glucuronidase, has been studied in cultured mouse peritoneal macrophages. No effect of the inhibitor on the relative rates of synthesis of the precursor form of either enzyme was observed. On the other hand, carbohydrate processing of beta-galactosidase and beta-glucuronidase was markedly altered by swainsonine, consistent with a blockage by the inhibitor of the removal of the alpha-1,3- and alpha-1,6-linked mannose residues which occurs in normal processing. In homogenates of both normal and swainsonine-treated cells, the precursor forms of the enzymes were found exclusively in the light membrane fraction on Percoll gradients and the mature forms exclusively in the lysosomal fractions indicating that translocation from Golgi to lysosomes and proteolytic processing in the lysosome were not impaired by the presence of abnormal oligosaccharide side chains. There was no detectable effect of swainsonine during a 4-day chase period on the total cellular turnover of these enzymes which involves two processes, secretion and degradation. In the absence of swainsonine, secretion represented about 40% of the total turnover of beta-galactosidase and about 50% with beta-glucuronidase. The presence of swainsonine increased these proportions to about 60 and 70%, respectively.     

Marked differences in the swainsonine inhibition of rat liver lysosomal alpha-D-mannosidase, rat liver Golgi mannosidase II, and jack bean alpha-D-mannosidase

Swainsonine, a plant toxin, strongly inhibits certain alpha-D-mannosidases but has no effect on others [D. R. P. Tulsiani, T. M. Harris, and O. Touster (1982) J. Biol. Chem. 257, 7936-7939]. The reversible inhibition of jack bean and lysosomal alpha-D-mannosidases has previously been suggested to be similar in nature but quite complex. Specific differences in the action of swainsonine on these two enzymes and on Golgi mannosidase II are reported. (a) The inhibition of the jack bean mannosidase, but not rat liver lysosomal alpha-D-mannosidase or Golgi mannosidase II, is increased by preincubation with the alkaloid. (b) The inhibition of the jack bean and lysosomal enzymes, but not mannosidase II, is competitive at inhibitor concentrations of less than or equal to 0.5 microM. (c) The inhibition of jack bean alpha-mannosidase is largely irreversible, its very limited reversibility being partially dependent upon the swainsonine concentration used and on the time of preincubation with the inhibitor. On the other hand, the inhibition of lysosomal alpha-mannosidase is largely reversible, as shown by dilution experiments and by the use of [3H]swainsonine. Golgi mannosidase II shows intermediate reversibility, the results indicating two modes of binding; one rapid and irreversible, the other much slower and reversible.     

Evidence for an alpha-mannosidase in endoplasmic reticulum of rat liver

An alpha-mannosidase activity has been identified in a preparation of rat liver endoplasmic reticulum and shown to be distinct from the previously described Golgi alpha-mannosidases I and II and the lysosomal alpha-mannosidase. The enzyme was solubilized with deoxycholate and separated from other alpha-mannosidases by passage over concanavalin A-Sepharose to which it does not bind. The endoplasmic reticulum alpha-mannosidase cleaves alpha-1,2-linked mannoses from high mannose oligosaccharides and, unlike Golgi alpha-mannosidase I, is active against p-nitrophenyl-alpha-D-mannoside (Km = 0.17 mM). It has no activity toward GlcNAc-Man5GlcNAc2 peptide, the specific substrate of the Golgi alpha-mannosidase II. The endoplasmic reticulum alpha-mannosidase activity toward p-nitrophenyl-alpha-D-mannoside is relatively insensitive to swainsonine, an inhibitor of both the lysosomal alpha-mannosidase and Golgi alpha-mannosidase II. We propose that the endoplasmic reticulum alpha-mannosidase is responsible for the removal of mannose residues from asparagine-linked high mannose type oligosaccharides prior to their entry into the Golgi.     

Lysosomal hydrolases in macrophages exposed to swainsonine

Swainsonine reversibly inhibits macrophage lysosomal acid alpha-mannosidase in vitro. When supplied to cultured cells for periods of up to 24 h, swainsonine penetrates the cells and produces a dose- and time-dependent inhibition of cellular alpha-mannosidase. Exposure of macrophages to swainsonine for 24 h, followed by continued incubation in the absence of this agent, produces elevated cellular activity of alpha-mannosidase, relative to unexposed controls; prolonged incubation of macrophage cultures with swainsonine for 1-2 weeks results also in significant increases in cell protein, lactate dehydrogenase activity and in that of another lysosomal enzyme, beta-hexosaminidase.     

Swainsonine is a useful tool to monitor the intracellular traffic of N-linked glycoproteins as a function of the state of enterocytic differentiation of HT-29 cells.

After treatment with swainsonine, an inhibitor of both lysosomal alpha-mannosidase and Golgi alpha-mannosidase-II activities, analysis of [3H]mannose-labeled glycans showed that HT-29 cells, derived from a human colonic adenocarcinoma, displayed distinct patterns of N-glycan expression, depending upon their state of enterocytic differentiation. In differentiated HT-29 cells hybrid-type chains were detected, whereas undifferentiated HT-29 cells accumulated high-mannose-type oligosaccharide, despite our demonstration of Golgi alpha-mannosidase-II activity in both cell populations. Pulse/chase experiments carried out in the presence of swainsonine revealed that the persistence of high-mannose-type chains in undifferentiated HT-29 cells was the result of the stabilization of glycoproteins substituted with these glycans. These data suggest that in undifferentiated HT-29 cells, glycoproteins with high-mannose-type oligosaccharides are delivered to a degradative compartment containing swainsonine-sensitive alpha-mannosidase(s), whereas in differentiated HT-29 cells glycoproteins enter a compartment in which alpha-mannosidase II (Golgi apparatus) is present. Thus, this apparent dual effect of swainsonine on N-glycan trimming may reflect differences in the intracellular traffic of glycoproteins as a function of the state of enterocytic differentiation of HT-29 cells.     

Insect cells encode a class II alpha-mannosidase with unique properties

Previously, we cloned and characterized an insect (Sf9) cell cDNA encoding a class II alpha-mannosidase with amino acid sequence and biochemical similarities to mammalian Golgi alpha-mannosidase II. Since then, it has been demonstrated that other mammalian class II alpha-mannosidases can participate in N-glycan processing. Thus, the present study was performed to evaluate the catalytic properties of the Sf9 class II alpha-mannosidase and to more clearly determine its relationship to mammalian Golgi alpha-mannosidase II. The results showed that the Sf9 enzyme is cobalt-dependent and can hydrolyze Man(5)GlcNAc(2) to Man(3)GlcNAc(2), but it cannot hydrolyze GlcNAcMan(5)GlcNAc(2). These data establish that the Sf9 enzyme is distinct from Golgi alpha-mannosidase II. This enzyme is not a lysosomal alpha-mannosidase because it is not active at acidic pH and it is localized in the Golgi apparatus. In fact, its sensitivity to swainsonine distinguishes the Sf9 enzyme from all other known mammalian class II alpha-mannosidases that can hydrolyze Man(5)GlcNAc(2). Based on these properties, we designated this enzyme Sf9 alpha-mannosidase III and concluded that it probably provides an alternate N-glycan processing pathway in Sf9 cells.     

A human lysosomal alpha-mannosidase specific for the core of complex glycans.

A novel lysosomal alpha-mannosidase, with unique substrate specificity, has been partially purified from human spleen by chromatography through concanavalin A-Sepharose, DEAE-Sephadex, and Sephacryl S-300. This enzyme can catalyze the hydrolysis of only 1 mannose residue, that which is alpha(1----6)-linked to the beta-linked mannose in the core of N-linked glycans, as found in the oligosaccharides Man alpha(1----6)[Man alpha(1----3)] Man beta(1----4)GlcNAc and Man alpha(1----6)Man beta(1----4) GlcNAc. The newly described alpha-mannosidase does not catalyze the hydrolysis of mannose residues outside of the core, even if they are alpha(1----6)-linked, and is not active on the other alpha-linked mannose in the core, which is (1----3)-linked. The narrow specificity of the novel mannosidase contrasts sharply with that of the major lysosomal alpha-mannosidase, which is able to catalyze the degradation of oligosaccharides containing diverse linkage and branching patterns of the mannose residues. Importantly, although the major mannosidase readily catalyzes the hydrolysis of the core alpha(1----3)-linked mannose, it is poorly active towards the alpha(1----6)-linked mannose, i.e. the very same mannose residue for which the newly characterized mannosidase is specific. The novel enzyme is further differentiated from the major lysosomal alpha-mannosidase by its inability to catalyze the efficient hydrolysis of the synthetic substrate p-nitrophenyl alpha-mannoside, and by the strong stimulation of its activity by Co2+ and Zn2+. Similarly to the major mannosidase, it is strongly inhibited by swainsonine and 1,4-dideoxy-1,4-imino-D-mannitol, but not by deoxymannojirimycin. The presence of this novel alpha-mannosidase activity in human tissues provides the best explanation, to date, for the structures of the oligosaccharides stored in human alpha-mannosidosis. In this condition the major lysosomal alpha-mannosidase activity is severely deficient, but apparently the alpha(1----6)-mannosidase is unaffected, so that the oligosaccharide structures reflect the unique specificity of this enzyme.     

Structure-activity relationship of swainsonine. Inhibition of human alpha-mannosidases by swainsonine analogues.

The inhibitory properties of a series of synthetic epimers and analogues of swainsonine towards the multiple forms of human alpha-mannosidases were studied in vitro and in cells in culture. Of the five epimers tested, only the 8a-epimer and 8,8a-diepimer of swainsonine were specific and competitive inhibitors (Ki values of 7.5 x 10(-5) and 2 x 10(-6) M respectively) of lysosomal alpha-mannosidases in vitro and induced storage of mannose-rich oligosaccharides in human fibroblasts in culture. The structures of these storage products indicated that processing alpha-mannosidases had also been inhibited. This was consistent with the observed inhibition in vitro of these enzymes by these compounds. In contrast, the 8-epimer, 1,8-diepimer and 2,8a-diepimer of swainsonine had no appreciable effect on any alpha-mannosidases. The corresponding open-chain analogues of swainsonine, namely 1,4-dideoxy-1,4-imino-D-mannitol, of the 8a-epimer, namely 1,4-dideoxy-1,4-imino-D-talitol, and of the 8,8a-diepimer, namely 1,4-dideoxy-1,4-imino-L-allitol, were weaker competitive inhibitors of lysosomal alpha-mannosidase, with Ki values of 1.3 x 10(-5), 1.2 x 10(-4) and 1.2 x 10(-4) M respectively. These analogues also proved less effective at inducing oligosaccharide accumulation and in disturbing glycoprotein processing. These compounds offer the opportunity to determine which alterations in the chirality of the swainsonine molecule affect its inhibitory specificity. A comparison of their biological activities has identified reagents that will be useful for studying steps in the biosynthesis and catabolism of glycoproteins and that may be of potential value in chemotherapy.     

Swainsonine, a potent mannosidase inhibitor, elevates rat liver and brain lysosomal alpha-D-mannosidase, decreases Golgi alpha-D-mannosidase II, and increases the plasma levels of several acid hydrolases

Swainsonine, a toxic plant alkaloid reported to be the agent that induces in animals a neurological condition very similar to the hereditary lysosomal storage disease mannosidosis, and to inhibit the formation of complex glycoproteins of the asparagine-linked class, was recently shown [D.R.P. Tulsiani, T.M. Harris, and O. Touster, (1982) J. Biol. Chem. 257, 7936-7939] to be a highly potent and specific inhibitor of Golgi mannosidase II in addition to being a strong inhibitor of lysosomal mannosidase. In the present study the effect of administered swainsonine on tissue enzyme levels was investigated. The activity of Golgi mannosidase II was markedly decreased (22% of control) without changes occurring in the activities of several other Golgi enzymes. However, the effects of swainsonine on lysosomal enzymes was unexpected. In liver, acid mannosidase increased markedly, instead of decreasing as would be expected from a compound reported to induce a mannosidosis-like condition. Similarly, the principal change in brain was a substantial increase in lysosomal mannosidase levels. In plasma, most lysosomal enzymes increased. These results indicate that the pathological effects of swainsonine are not solely attributable to its being an inhibitor of lysosomal alpha-D-mannosidase and are probably a consequence of abnormal processing of glycoproteins.     

The selective enzymatic synthesis of lipophilic esters of swainsonine.

The potent and specific inhibitor of Golgi alpha-mannosidase II, swainsonine (SW) has been isolated in high yield from Swainsona procumbens and derivatised by regiospecific enzymatic reactions. In this study the regioselectivity of three commercially available enzymes, subtilisin Carlsberg, porcine pancreatic lipase (PPL) and Candida cylindracea lipase was determined for the acylation of swainsonine in predominantly anhydrous organic medium. The use of subtilisin in pyridine facilitated the single step synthesis of 2-O-butyryl-SW in a 23% yield, whilst catalysis by PPL in tetrahydrofuran gave 2-O-butyryl-SW (6%) and 1,2-di-O-butyryl-SW (31%).     

Structure of Golgi alpha-mannosidase II: a target for inhibition of growth and metastasis of cancer cells.

Golgi alpha-mannosidase II, a key enzyme in N-glycan processing, is a target in the development of anti- cancer therapies. The crystal structure of Drosophila Golgi alpha-mannosidase II in the absence and presence of the anti-cancer agent swainsonine and the inhibitor deoxymannojirimycin reveals a novel protein fold with an active site zinc intricately involved both in the substrate specificity of the enzyme and directly in the catalytic mechanism. Identification of a putative GlcNAc binding pocket in the vicinity of the active site cavity provides a model for the binding of the GlcNAcMan(5)GlcNAc(2) substrate and the consecutive hydrolysis of the alpha1,6- and alpha1,3-linked mannose residues. The enzyme-inhibitor interactions observed provide insight into the catalytic mechanism, opening the door to the design of novel inhibitors of alpha-mannosidase II.     

Effect of isomers of swainsonine on glycosidase activity and glycoprotein processing

The chemical synthesis of swainsonine [(1S,2R,8R,8 alpha R)-trihydroxyindolizidine] from trans-1,4-dichloro-2-butene was previously described [Adams, C. E., Walker, F. J., & Sharpless, K. B. (1985) J. Org. Chem. 50, 420-424]. A modification of that synthesis provided two other isomers, referred to here as "Glc-swainsonine" [(1S,2S,8R,8 alpha R)-trihydroxyindolizidine] and "Ido-swainsonine" [(1S,2S,8S,8 alpha R)-trihydroxyindolizidine]. To determine whether these new compounds had biological activity, they were compared to swainsonine as inhibitors of a number of commercially available glycosidases. While swainsonine is a potent inhibitor of jack bean alpha-mannosidase but does not inhibit other glycosidases, its two isomers were inactive on alpha-mannosidase but did inhibit other enzymes. Thus, Glc-swainsonine was an inhibitor of the fungal alpha-glucosidase amyloglucosidase, and this inhibition was of a competitive nature (Ki = 5 X 10(-5) M) with respect to the substrate p-nitrophenyl alpha-D-glucopyranoside. This alkaloid also inhibited beta-glucosidase, but much less effectively than alpha-glucosidase. On the other hand, Ido-swainsonine was more effective toward beta-glucosidase than toward alpha-glucosidase, and this inhibition was also of a competitive nature. None of these inhibitors were effective against beta-mannosidase or alpha- or beta-galactosidase. Glc-swainsonine was also tested against the glycoprotein processing glycosidases. Surprisingly, in this respect, the alkaloid was like swainsonine in that it inhibited mannosidase II but had no effect or only slight effect on glucosidase I, glucosidase II, and mannosidase I. Glc-swainsonine also inhibited glycoprotein processing in cell culture.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Fucosylated hybrid-type N-glycans on the secreted human epidermal growth factor receptor from swainsonine-treated A431 cells

N-Glycans linked to the human secreted form of epidermal growth factor receptor were isolated from A431 cells after swainsonine treatment. Analysis of the oligosaccharides by (1)H NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry shows the presence of oligomannose- and (alpha2-3)-sialylated hybrid-type glycans. The major hybrid-type oligosaccharide chains are fucosylated at the Asn-bound GlcNAc residue. Smaller amounts of the hybrid-type structures are also fucosylated at peripheral GlcNAc residues, constituting the sialyl-Le(x) antigen. No complex-type glycans are found, suggesting the absence of alpha-mannosidase III. An assay for alpha-mannosidase III on the A431 cells in the absence and presence of 6 microM swainsonine shows that Man(5)GlcNAc(2) is not converted into Man(3)GlcNAc(2), thereby confirming that these cells do not contain alpha-mannosidase III activity.     

Mechanism of Inhibition of Jack Bean alpha-Mannosidase by Swainsonine

The indolizidine alkaloid, swainsonine, was previously shown to be a potent inhibitor of lysosomal and jack bean α-mannosidase (Dorling, Huxtable, Colegate 1980 Biochem J 191: 649-651). We examined the effects of various concentrations of this alkaloid on a number of commercially available glycosidases and found swainsonine to be quite specific for α-mannosidase (50% inhibition at 1-5 × 10⁻⁷ molar). Optimum inhibition was observed after a 2-minute preincubation of enzyme and inhibitor. Lineweaver-Burk plots of substrate concentration versus velocity in the presence of various amounts of swainsonine showed considerable curvature at high substrate concentrations, suggesting that swainsonine may be a competitive inhibitor that binds tightly to the enzyme and is only slowly removed. Periodate oxidation of swainsonine completely destroyed its inhibitory activity.     

Synthesis of aza- and thia-spiroheterocycles and attempted synthesis of spiro sulfonium compounds related to salacinol

The synthesis of aza- and thia-spiroheterocycles and the attempted synthesis of spiro sulfonium compounds related to salacinol are described. The binding of the nanomolar inhibitor swainsonine to Drosophila Golgi alpha-mannosidase II (dGMII) involves a large contribution of interactions between the six-membered ring of the inhibitor and the hydrophobic pocket within the enzyme active site. Salacinol, a naturally occurring sulfonium ion, is one of the active principles in the aqueous extracts of Salacia reticulata that are traditionally used in Sri Lanka and India for the treatment of diabetes. Spiro aza- and thia-heterocycles and a spiro analogue of salacinol were designed with the expectation that the hydrocarbon portions would make hydrophobic contributions to binding. The former sets of compounds were synthesized successfully but the salacinol analogue proved to be elusive. The stereochemistry of the final compounds was determined by means of 1D-NOESY experiments. The aza- and thia-heterocycles were not effective inhibitors of Golgi alpha-mannosidase II or human maltase glucoamylase.     

Disruption of alpha-mannosidase processing induces non-canonical hybrid-type glycosylation

Golgi alpha-mannosidase II is essential for the efficient formation of complex-type glycosylation. Here, we demonstrate that the disruption of Golgi alpha-mannosidase II activity by swainsonine in human embryonic kidney cells is capable of inducing a novel class of hybrid-type glycosylation containing a partially processed mannose moiety. The discovery of 'Man(6)-based' hybrid-type glycans reveals a broader in vivo specificity of N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase I, further defines the arm-specific tolerance of core alpha1-6 fucosyltransferase to terminal alpha1-2 mannose residues, and suggests that disruption of Golgi alpha-mannosidase II activity is capable of inducing potentially 'non-self' structures.     

The structural basis of the inhibition of human glycosidases by castanospermine analogues.

A series of epimers and deoxy derivatives of castanospermine has been synthesized to investigate the contribution of the different chiral centres to the specificity and potency of inhibition of human liver glycosidases. Castanospermine inhibits all forms of alpha- and beta-D-glucosidases, but alteration to any of the five chiral centres in castanospermine markedly decreases the inhibition. 6-Epicastanospermine, which is related to D-pyranomannose in the same way as castanospermine is to D-pyranoglucose, does not inhibit lysosomal (acidic) alpha-mannosidase, but is a good inhibitor of the cytosolic or neutral alpha-mannosidase. Conversely, 1-deoxy-6-epicastanospermine inhibits acidic alpha-mannosidase strongly, but not the neutral alpha-mannosidase. An explanation of this different inhibition based on preferential recognition of different configurations of mannose by the different forms of alpha-mannosidase is postulated. All derivatives of 6-epicastanospermine also have the minimum structural feature for the inhibition of alpha-L-fucosidase, but those with a beta-anomeric substituent do not inhibit the enzyme, or do so very weakly. 1-Deoxy-6,8a-diepicastanospermine, which has four chiral centres identical with alpha-L-fucose, is, however, a potent inhibitor of alpha-L-fucosidase (Ki 1.3 microM).     

Binding of sulfonium-ion analogues of di-epi-swainsonine and 8-epi-lentiginosine to Drosophila Golgi alpha-mannosidase II: the role of water in inhibitor binding

Retaining glycosidases operate by a two-step catalytic mechanism in which the transition states are characterized by buildup of a partial positive charge at the anomeric center. Sulfonium-ion analogues of the naturally occurring glycosidase inhibitors, swainsonine and 8-epi-lentiginosine, in which the bridgehead nitrogen atom is replaced by a sulfonium-ion, were synthesized in order to test the hypothesis that a sulfonium salt carrying a permanent positive charge would be an effective glycosidase inhibitor. Initial prediction based on computational docking indicated three plausible binding modes to Drosophila Golgi alpha-mannosidase II (dGMII), the most likely being close to that of swainsonine. Observation of the binding of di-epi-thioswainsonine and 8-epi-thiolentiginosine to dGMII from crystallographic data, however, revealed an orientation different from swainsonine in the active site. Screening these two compounds against dGMII shows that they are inhibitors with IC(50) values of 2.0 and 0.014 mM, respectively. This dramatic difference in affinity between the two compounds, which differ by only one hydroxyl group, is rationalized in terms of bound water molecules and the water molecule substructure in the active site, as identified by comparison of high resolution X-ray crystal structures of several dGMII-inhibitor complexes.