Ultrastructural and biochemical identification of con A receptors in the desmosome

Correlated ultrastructural and biochemical methods were used to identify and localize Concanavalin A (Con A) receptors in the desmosomes of bovine epidermis. Specific carbohydrate residues were labeled with ferritin-Con A in thin sections of tissue embedded in a hydrophilic resin. Quantitative mapping of ferritin distribution in labeled desmosomes revealed that Con A receptors are localized in the intercellular zone and concentrated along the desmosomal midline or central dense stratum. Labeling was almost entirely absent when sections were treated with ferritin-Con A in the presence of 0.1 M α-methyl mannoside, a hapten-inhibitor of Con A. “Whole” desmosomes and desmosomal intercellular regions (desmosomal “cores”) were purified from bovine muzzle epidermis. Sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis reveals a limited number of major desmosomal protein constituents. Certain of these are glycoproteins and are greatly enriched in the core fraction. Almost all the desmosomal glycoproteins are intensely labeled when electrophoretic gels of whole desmosome or core fractions are exposed to fluorescent Concanavalin A.     

Studies on cell adhesion and recognition. II. The kinetics of cell adhesion and cell spreading on surfaces coated with carbohydrate- reactive proteins (glycosidases and lectins) and fibronectin

The kinetics of cell attachment and cell spreading on the coated surfaces of two classes of carbohydrate-reactive proteins, enzymes and lectins, have been compared with those on fibronectin-coated surfaces with the following results: (a) A remarkable similarity between the kinetics of cell attachment to fibronectin-coated and glycosidase- coated surfaces was found. In contrast, cell attachment kinetics induced by lectin- and galactose oxidase-coated surfaces, in general, were strikingly different from those on fibronectin and glycosidase surfaces. The distinction between fibronectin- or glycosidase- and lectin- or galactose oxidase (an enzyme with lectin-type characteristics)-coated surfaces was further supported by the finding that cytochalasin B and EDTA inhibited cell attachment to fibronectin- and glycosidase-coated surfaces but not lectin-coated surfaces. (b) Fibronectin, if labeled and added to a cell suspension, showed only low or negligible interaction with the cell surface. However, fibronectin absorbed on plastic surfaces showed a high cell-attaching activity. It is assumed that fibronectin coated on plastic surfaces may form polyvalent attachment sites in contrast to its lower valency in aqueous solution. (c) Various inhibitors of cell attachment to both fibronectin- , galactose oxidase-, and lectin-coated surfaces were effective only during the first few minutes of the adhesion assay, after which time the attached cells became insensitive to the inhibitors. It is suggested that the initial specific recognition on either lectin-type or fibronectin-type surfaces is followed by an active cell-dependent attachment process. The primary role of the adhesion surface is to stimulate the cell-dependent attachment response. (d) Cells attached on tetravalent concanavalin A (Con A) spread very rapidly and quantitatively, whereas divalent succinyl Con A and monovalent Con A were effective stimulators of cell attachment but not cell spreading. Cross-linking of succinyl Con A restored the cell spreading activity. Tetravalent Con A surfaces specifically bind soluble glycoproteins, whereas succinyl Con A has a greatly reduced ability to bind the same glycoproteins. These results suggest that cross-linking of cell surface glycoproteins by the multivalent adhesive surface may trigger the cellular reaction leading to cell spreading.     

Lectin Analysis of Surface Saccharides in Two Trichomonas vaginalis Strains Differing in Pathogenicity*

SYNOPSIS. Surface saccharides in 2 Trichomonas vaginalis strains, the moderately pathogenic, JH34A, and the mild, JH162A, were analyzed with the aid of plant lectins. Concanavalin A (Con A), wheat germ agglutinin (WGA), soybean agglutinin (SBA), castor bean agglutinin (CBA), and lectin from the garden pea (GPA) were employed in agglutination tests and in treatment of ultrathin sections for electron microscopy according to the horseradish peroxidase-3,3′-diaminobenzidine method. With Con A and WGA, small quantitative differences were noted between the 2 strains in the results of agglutination and in the reaction-product deposits observed by electron microscopy. Distribution of the binding sites for the 2 lectins was also somewhat different in the JH34A and JH162A trichomonads. In general, the reactions with the more pathogenic strain were slightly stronger. Although the reactions with SBA and CBA lectins were weaker than those with Con A or WGA, they provided the means for qualitative differentiation between the 2 trichomonad strains. SBA alone agglutinated the JH34A strain and formed demonstrable deposits on the cell surfaces. On the other hand, only CBA reacted with JH162A flagellates. The garden pea lectin failed to bind to the surface of either strain. On the basis of results obtained with the control preparations incubated in the presence of specific inhibitors, it was concluded that both strains had α-methyl-D-mannoside and/or α-methyl-D-mannoside-like as well as N-acetyl-D-glucosamine residues on their surfaces. In addition, JH34A strain had D-lactose-containing residues while JH162A trichomonads had residues with D-galactose. Neither strain appeared to possess residues containing N-acetyl-D-galactosamine.     

Membrane differentiation of developing hemic cells of the bone marrow demonstrated by changes in concanavalin A surface labeling

The concanavalin A-gold labeled horseradish peroxidase (Con A-HRP-G) method has been employed in the ultrastructural localization of Con A surface receptor sites on glutaraldehyde-fixed normal human and guinea pig bone marrow cells. The number of gold particles per micron of cell surface was counted and data subjected to statistical analysis. All cells of the bone marrow exhibited Con A binding; however, the extent of surface labeling was dependent both on cell type and stage of differentiation. Distinctive modifications in mean surface density correlated with specific periods during the maturation of the erythrocytic, neutrophilic, eosinophilic and monocytic cell series. In several instances, the differentiative changes in surface Con A labeling proved to be species dependent. These observations are discussed in relationship to methodology and to potential changes in number and/or spatial arrangement of Con A receptor sites, primarily attributable to mannosyl and/or glucosyl residues associated with membrane glycoproteins and/or glycolipids of developing neutrophilic and erythrocytic cells.     

高及低转移潜能小鼠肝癌细胞株糖蛋白凝集素结合特征的研究

为探讨肿瘤转移与细胞表面的糖结构的关系,对小鼠肝癌细胞的高、低淋巴道转移株Ｈｃａ－Ｆ和Ｈｃａ－Ｐ进行了蛋白质电泳及经蛋白质印迹术后的５种凝集素（ＣｏｎＡ、ＷＧＡ、ＵＥＡ、ＳＢＡ、ＰＮＡ）结合糖蛋白谱的对比分析．结果表明：高、低转移两株细胞的ＳＤＳ－ＰＡＧＥ谱基本相同;ＣｏｎＡ特异结合糖蛋白共有５种（～７２,８０～９０,～１０４,～１５０,～２００ｋＤ）;其中较明显的差异为～７２ｋＤＣｏｎＡ特异结合糖蛋白,它在Ｈｃａ－Ｐ细胞的表达明显高于Ｈｃａ－Ｆ细胞．ＷＧＡ特异结合糖蛋白１种（～１５０ｋＤ）,在Ｈｃａ－Ｐ细胞的表达略高于Ｈｃａ－Ｆ细胞．此外,实验发现两种性质未明的蛋白质（～７９,～１３０ｋＤ）,后者在Ｈｃａ－Ｐ细胞的含量明显高于Ｈｃａ－Ｐ细胞．结果提示Ｈｃａ－Ｆ和Ｈｃａ－Ｐ细胞不同的转移表型可能与其糖蛋白的表达有一定的关联．     

Characterization of N-linked oligosaccharides by affinoblotting with concanavalin A-peroxidase and treatment of the blots with glycosidases

Glycoproteins which bind concanavalin A (Con A) can be located on nitrocellulose sheets after electrophoretic transfer from slab gels, by sequential incubation of the sheets with Con A and peroxidase, and visualization of the peroxidase by an insoluble reaction product. We refer to this method as affinoblotting. Differential elution of Con A from the blots by washing the sheets with different concentrations of alpha-methylglycosides is used to demonstrate the affinity of Con A for the oligosaccharide side chains, and to differentiate between proteins with weak and those with high affinity for Con A. Concanavalin A has a high affinity for the four plant glycoproteins (phaseolin, phytohemagglutinin, jackbean alpha-mannosidase, and the glycosylated precursor of Con A) studied here. Incubation of the blots with alpha-mannosidase and endoglycosidase H (endo H) is used to demonstrate that the oligosaccharide chains can be degraded by glycosidases while the proteins are immobilized on the nitrocellulose. With this approach we show here that the four plant glycoproteins used as models in this study interact with Con A through high-mannose oligosaccharide side chains sensitive to alpha-mannosidase and endo H degradation.     

Interaction of concanavalin A with sugar residues of collagen from different tissues

Topochemical characteristics of reactions of different types of collagen-containing structures with Concanavalin A (Con A) have not been considered up to now. In this study the presence and availability of glucose residues of collagen molecules from intestine, liver, cartilage and tendon are detected using Con A and horseradish peroxidase (HRP). In intestine, cartilage and tendon sections, the Con A-HRP method was only significantly positive when the sections were first submitted to treatment with papain. This suggested the presence of glycoproteins and proteoglycans of the extracellular matrix (ECM), which might interfere either interacting with lateral sugar residues of the collagen molecules, or causing some steric blockade or even masking as occurs in regions with a high state of compactness.     

Ultrastructural localization of lectin-binding sites and laminin-like immunoreactivity in glial cells and neurites growing out from explant cultures of the central nervous system of embryonic locusts

Summary Lectins with different sugar specificities and labeled with horseradish peroxidase or gold were used to study, at the electron-microscopic level, surface glycoconjugates of glial cells and neurites growing out from explant cultures of the central nervous system of embryonic locusts. Differential binding to differentiating glial cells and to neurites was demonstrated. Concanavalin A (Con A) and wheat-germ agglutinin (WGA) bound to glial and neurite surfaces with different degrees of labeling. The formation of glial processes and junctional complexes was invariably accompanied by a corresponding increase of Con A- and WGA-receptors. Peanut agglutinin (PNA) failed to bind to glial cells but strongly stained the plasma membrane of neurite junctions. Lotus tetragonolobus a. (LTA) did not bind either to glial cells or to neurites. In addition, staining with an antibody against laminin showed labeling in areas of neurite outgrowth and neurite interactions; this resembled the localization of PNA receptors. These findings provide evidence for the presence of different carbohydrates at the surface of neurites and glial cells of locust. Their predominant localization in glial processes and neurite junctions suggests that these carbohydrates constitute part of a group adhesion glycoproteins that also includes laminin.     

Lectin binding to cell surfaces: comparisons between normal and migrating corneal epithelium

Comparisons were made between cell surfaces of normal and migrating corneal epithelium of the rat by localizing and/or quantifying concanavalin A (Con A) and wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) binding. Our results indicate that apical cell surfaces of the leading edge of a migrating sheet of epithelium differ from those of normal epithelium and that the various cell layers within the stratified normal epithelium have different lectin-binding characteristics. Three methods of monitoring lectin binding to cell surfaces were employed. Based on ferritin-conjugated Con A, ferritin-conjugated WGA, and [3H]Con A binding, apical cell membranes of migrating epithelia bind more Con A and WGA than do apical membranes of superficial cells of normal stratified epithelia. With both fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-Con A and -WGA, membranes of all the cells of the leading edge of the migrating sheet fluoresce intensely. FITC-Con A binding of normal stratified epithelium is relatively uniform through all cell layers with no discernible staining of the apical membrane of superficial cells. With FITC-WGA, however, fluorescence is present only on basal cell layers but not on superficial cells. These data demonstrate that apical cell surface sugars on a sheet of epithelium migrating to cover a wound differ from the apical cell surface sugars of normal epithelium. As indicated by FITC-WGA binding, cells of the migrating sheet have cell surface characteristics similar to basal cells of normal epithelia. Perhaps, upon wounding, the leading edge of the migrating sheet is derived from the basal cell population of the normal stratified epithelium, or perhaps there is an alteration in cell surface glycoproteins as the cells become migratory.     

Preferential association of glycoproteins to the euchromatin regions of cross-fractured nuclei is revealed by fracture-label

We used fracture-label to establish ultrastructural localization of glycoproteins in cross-fractured nuclei of duodenal columnar and exocrine pancreatic cells. Mannose residues were detected in cell nuclei by labeling freeze-fractured tissues with concanavalin A-horseradish peroxidase X colloidal gold (Con A-HRP X CG) or direct concanavalin A X colloidal gold (Con A X CG); fucose residues were detected with Ulex Europaeus I X colloidal gold (UEA I X CG) markers. Areas of the three main intranuclear compartments (euchromatin, heterochromatin, and nucleolus) exposed by freeze-fracture were determined by automated image analysis. Colloidal gold particles bound to each nuclear subcompartment were counted and the results expressed in number of colloidal gold particles per square micrometer +/- SEM. Duodenal and pancreatic tissues fractured and labeled with Con A-HRP X CG complex or direct Con A X CG conjugates showed that the vast majority of Con A binding sites was confined to euchromatin regions with only sparse labeling of the heterochromatin and nucleolus. UEA I labeling of duodenal columnar cells showed that colloidal gold particles were almost exclusively confined to cross-fractured areas where euchromatin is exposed. Trypsinization of the fractured tissues before labeling with Con A and UEA I abolished 95-100% of the original label. Our results show that, within the nucleoplasm, mannose and fucose are residues of glycoproteins preferentially located within the regions of euchromatin.     

Affinity chromatographic isolation of cell surface glycoproteins from human foetal brains and their interaction with lectins.

The cell surface glycoproteins of foetal human neurons and glial cells were isolated by affinity chromatography on Con A-Sepharose 4B. Dissociation of Con A from the matrix took place independent of buffer composition and the absence of lipids and/or detergents during chromatography. It was apparently related to the nature of glyco proteins. Pretreatment of Con A-Sepharose 4B with urea or guanidine minimized this problem. The elution of glycoproteins from the affinity matrix at 4 degrees C, instead of the usual 25 degrees C, reduced both Con A and glycolipid contamination in the eluate. Dot-enzyme-linked-lectin assay was carried out with horse radish peroxidase conjugated lectins and serotonin. It was observed that total glycoproteins contained high mannose, hybrid and a limited quantity of biantennary complex type oligosaccharide chains. O-linked oligosaccharides were also present. Desialylation and sodium chloride inhibited binding to serotonin and wheat germ agglutinin indicating the presence of sialic acid residues. Fucose was attached to the innermost core GlcNAc residue, as revealed by affinity towards pea lectin.     

Production of monoclonal antibodies against a cell surface concanavalin a binding glycoprotein

Concanavalin A-binding (Con A)-binding cell surface glycoproteins were isolated, via Con A-affinity chromatography, from Triton X-100-solubilized Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell plasma membranes. The Con A binding glycoproteins isolated in this manner displayed a significantly different profile on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels than did the Tritonsoluble surface components, which were not retarded by the Con A-Sepharose column. [¹²⁵I]-Con A overlays of the pooled column fractions displayed on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electro-phoresis (SDS-PAGE) demonstrated that there were virtually no Con A receptors associated with the unretarded peak released by the Con A-Sepharose column, whereas the material which was bound and specifically eluted from the Con A-Sepharose column with the sugar hapten α-methyl-D-mannopyranoside contained at least 15 prominent bands which bound [¹²⁵I]-Con A. In order to produce monoclonal antibodies against various cell surface Con A receptors, Balb/c mice were immunized with the pooled Con A receptor fraction. Following immunization spleens were excised from the animals and single spleen cell suspensions were fused with mouse myeloma P3/X63-Ag8 cells. Numerous hybridoma clones were subsequently picked on the basis of their ability to secrete antibody which could bind to both live and glutaraldehyde-fixed CHO cells as well as to the Triton-soluble fraction isolated from the CHO plasma membrane fraction. Antibody from two of these clones was able to precipitate a single [¹²⁵I]-labeled CHO surface component of ～265,000 daltons.     

Concanavalin A induces endoreduplication in cultured mammalian cells.

Concanavalin A (Con A) induced endoreduplication in an established cell line, Don, of the Chinese hamster. The inducibility of Con A was inhibited by α-methyl-D-mannoside. When a secondary culture of kidney cells (CHK), which showed the contact-inhibition of growth, was used, there was an increase in spontaneous endoreduplication. CHK cells or some of them were more sensitive to Con A than Don cells, in which few spontaneous endoreduplications were observed. Mitotic shake-off after Con A treatment led to the higher ratio of endoreduplicated cells to normal mitoses, suggesting that endoreduplicating cells do not “round-up” and probably do not condense chromosomes through the cell cycle until M is reached.     

Binding of <Superscript>3</Superscript>H-Concanavalin A by Normal and Transformed Cells

CERTAIN plant lectins selectively agglutinate tissue culture cells transformed by oncogenic viruses and chemical carcinogens^1–7. Agglutination of transformed cells is inhibited by certain small carbohydrates which are thought to be sterically similar to the lectin-binding sites on the cell surface. Agglutination induced by a protein from wheatgerm is inhibited by N-acetyl-glucosamine^2,3 and that induced by concanavalin A (Con A) is inhibited by α-methyl-D-glucopyranoside (α-MG⁴). Normal cells are thought also to have lectin-binding sites but in a “cryptic” form, for mild protease treatment renders them agglutinable by wheatgerm agglutinin and Con A^4,6. Transformed cells are thought to bind more lectin than untransformed cells⁵. This study was designed to test this hypothesis for jackbean lectin, Con A.     

Staining of glycoproteins in polyacrylamide and agarose gels with fluorescent lectins.

We describe a simple and sensitive method for staining of the carbohydrate moiety of glycoproteins in polyacrylamide or agarose electrophoretic gels. Gels are incubated in a solution of fluorescein-labeled concanavalin A. Following destaining with a neutral buffer, glycoproteins exhibit fluorescence under long-range ultraviolet light. Thus, the glucose/mannose containing β- and γ-chains of human fibrinogen give fluorescent bands, whereas the carbohydrate-free α-chain does not react. Less than 100 ng of hexose bound to fibrinogen β- or γ-chains could be detected. The procedure is suitable for staining of other carbohydrate residues in glycoproteins, which can be recognised by specific agglutinins, as shown by binding of fluorescein-labeled lectins from Ricinus communis to galactose residues of fibrinogen.     

Con A — Peroxidase method: an improved procedure for staining S-glycoproteins in cellulose-acetate electrofocusing in crucifers

Summary In the analysis of stigma glycoproteins by cellulose acetate electrofocusing in self-incompatible crucifers, the staining method of the glycoproteins, described in the earlier report, has been improved by using Con A — peroxidase reactions to obtain a permanent profile of band patterns which are visible under day-light conditions. Identifying S alleles by the corresponding S-glycoproteins can be facilitated by the present S-glycoprotein analysis.     

玉米精细胞质膜68kD特异糖蛋白组分的纯化和N—端序列测定

经ＳＤＳ＿ＰＡＧＥ和ＩＥＦ＿ＳＤＳ双向电泳，从玉米（ＺｅａｍａｙｓＬ．）精细胞质膜分离纯化得到等电点（ｐＩ）为５．５的６８ｋＤ糖蛋白的单一组分。伴刀豆球蛋白＿辣根过氧化物酶（ＣｏｎＡ＿ＨＲＰ）染色结果表明，该组分的糖链中含有甘露糖及葡萄糖残基。氨基酸序列分析表明，该组分的Ｎ＿端１５个氨基酸序列与ＣｏｎＡ的Ｎ＿端相应序列相同。根据分子量及ｐＩ值的差异，认为该组分并非ＣｏｎＡ，而可能与玉米精细胞质膜上的ＣｏｎＡ受体有关。它在玉米的精卵识别、粘附及融合中有何作用，无疑是令人感兴趣的问题。     

Specific isolation of surface glycoproteins from intact cells by biotinylated concanavalin A and immobilized streptavidin

An indirect affinity chromatography procedure utilizing biotinylated lectins and designed for the specific isolation of surface glycoproteins is described. The method is illustrated with intact acute leukemic lymphoblastic cells (ALL cells) with biotin-epsilon-aminocaproyl-concanavalin A (biocap-Con A) and streptavidin-Sepharose 4B. Biocap-Con A, containing on average 27 biotin residues per tetrameric lectin molecule, is used to isolate Con A-binding glycoproteins from the surface of [35S]methionine-radiolabeled intact cells. The biocap-Con A/glycoprotein complexes, after solubilization in detergent, are retrieved on immobilized streptavidin. The surface glycoproteins isolated from intact ALL cells by this method are subjected to two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and detected by autoradiography. More than fifty Con A-binding glycoproteins can be separated from the ALL cells. These glycoproteins retrievable from the cell surface were compared to those retrieved by the indirect affinity chromatography procedure from isolated plasma membrane fractions. Certain groups of glycoproteins present in the fraction isolated from intact cells were not detected in that from the plasma membrane preparations. The advantage of using the biocap-con A/streptavidin system with intact cells rather than isolated plasma membranes for the detection of surface glycoproteins is discussed.     

Purification and Amino-terminal Sequencing of a 68 kD Glycopolypeptide of the Plasma Membrane from Maize Sperm Cells

Based on author's previous work on detection and immunolocalization of glycoproteins of the plasma membrane of maize ( Zea mays L. ) sperm cells, a 68 kD peripheral specific glycopolypeptide of the plasma membrane from maize sperm cells was purified by IEF-SDS two-dimensional electrophoresis. It presents specif- ically positive reaction in Con A-HRP (concanavalin A-horseradish peroxidase) staining, and its pi value is 5.5. The search in protein sequence database reveals that the amino-terminal sequence of this glycopolypeptide is identical with that of Con A. But its difference from Con A in molecular weight and pi value indicates that it could be related to a Con A receptor on the plasma membranes of maize sperm cells instead of being Con A itself. It is fascinating to study further the function of the above glycopolypeptide in gametic recognition, adhesion and fusion of the double fertilization in maize.     

Lectin-binding patterns on the plasma membranes of dissociated rat liver cells

Carbohydrate moieties on the surface of dissociated rat liver cells were examined electron microscopically using ferritin- or horseradish peroxidase (HRP)-conjugated lectins as probes. Rat liver was fixed by perfusion with 0.7% glutaraldehyde via the portal vein and dissociated into single cells with gentle homogenization. Concanavalin A (Con A), Ricinus communis agglutinin (RCA), and wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) bound almost evenly to the entire cell surface of hepatocytes as well as of endothelial cells. Ulex europaeus agglutinin I (UEA-I) and peanut agglutinin (PNA) revealed no binding to any region. Dolichos biflorus agglutinin (DBA) was found to bind exclusively to the sinusoidal surface of hepatocytes and to endothelial cell surfaces. Soybean agglutinin (SBA)-binding was restricted to the endothelial cell surfaces and part of the sinusoidal microvilli of hepatocytes. Regional differences in lectin-binding pattern were visualized between the sinusoidal and the lateral or bile-canalicular surfaces of the hepatocytes. A polarity may exist on the hepatocyte cell surfaces in terms of the distribution pattern of the carbohydrate moieties, especially those of N-acetylgalactosamine.