Exposure of N-acetylglucosamine decreases early in dexamethasone-induced apoptosis in thymocytes, demonstrated by flow cytometry using wheat germ agglutinin and pokeweed mitogen.

In the present paper we describe changes in the exposure of oligosaccharides containing N-acetylglucosamine (Glc-NAc) during apoptosis of mouse thymocytes. The structures containing this sugar were probed with fluorescein isothiocyanate-labelled lectins, wheat germ agglutinin and pokeweed mitogen in flow cytometric assays. Both lectins bind to structures containing Glc-NAc. The present report describes experiments in which two different dual-staining techniques were used to simultaneously identify apoptotic cells and measure their lectin exposure. In these experiments, we observed an early and substantial decrease in the exposure of Glc-NAc-containing structures associated with the onset of apoptosis, before or simultaneously with phosphatidylserine exposure. This was followed by an increase in the exposure of Glc-NAc-containing structures after longer incubation times, when a large proportion of cells was demonstrated to have fragmented DNA. These results provide evidence for major changes in the structure of plasma membrane oligosaccharides during apoptosis. The initial decrease may be a by-product of the hydrolysis of glycosphingolipids to yield ceramide for apoptotic signalling or a deliberate process related to the removal of cell adhesion signalling structures, associated with the separation of the apoptotic cell from its neighbours. The later increase in Glc-NAc-containing structures may be the result of the incorporation of internal membranes into the plasma membrane or a deliberate production of prophagocytic signals by a still-functioning Golgi apparatus.