A mucus-secreting human colonic cancer cell line. Purification and partial characterization of the secreted mucins.

A stably differentiated clonal derivative (Cl.16E) of the human colonic adenocarcinoma cell line HT29 secretes in culture high-Mr glycoproteins that were purified from the serum-free conditioned medium by preparative SDS/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis. Analysis of the oligosaccharides released from the 3H]glucosamine-labelled high-Mr glycoproteins by alkaline-borohydride treatment showed that this material consisted of O-linked oligosaccharides (without any detectable N-linked oligosaccharides) that were eluted as three fractions from Bio-Gel P-6 columns. The main oligosaccharide fraction obtained after such treatment and desialylation was eluted together with a six-unit glucose polymer from a Bio-Gel P-4 column. Polyclonal antibodies were raised against the high-Mr glycoproteins, and in immunoblot analysis they reacted specifically with the high-Mr glycoproteins present in the conditioned medium. Furthermore, immunohistochemical staining of sections in paraffin wax revealed that these antibodies labelled normal human gastrointestinal mucins. We conclude that (1) the high-Mr glycoproteins prepared by SDS/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis are pure mucus glycoproteins on the basis of sensitivity to alkaline-borohydride treatment, monosaccharide composition and immunochemical and immunohistological findings, and (2) these mucins have antigenic determinants in common with the normal human gastrointestinal mucins.