Glycoproteins and blood group activity. Oligosaccharides of A+ hog submaxillary glycoproteins

Determination of the site-specific oligosaccharide distribution of the O-glycans attached to the porcine submaxillary mucin tandem repeat. Further evidence for the modulation of O-glycans side chain structures by peptide sequence

Little is known of the degree that polypeptide sequence and the local environment modulate the structures of O-linked glycans. Toward this understanding, the site-specific mono- (GalNAc-O-), di- (beta-Gal-1,3-alpha-GalNAc-O-), and trisaccharide (alpha-Fuc-1,2-beta-Gal-1,3-alpha-GalNAc-O-) distributions have been determined for 29 of the 31 O-glycosylated Ser/Thr residues in the tandem repeat domains of blood group A-negative porcine submaxillary gland mucin. The glycosylation patterns obtained from three individual animals are in agreement with earlier incomplete determinations on a pooled mucin (Gerken, T. A., Owens, C. L., and Pasumarthy, M. (1997) J. Biol. Chem. 272, 9709-9719; Gerken, T. A., Owens, C. L., and Pasumarthy, M. (1998) J. Biol. Chem. 273, 26580-26588), confirming that the addition of the peptide-linked GalNAc and its substitution by beta-1,3-Gal are sensitive to local peptide sequence in a highly reproducible manner in vivo. The present data further support earlier suggestions of an inverse correlation of the density of hydroxyamino acid residues (and by inference the density of peptide GalNAc) with the extent of substitution of the peptide-linked GalNAc by beta-1,3-Gal. This effect is highly correlated for Ser-linked glycans but not for Thr-linked glycans. A similar correlation is observed with respect to the in vivo peptide GalNAc glycosylation pattern. In contrast, the addition of alpha-1,2-Fuc to beta-Gal shows no apparent correlation with hydroxyamino acid density, although a marked elevation in the fucosylation of Ser-linked glycans compared with Thr-linked glycans is observed. The above effects may represent both steric and conformational factors acting to alter the relative accessibility and activity of the glycosyltransferases toward substrate. These results demonstrate that the porcine submaxillary gland core 1 beta 3-galactosyltransferase and alpha2-fucosyltransferase exhibit unique peptide/glycopeptide sensitivities that may provide mechanisms for the modulation of O-linked side chain structures.

Primary structure of the major O-glycosidically linked carbohydrate unit of human von Willebrand factor

A reduced tetrasaccharide chain was obtained from human von Willebrand factor (vWF) by mild alkaline borohydride treatment. The purification of this O-glycosidically-linked oligosaccharide was achieved by serial affinity chromatography on immobilized concanavalin A and Lens culinaris agglutinin and finally gel filtration. Its structure was determined by a combination of methylation studies and 500 MHz 1H-NMR spectroscopy to be: NeuAc(alpha 2-3)Gal(beta 1-3)[NeuAc(alpha 2-6)]GalNAc-ol.

Porcine submaxillary mucin contains alpha 2----3- and alpha 2----6-linked N-acetyl- and N-glycolylneuraminic acid

Four acidic trisaccharides have been obtained by alkaline borohydride reductive cleavage (beta-elimination) of a fraction of porcine submaxillary mucin precipitating at 60-75% ethanol. Their structures have been investigated using the techniques of methylation analysis involving gas-liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry along with high-resolution 1H-NMR analysis. Two of the four oligosaccharides, B1-B4, contain N-acetylneuraminic acid (NeuAc) while two contain N-glycolylneuraminic acid (NeuGc). The following structures are proposed for the acidic trisaccharide fraction: (B1) NeuAc alpha(2----3)Gal beta(1----3)GalNAcol, (B2) NeuGc alpha(2----3)Gal beta(1----3)GalNAcol, (B3) Gal beta(1----3)[NeuAc alpha(2----6)]GalNAcol and (B4) Gal beta(1----3)[NeuGc alpha(2----6)]GalNAcol, (GalNAcol = reduced N-acetylgalactosamine. These oligosaccharides were present in a molar ratio of 69:22:4:5. Although oligosaccharide B4 has previously been found in porcine submaxillary mucin B1, B2 and B3 have not. Furthermore, oligosaccharide B2 is a novel structure.

Primary structure of a new tetraantennary glycan of the N-acetyllactosaminic type isolated from human factor VIII/von Willebrand factor

N-Glycosidically linked glycopeptides released by mild alkaline treatment of human factor VIII/von Willebrand factor (FVIII/vWF) were fractionated by serial affinity chromatography on columns of Sepharose linked to concanavalin A (ConA) and Lens culinaris agglutinin (LCA). The fraction which is not retained on ConA-Sepharose, but eluted from LCA-Sepharose contains a pure minor glycopeptide which was structurally analysed. Based on the results of methylation analysis and 500-MHz 1H-NMR spectroscopy, the following structure is proposed: (Formula: see text).

Specificity of submaxillary gland sialyltransferases

A method has been developed to determine the activities of specific sialyltransferases by analysis of the products of the reaction. This method, which utilizes high performance liquid chromatography, distinguishes addition of sialic acid to the N-acetylgalactosamine vs. galactose residues of the mucin disaccharide Gal beta(1 leads to 3)GalNac, and can be used to distinguish formation of the 3'- and 6'-isomers of sialyllactose. For the bovine, ovine, and porcine submaxillary extracts, more than 95% of the activity with asialo ovine submaxillary mucin is due to formation of NeuAc alpha(2 leads to 6)GalNAc. With lactose as the acceptor, more than 95% of the alpha(2 leads to 3) isomer is produced. Activity with asialofetuin is due solely to the O-linked chain, with relative activity toward the galactose vs. GalNAc residues of 0.32, 1.5, and 0.10 for bovine, ovine, and porcine, respectively. The rat submaxillary gland extract showed equal formation of 3'- and 6'-sialyllactose, and very low activity with asialo ovine submaxillary mucin. However, at least 40% of the activity toward the Gal beta(1 leads to 3)GalNAc disaccharide of asialofetuin was directed toward the GalNAc residue. The relative preference of the N-acetylgalactosaminide alpha(2 leads to 6) sialyltransferase for a monosaccharide vs. a substituted GalNAc may play a role in regulation of chain length during mucin synthesis.

Structure of intestinal-mucus glycoprotein from human post-mortem or surgical tissue: inferences from correlation analyses of sugar and sulfate composition of individual mucins

The carbohydrate composition of 14 human, small-intestine mucins, obtained at surgery or post-mortem, varied greatly from specimen to specimen with respect to individual sugars and average chain-length (ratio of total carbohydrate to N-acetylgalactosamine). Three monosaccharides, galactose, N-acetylglucosamine, and fucose gave good correlations with each other, and to total carbohydrate content, when expressed as a ratio to the chain-terminal N-acetylgalactosamine residue. In contrast, sialic acid gave a good correlation only with N-acetylgalactosamine. In eight specimens the molar sulfate to N-acetylgalactosamine ratios gave good correlation with the ratios of galactose to N-acetylgalactosamine, N-acetylglucosamine to N-acetylgalactosamine, and total carbohydrate to N-acetylgalactosamine. These results indicate that the intraspecies variability of intestinal-mucin carbohydrates arises from the interdependent addition of galactose, N-acetylglucosamine, fucose, and sulfate residues. Partial correlation-analysis indicated that proportions of N-acetylglucosamine and fucose were correlated only through a mutual dependence on galactose, suggesting that the key elongating-factors involve the addition of galactose residues. The number of sialic acid residues per oligosaccharide chain remained relatively unchanged from mucin to mucin, and this, coupled with the close correlation between the proportions of sialic acid and N-acetylgalactosamine, suggests that almost all sialic acid residues are bound to the core N-acetylgalactosamine residues in intestinal mucin. High fucose-to-sialic acid and high sulfate-to-sialic acid ratios reported in some disease states are explained as the consequence of chain elongation.

Immunochemistry of monkey salivary mucin

The immunochemistry of monkey salivary mucin was examined using a monospecific antiserum. Quantitative precipitation assays using various mucin derivatives indicated that the antiserum contained antibody populations with specificity toward carbohydrate moieties as well as toward non-glycosylated peptide regions. Using quantitative inhibition assays, the carbohydrate specificity was found to reside in a complex oligosaccharide containing fucose.

Role of salivary mucins in the protection of the oral cavity

Mucins are the principal organic constituents of mucus, the slimy visco-elastic material that coats all mucosal surfaces. Compelling evidence suggests that they play an integral role in non-immune protection of the oral cavity. Specific protective functions include: 1) protection against desiccation and environmental insult, 2) lubrication, and 3) antimicrobial effects against potential pathogens. Biosynthesis of mucin is regulated by both intrinsic ("cooperative sequential specificity") and extrinsic ("structural modulation") controls. These controls form the basis by which mucin's structure can be modified to meet a dynamically changing biological need.

Purification and partial characterization of the carbohydrate structure of lysosomal N-acetyl-beta-D-hexosaminidases from bovine brain

1. The lysosomal forms A and B, and an intermediate form I of N-acetyl-beta-D-hexosaminidase (EC 3.2.1.30) were isolated from bovine brain, resulting in the following purification factors and specific activities: hexosaminidase A 20255, 103 U mg-1; hexosaminidase B 34715, 134 U mg-1; hexosaminidase I 15241, 78 U mg-1. 2. The molecular weights of the polypeptide chains were identical for each isoenzyme: two bands of 50 and 53 k daltons were found. 3. Carbohydrate analysis showed the presence of mannose, galactose, N-acetylglucosamine and sialic acid. This composition, and the absence of N-acetylgalactosamine, indicated that only N-glycosidically linked oligosaccharide chains are present. 4. The amino-acid composition showed no substantial differences for the three isoenzymes.

Structure determination of oligosaccharides isolated from A+, H+ and A-H- hog-submaxillary-gland mucin glycoproteins, by 360-MHz 1H-NMR spectroscopy, permethylation analysis and mass spectrometry

Alkaline borohydride reductive cleavage (beta-elimination) of hog submaxillary glycoproteins from three immunologically determined phenotypes, viz. A+, H+ and A-H-, resulted in the release of a series of neutral and acidic oligosaccharide-alditols. 360-MHz 1H-NMR spectroscopy in combination with methylation analysis and mass spectrometry were used for reinvestigation of the structures of these oligosaccharide-alditols. All are partial structures representing the possible complete and biosynthetically incomplete stages of the chain of a pentasaccharide-N-acetylgalactosaminitol, present in the glycoprotein with blood-group-A activity: (formula: see text) In this way, a prolonged argument about the occurrence of a NeuGc(alpha 2 leads to 6) Gal moiety in these carbohydrate chains, suggested by Aminoff et al. [Aminoff, D., Baig, M. M. and Gathmann, W. D. (1979) J. Biol. Chem. 254, 1788-1793 and 8909-8913] has been brought to a definite end. In the investigated oligosaccharide-alditols N-glycoloylneuraminic acid (NeuGc) is in no case attached to galactose (Gal), but, if present, it is (alpha 2 leads to 6)-linked to N-acetylgalactosaminitol (GalNAc-ol).

Recognition of heterologous cells by macrophages. II. The mechanism of phagocytosis of chicken thymocytes by mouse and guinea pig macrophages

Mouse and guinea pig macrophages cultured in vitro actively phagocytize non-opsonized thymocytes from certain heterologous animals including chickens, as shown in the accompanying paper (11). The present study was undertaken to investigate the mechanism of this phenomenon, using the phagocytosis of chicken thymocytes (c-thymocytes) by mouse and guinea pig macrophages. The involvement in this phenomenon of natural IgG passively adsorbed in situ to macrophages was excluded, since the phagocytosis of c-thymocytes was not significantly affected by the treatment of macrophages with homologous IgG or rabbit anti-sera directed toward homologous IgG. The involvement of lectin- or sugar-like receptors seems also to be unlikely, since various glycoproteins showed no significant effect. c-Thymocytes treated with normal mouse serum (NMS) but not with heat-inactivated NMS were strongly stained with goat anti-mouse C3 by an indirect immunofluorescent technique, and became extremely vulnerable to adherence to and phagocytosis by mouse macrophages, suggesting that c-thymocytes are an activator of the alternative pathway of mouse complement. These results as a whole raise the possibility that mouse and guinea pig macrophages can phagocytize c-thymocytes by recognizing their activating surfaces of the alternative complement pathway without the participation of exogenously added IgG or complement, as proposed by others in the phagocytosis of rabbit and mouse red blood cells by human monocytes.

A 360-MHz 1H-NMR study of three oligosaccharides isolated from cow kappa-casein

360-MHz 1H-NMR spectra were recorded of NeuAc alpha(2 leads to 3)Gal beta (1 leads to 3)GalNAc-ol (I), Gal beta(1 leads to 3)[NeuAc alpha(2 leads to 6)] GalNAc-ol (II) and NeuAc alpha (2 leads to 3)-Gal beta(1 leads to 3) [NeuAc alpha(2 leads to 6)]GalNAc-ol (III). The chemical shifts and coupling constants of the anomeric protons, the H-3ax and H-3eq of NeuAc, the GalNAc-ol skeleton protons, the H-3 of Gal and the N-acetyl protons of GalNAc-ol and NeuAc provide conclusive evidence for the identification of the primary structures. Compound II represents a novel carbohydrate chain of kappa-casein.