Structure of a ganglioside with Cad blood group antigen activity

The Structural Diversity of Natural Glycosphingolipids (GSLs)

Glycosphingolipids (GSLs) are a subclass of glycolipids made of a glycan and a ceramide that, in turn, is composed of a sphingoid base moiety and a fatty acyl group. GSLs represent the vast majority of glycolipids in eukaryotes, and as an essential component of the cell membrane, they play an important role in many biological and pathological processes. Therefore, they are useful targets for the development of novel diagnostic and therapeutic methods for human diseases. Since sphingosine was first described by J. L. Thudichum in 1884, several hundred GSL species, not including their diverse lipid forms that can further amplify the number of individual GSLs by many folds, have been isolated from natural sources and structurally characterized. This review tries to provide a comprehensive survey of the major GSL species, especially those with distinct glycan structures and modification patterns, and the ceramides with unique modifications of the lipid chains, that have been discovered to date. In particular, this review is focused on GSLs from eukaryotic species. This review has listed 251 GSL glycans with different linkages, 127 glycans with unique modifications, 46 sphingoids, and 43 fatty acyl groups. It should be helpful for scientists who are interested in GSLs, from isolation and structural analyses to chemical and enzymatic syntheses, as well as their biological studies and applications.

B4GALNT2 Controls Sda and SLex Antigen Biosynthesis in Healthy and Cancer Human Colon

The Sd^a carbohydrate antigen and the corresponding biosynthetic enzyme B4GALNT2 are primarily expressed in human normal colonic mucosa and are down‐regulated to variable degrees in colon cancer. On the other hand, the tumor associated antigen SLe^x is not detected in the healthy colon and is upregulated in colon cancer. High level of B4GALNT2 gene expression appears to be a good marker of prognosis in colon cancer; however, the molecular mechanisms regulating these carbohydrate antigens’ expression are still poorly understood. We review here the most recent progress made towards understanding this balanced expression of blood group carbohydrate epitopes Sd^a and SLe^x. In particular in recent years, we have attained a better understanding of genetic and epigenetic regulation of the B4GALNT2 gene and of the subcellular fate of B4GALNT2 isoforms.

Histo-blood group glycans in the context of personalized medicine

BACKGROUND

A subset of histo-blood group antigens including ABO and Lewis are oligosaccharide structures which may be conjugated to lipids or proteins. They are known to be important recognition motifs not only in the context of blood transfusions, but also in infection and cancer development.

SCOPE OF REVIEW

Current knowledge on the molecular background and the implication of histo-blood group glycans in the prevention and therapy of infectious and non-communicable diseases, such as cancer and cardiovascular disease, is presented.

MAJOR CONCLUSIONS

Glycan-based histo-blood groups are associated with intestinal microbiota composition, the risk of various diseases as well as therapeutic success of, e.g., vaccination. Their potential as prebiotic or anti-microbial agents, as disease biomarkers and vaccine targets should be further investigated in future studies. For this, recent and future technological advancements will be of particular importance, especially with regard to the unambiguous structural characterization of the glycan portion in combination with information on the protein and lipid carriers of histo-blood group-active glycans in large cohorts.

GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE

Histo-blood group glycans have a unique linking position in the complex network of genes, oncodevelopmental biological processes, and disease mechanisms. Thus, they are highly promising targets for novel approaches in the field of personalized medicine. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled "Glycans in personalised medicine" Guest Editor: Professor Gordan Lauc.

The expanding roles of the Sd(a)/Cad carbohydrate antigen and its cognate glycosyltransferase B4GALNT2

BACKGROUND

The histo-blood group antigens are carbohydrate structures present in tissues and body fluids, which contribute to the definition of the individual immunophenotype. One of these, the Sd(a) antigen, is expressed on the surface of erythrocytes and in secretions of the vast majority of the Caucasians and other ethnic groups.

SCOPE OF REVIEW

We describe the multiple and unsuspected aspects of the biology of the Sd(a) antigen and its biosynthetic enzyme β1,4-N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase 2 (B4GALNT2) in various physiological and pathological settings.

MAJOR CONCLUSIONS

The immunodominant sugar of the Sd(a) antigen is a β1,4-linked N-acetylgalactosamine (GalNAc). Its cognate glycosyltransferase B4GALNT2 displays a restricted pattern of tissue expression, is regulated by unknown mechanisms - including promoter methylation, and encodes at least two different proteins, one of which with an unconventionally long cytoplasmic portion. In different settings, the Sd(a) antigen plays multiple and unsuspected roles. 1) In colon cancer, its dramatic down-regulation plays a potential role in the overexpression of sialyl Lewis antigens, increasing metastasis formation. 2) It is involved in the lytic function of murine cytotoxic T lymphocytes. 3) It prevents the development of muscular dystrophy in various dystrophic murine models, when overexpressed in muscular fibers. 4) It regulates the circulating half-life of the von Willebrand factor (vWf), determining the onset of a bleeding disorder in a murine model.

GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE

The expression of the Sd(a) antigen has a wide impact on the physiology and the pathology of different biological systems.

Red blood cell antigens responsible for inherited types of polyagglutination

The three described types on inheritable polyagglutination are related to altered carbohydrate structures in glycoproteins or/and glycolipds on the erythrocyte surface. HEMPAS, a condition causing anemia and other pathological symptoms, is characterized by impaired biosynthesis of N-glycans, mostly those carried by band 3 and band 4.5 erythrocyte membrane proteins. Cad erythrocytes have abnormal glycophorin O-glycans, structurally related to the more common human Sd(a) and murine CT determinants, and accumulate an Sd(a)-like ganglioside. NOR erythrocytes express recently detected abnormal alpha-galactose-terminated glycosphingolipids, which strongly react with G. simplicifolia IB4 isolectin, but do not react with human anti-Galalpha1-3Gal antibodies.

Synthesis of the Sda determinant and two analogous tetrasaccharides

To contribute to the possibility of studying in greater detail the biological significance of Sda-containing glycans as occur in Tamm-Horsfall glycoprotein, the following three spacer-linked tetrasaccharides have been synthesized: the Sda determinant alpha-Neu p5Ac-(2-->3)-[beta- D-GalpNAc-(1-->4)]-beta-D-Galp-(1-->4)-beta-D-GlcpNAc-(1-->O)(CH2)5NH 2 (1), the Gal-analogue alpha-Neup5Ac-(2-->3)-[beta-D-Galp-(1-->4)]-beta-D-Galp-(1-->4) -beta-D-GlcpNAc-(1-->O)(CH2)5NH2 (2), and the GlcNAc-analogue alpha-Neup5Ac-(2-->3)-[beta-D-GlcpNAc-(1-->4)]- beta-D-Galp-(1-->4)-beta-D-GlcpNAc-(1-->O)(CH2)5NH2 (3). The general trisaccharide acceptor 5-azidopentyl (methyl 5-acetamido-4,7,8,9-tetra-O-acetyl-3,5-dideoxy- D-glycero-alpha-D-galactonon-2-ulopyranosylonate)-(2-->3)-(2 ,6-di-O-benzyl- beta-D-galactopyranosyl)-(1-->4)-3,6-di-O- benzyl-2-deoxy-2-phthalimido-beta-D-glucopyranoside was prepared, using methyl (phenyl 5- acetamido-4,7,8,9-tetra-O-acetyl-3,5-dideoxy-2-thio-D-glycero-D-galacto- non- 2-ulopyranosid)- onate as the sialyl donor. For the syntheses of 1, 2, and 3 the glycosyl donors 3,4,6-tri-O- acetyl-2-deoxy-2-phthalimido-alpha-D-galactopyranosyl bromide, 2,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-alpha-D- galactopyranosyl bromide, and 3,4,6-tri-O-acetyl-2-deoxy-2-phthalimido -beta-D-glucopyranosyl trichloroacetimidate, respectively, proved to be the most suitable.

Substrate specificity and distribution of UDP-GalNAc:sialylparagloboside N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase in the human stomach

The detailed substrate specificity of the UDP-GalNAc:sialylparagloboside N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase to form the Sd(a+) blood group active carbohydrate determinant GalNAc beta 1-4(NeuAc alpha 2-3)Gal was studied using a membrane fraction prepared from human gastric fundic mucosa. Various sialosylated oligosaccharides and gangliosides were examined as acceptor substrates. Oligosaccharide substrates were fluorescence-labelled with 2-aminopyridine, and the transferase activity was quantified by h.p.l.c. using a reversed-phase column. The structures of the products were determined by glycosidase degradation and proton n.m.r. 3'-Sialyl-lactose (II3NeuAcLac), 3'-sialyl-lactotetraose (IV3NeuAcLc4), and 3'-sialyl-lactoneotetraose (IV3NeuAcnLc4) were good substrates for the beta 1-4GalNAc transferase in gastric fundic mucosa, but 6'-sialyl-lactoneotetraose (IV6NeuAcnLc4) or 6'-sialyl-lactose (II6NeuAcLac) were not. Gangliosides with a terminal NeuAc alpha 2-3Gal residue such as GM3, sialylparagloboside, GM1b and GD1a were also studied. The activity of beta 1-4GalNAc transfer to sialylparagloboside was much higher than that to GM2, GM1b or GD1a in spite of them having the same terminal residue. Measurement of the activity of the beta 1-4GalNAc transferase in biopsy specimens demonstrated that the activity was localized in gastric fundic mucosa and was absent in pyloric mucosa, intestinal metaplasia and gastric cancer tissue. Thus the beta 1-4GalNAc transferase present specifically in fundic mucosa required a NeuAc alpha 2-3Gal residue connected to either type-1-chain or type-2-chain oligosaccharides. In glycolipids, the acceptor specificity was restricted to NeuAc alpha 2-3Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc because the NeuAc alpha 2-3Gal beta 1-3GalNAc structure in ganglio-series glycolipids was not a good acceptor substrate.