Characterization of human placental neuraminidases. Stability, substrate specificity and molecular weight

Comparative enzymology, biochemistry and pathophysiology of human exo-alpha-sialidases (neuraminidases)

This review summarizes the current research on human exo-alpha-sialidase (sialidase, neuraminidase). Where appropriate, the properties of viral, bacterial, and human sialidases have been compared. Sialic acids are implicated in diverse physiological processes. Sialidases, as enzymes acting upon sialic acids, assume importance as well. Sialidases hydrolyze the terminal, non-reducing, sialic acid linkage in glycoproteins, glycolipids, gangliosides, polysaccharides, and synthetic molecules. Therefore, a variety of assays are available to measure sialidase activity. Human sialidase is present in several organs and cells. Its cellular distribution could be cytosolic, lysosomal, or in the membrane. Human sialidase occurs in a high molecular-mass complex with several other proteins, including cathepsin A and beta-galactosidase. Multi-protein complexation is important for the in vivo integrity and catalytic activity of the sialidase. However, multi-protein complexation, the occurrence of isoenzymes, diverse subcellular localization, thermal instability, and membrane association have all contributed to difficulties in purifying and characterizing human sialidases. Human sialidase isoenzymes have recently been cloned and sequenced. Even though crystal structures for the human sialidases are not available, the highly conserved regions of the sialidase from various organisms have facilitated molecular modeling of the human enzyme and raise interesting evolutionary questions. While the molecular mechanisms vary, genetic defects leading to human sialidase deficiency are closely associated with at least two well-known human diseases, namely sialidosis and galactosialidosis. No therapy is currently available for either disease. A thorough investigation of human sialidases is therefore crucial to human health.

Human neuraminidase is a 60 kDa-processing product of prosaposin

Human neuraminidase was purified from placenta as part of a large molecular weight complex with lysosomal beta-galactosidase and carboxypeptidase. Passage of this purified complex through a sialic acid-affinity column (fetuin-agarose) retained a minor 60 kDa protein which was eluted with 100 mM N-acetylneuraminic acid. This 60 kDa protein is recognized in Western blots of the purified complex by an anti-prosaposin antibody which at the same time was able to inhibit neuraminidase activity in the preparation. Furthermore, probing of cultured skin fibroblasts of patients affected with neuraminidase deficiency using the antiprosaposin antibody revealed an abnormal 57 kDa protein. These results indicate that the 60 kDa protein is derived from prosaposin and has the characteristics of a neuraminidase.

Biochemical characteristics and subcellular localizations of rat liver neuraminidase isozymes: a paradox resolved

A striking discrepancy in the abilities of two analytical approaches (fluorometric and electrophoretic) to detect the effect of a gene, Neu-2, on rat liver neuraminidase phenotypes led us to examine the biochemical and physical properties of the liver isozymes NEU-1 and NEU-2 that might be responsible for this difference. Cell fractionation via Percoll gradient centrifugation revealed NEU-1 activity almost exclusively in the lysosomal cell fraction, while NEU-2 was strictly cytosolic in distribution. The two isozymes were also found to differ in pH activity curves and optima (optima: 4.6-4.8 and 5.4-5.8 for NEU-1 and NEU-2, respectively) and in solubility characteristics (NEU-2 highly soluble; NEU-1 relatively insoluble but solubilized by freezing/thawing). Both isozymes were found to be freeze-thaw stable in crude, whole-cell extracts, but NEU-1 was destabilized in the enriched (partially purified) lysosomal subcellular fraction. Consideration of these properties relative to those described previously for unidentified cytosolic and membrane bound (lysosomal) rat liver neuraminidases (Tulsiani, D. R. P., and Carubelli, R., J. Biol. Chem. 245:1821, 1970) leads us to believe that NEU-2 also is destabilized by partial purification and that NEU-1 and NEU-2 have very different relative abundances within the cell. The biochemical and physical differences between NEU-1 and NEU-2 can account for the discrepant abilities of the fluorometric and electrophoretic approaches to detect the effects of Neu-2. Ways to increase the sensitivity of the fluorometric approach for quantitative assays of specific NEU-1 and NEU-2 activity are discussed.

Structure of the lysosomal neuraminidase-beta-galactosidase-carboxypeptidase multienzymic complex

Lysosomal neuraminidase (sialidase; EC 3.2.1.18) and beta-galactosidase (EC 3.2.1.23), together with a carboxypeptidase, the so-called 'protective protein', were co-purified from the human placenta by affinity chromatography on a concanavalin A-Sepharose column followed by a thiogalactoside-agarose affinity column for beta-galactosidase. Analysis of the purified material by gel-filtration h.p.l.c. revealed three distinct molecular forms, all with high beta-galactosidase specific activity, but only the largest one expressed neuraminidase activity. Rechromatography of each individual species separately indicated that all three are in fact part of an equilibrium system (the neuraminidase-beta-galactosidase-carboxypeptidase complex or NGC-complex) and that these species undergo slow conversion into one another through dissociation and association of protomeric components. Each species was sufficiently stable for the determination of their hydrodynamic properties by gel-filtration h.p.l.c. and sedimentation velocity. The largest species had an apparent sedimentation coefficient S20.w, of 18.8 S and a Stokes' radius of 8.5 nm, giving a molecular mass of 679 kDa and a fractional ratio, f/f min, of 1.47. The latter value indicates that the macromolecule is asymmetric or highly hydrated. This large species is composed of four types of polypeptide chains of molecular mass 66 kDa (neuraminidase), 63 kDa (beta-galactosidase), 32 kDa and 20 kDa (carboxypeptidase heterodimer). The 32 kDa and 20 kDa protomers are linked together by a disulphide bridge. Glycopeptidase F digestion of the NGC-complex transformed the diffuse 66-63 kDa band on the SDS gel into two close but sharp bands at 58 and 56 kDa. The two smaller species which were separated on the h.p.l.c. column correspond to tetrameric and dimeric forms of the 66-63 kDa protomers and express exclusively beta-galactosidase activity. Treatment of the NGC-complex with increasing concentrations of guanidinium hydrochloride up to 1.5 M also resulted in dissociation of the complex into the same smaller species mentioned above plus two protomers of molecular mass around 60 and 50 kDa. A model of the largest molecular species as a hexamer of the 66-63 kDa protomers associated to five carboxypeptidase heterodimers (32 kDa and 20 kDa) is proposed

A photoreactive competitive inhibitor of the human lysosomal neuraminidase in cultured skin fibroblasts

A photoreactive, potent, competitive inhibitor of the human lysosomal neuraminidase in cultured skin fibroblasts has been prepared. The starting material, 2,3 dehydro-N-acetyl neuraminic acid methyl ester, was selectively tosylated at the C-9 position with tosyl chloride and subsequently peracetylated with acetic anhydride. The tosyl group was displaced with potassium thio acetate in dimethylformamide at 60 degrees C for 80 min. 4-fluoro-3-nitrophenylazide was incorporated by reaction with the thio acetate product and equimolar sodium methoxide in methanol followed by reacetylation. Base hydrolysis gave the final product, 9-S-(4-azido-2-nitrophenyl)-5-acetamido-2,6 anhydro-2,3,5,9-tetradeoxy-9-thio-D-glycero-D-galacto-non-2-enonic acid (W5). The yields at each step were 50-70%. Competitive inhibition kinetics were observed when W5 was tested with the fibroblast neuraminidase using 4-methylumbelliferyl-N-acetyl-neuraminic acid as substrate giving an apparent Ki of about 10 microM. These results suggest that the terminal hydroxyl group at C-9 may not be important in the recognition and binding of the substrate by the enzyme. Also, the compounds prepared here may be useful as photoaffinity probes or ligands for affinity chromatography for purification.

Purification and partial characterization of lysosomal neuraminidase from human placenta

Lysosomal neuraminidase and beta-galactosidase are present in a complex together with a 32-kDa protective protein. This complex has been purified and the different components have been dissociated using potassium isothiocyanate (KSCN) treatment. beta-Galactosidase remains catalytically active, but neuraminidase loses its activity upon dissociation. The inactive dissociated neuraminidase was purified by removing the remaining non-dissociated beta-galactosidase/protective protein complex using beta-galactosidase-specific affinity chromatography. The dissociated neuraminidase material shows two major polypeptides on SDS-PAGE with an apparent molecular mass of 76 kDa and 66 kDa. Subsequently the 32-kDa protective protein was dissociated from the beta-galactosidase/protective protein complex, and purified. Antibodies raised against the dissociated inactive neuraminidase preparation specifically immunoprecipitate the active neuraminidase present in the complex with beta-galactosidase and protective protein. By immunoblotting evidence is provided that the 76-kDa protein is a subunit of neuraminidase which, in association with the 32-kDa protective protein, is essential for neuraminidase activity.

Human placental neuraminidase. Activation, stabilization and association with beta-galactosidase and its protective protein

Supernatant of homogenized human placenta hardly contains lysosomal neuraminidase activity. It is, however, possible to generate remarkably high activity by concentration of a partially purified glycoprotein fraction. This activity is labile to dilution, but can be stabilized by incubation at 37 degrees C and acid pH. Using beta-galactosidase specific affinity chromatography and immunotitration, we show that the activated and stabilized human lysosomal neuraminidase exists in a complex with beta-galactosidase. Sucrose density gradient centrifugation experiments demonstrate that the neuraminidase activity is exclusively present in a high density multimeric form of beta-galactosidase. The formation of multimeric forms of beta-galactosidase is known to require a 32000-Mr 'protective' protein. Monospecific antibodies against this 'protective' protein were purified from a conventional antiserum containing a mixture of antibodies against the 64000-Mr beta-galactosidase protein and against the 32000-Mr 'protective' protein, using a nitrocellulose blot immunoaffinity purification procedure. Immunotitration experiments with these antibodies show that the 32000-Mr 'protective' protein is present both in association with the beta-galactosidase multimer and with the high-density multimeric form together with neuraminidase. Our data further suggest that association of the 32000-Mr 'protective' protein and another yet unidentified subunit is essential for the catalytic activity of lysosomal neuraminidase. These results explain the absence of neuraminidase activity in the autosomal recessive human lysosomal storage disorder galactosialidosis, where the 32000-Mr 'protective' protein is known to be absent.

Solubilization, stabilization and isoelectric focusing of human liver neuraminidase activity

Homogenate preparations of human liver have been prepared and over 75% of the particulate neuraminidase activity (which comprises approx. 90% of the total activity) has been solubilized using 0.85% (w/v) Triton X-100 in 25 mM phosphate buffer (pH 6.8). The solubilized neuraminidase activity is extremely labile, but can be stabilized for at least 4 weeks at 2-4 degrees C, using 10 mM N-acetylneuraminic acid. Kinetic characterization of homogenate and solubilized supernatant fluid neuraminidase activities indicated comparable pH optimum curves (maximum activity at pH 4.5-4.7) and apparent Km values (0.2-0.4 mM) for the synthetic fluorometric substrate 4-methylumbelliferyl-alpha-D-N-acetylneuraminic acid. Isoelectric focusing has been performed on human liver homogenates and Triton X-100-solubilized neuraminidase activities, and the presence of several forms (4-6) with isoelectric points (pI values) between 4.4 and 5.2 has been demonstrated in both preparations. The similar kinetic and isoelectric focusing properties of the two preparations suggest that the solubilized enzyme activity is representative of the homogenate activity and that the solubilized enzyme is suitable for purification purposes.

Rat-liver lysosomal sialidase. Solubilization, substrate specificity and comparison with the cytosolic sialidase

Purified liver lysosomes, prepared from rats previously injected with Triton WR-1339, exhibited sialidase activity towards sialyllactose, fetuin, submaxillary mucin (bovine) and gangliosides, and could be disrupted hypotonically with little loss in these activities. After centrifugation, the activities with sialyllactose and fetuin were largely recovered in the supernatant, demonstrating that they were originally in the intralysosomal space. The activities towards submaxillary mucin and gangliosides, on the other hand, remained in the pellet. In the supernatant, activity with fetuin or orosomucoid was markedly reduced by protease inhibitors, suggesting that proteolysis of these glycoproteins may be prerequisite to sialidase activity. The intralysosomal sialidase was solubilized from the mitochondrial-lysosomal fraction of rat liver and partially purified by Sephadex G-200, or Sephadex G-200 followed by CM-cellulose. The enzyme was maximally active at pH 4.7 with sialyllactose as substrate and had a minimum relative molecular mass of 60 000 +/- 5000 by gel filtration; it hydrolyzed a variety of sialooligosaccharides , those containing (alpha 2----3)sialyl linkages being better substrates than those with (alpha 2----6)sialyl linkages. The enzyme failed to attack submaxillary mucin and gangliosides. It was also inactive towards fetuin, orosomucoid and transferrin but capable of hydrolyzing glycopeptides from pronase digest of fetuin. In contrast to the intralysosomal sialidase, the sialidase partially purified from rat liver cytosol by (NH4)2SO4 fractionation followed by chromatography on DEAE-cellulose and CM-cellulose hydrolyzed fetuin and orosomucoid to the extent about half that for sialyllactose. The enzyme was maximally active at pH 5.8 and had a relative molecular mass of approximately 60 000. It also hydrolyzed gangliosides but not submaxillary mucin.

Structure of the influenza virus glycoprotein antigen neuraminidase at 2.9 A resolution

The influenza virus neuraminidase glycoprotein is a tetramer with a box-shaped head, 100 X 100 X 60 A, attached to a slender stalk. The three-dimensional structure of neuraminidase heads shows that each monomer is composed of six topologically identical beta-sheets arranged in a propeller formation. The tetrameric enzyme has circular 4-fold symmetry stabilized in part by metal ions bound on the symmetry axis. Sugar residues are attached to four of the five potential glycosylation sequences, and in one case contribute to the interaction between subunits in the tetramer.