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Biomedical subjects

J D Esko

Publications and source records attributed to J D Esko.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

High-density lipoprotein-mediated lysis of trypanosomes.

Nearly 90 years after the discovery that certain African trypanosornes were killed by normal human serum, we still do not understand how this innate trypanocidal factor works. Biochemical studies have provided us with an unlikely candidate: human high-density lipoprotein (HDL). This trypanosome lytic factor (TLF) from human serum is important since its activity restricts the host range of Trypanosoma brucei brucei, and the expression of this natural killing factor in cattle would represent a novel approach to the control of bovine tryponosomiasis. Here, Steve Hajduk, Kristin Hager and Jeffrey Esko discuss evidence for the TLF being a minor subclass of serum HDL and propose a mechanism for lysis based on the binding, endocytosis and lysosomal targeting of TLF.

Journal Article↗

Cell surface receptors for herpes simplex virus are heparan sulfate proteoglycans.

The role of cell surface heparan sulfate in herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection was investigated using CHO cell mutants defective in various aspects of glycosaminoglycan synthesis. Binding of radiolabeled virus to the cells and infection were assessed in mutant and wild-type cells. Virus bound efficiently to wild-type cells and initiated an abortive infection in which immediate-early or alpha viral genes were expressed, despite limited production of late viral proteins and progeny virus. Binding of virus to heparan sulfate-deficient mutant cells was severely impaired and mutant cells were resistant to HSV infection. Intermediate levels of binding and infection were observed for a CHO cell mutant that produced undersulfated heparan sulfate. These results show that heparan sulfate moieties of cell surface proteoglycans serve as receptors for HSV.

Animals↗

Coupling of N-deacetylation and N-sulfation in a Chinese hamster ovary cell mutant defective in heparan sulfate N-sulfotransferase.

The coordination of N-deacetylation and N-sulfation of heparan sulfate was examined in wild-type Chinese hamster ovary cells and mutant pgsE-606. This mutant expresses about 3-fold less N-sulfotransferase activity, which causes the proportion of N-sulfated GlcN residues in heparan sulfate to decline from 39 to 21% of total GlcN (Bame, K.J., and Esko, J.D. (1989) J. Biol. Chem. 264, 8059-8065). In this report, we show that microsomes from pgsE-606 cells have about twice the N-deacetylase activity found in microsomes from wild-type cells. However, N-deacetylation in vivo was actually depressed since heparan sulfate preparations from the mutant contained very few unsubstituted GlcN residues and 2-fold less N-sulfated GlcN residues. Treatment of mutant cells with chlorate, a general inhibitor of sulfation, depressed adenosine 3'-phosphate-5'-phosphosulfate pools more than 10-fold and further reduced the extent of N-sulfation from 21% to less than 6% of total GlcN. Unsubstituted GlcN residues accumulated under these conditions to the extent that N-sulfated residues declined. Thus, N-deacetylation remained depressed in the mutant in the presence of chlorate. These findings show that N-deacetylation is regulated in vivo and support the idea that the activity of N-deacetylase may be linked to N-sulfotransferase.

Acetylation↗

Biosynthesis of heparan sulfate. Coordination of polymer-modification reactions in a Chinese hamster ovary cell mutant defective in N-sulfotransferase.

A previous study identified a Chinese hamster ovary cell mutant, pgsE-606, which is defective in the N-sulfotransferase that catalyzes one of the initial polymer-modification reactions in the biosynthesis of heparan sulfate (Bame, K. J., and Esko, J. D. (1989) J. Biol. Chem. 264, 8059-8065). The structure of heparan sulfate generated by these cells reflects a 3-5-fold reduction in enzyme activity. The mutant produces heparan sulfate with half the content of N-sulfated glucosamine residues of that produced by wild-type cells and a more sparse distribution of N-sulfated residues. The present study demonstrates corresponding reductions in the proportion of 6-O-sulfated glucosamine residues (41% reduction) and the content of L-iduronic acid (51% reduction). The amount of 2-O-sulfated L-iduronic acid declines more dramatically (from 25% of total L-iduronic acid in the wild type to 8.4% in the mutant). Enzymatic assay of mixed O-sulfotransferases showed that the mutant has more activity than the wild type. Previous studies on the biosynthesis of heparin/heparan sulfate in cell-free systems point to a pivotal role of N-sulfation in determining the extent of the subsequent polymer-modification reactions. The present study shows that this concept also applies to heparan sulfate biosynthesis in the intact cell.

Animals↗

Estradiol beta-D-xyloside, an efficient primer for heparan sulfate biosynthesis.

Animal cells utilize beta-D-xylosides as primers for glycosaminoglycan synthesis. However, most xylosides preferentially stimulate chondroitin sulfate synthesis and only weakly prime heparan sulfate synthesis. To test if the structure of the aglycone determines the type of glycosaminoglycan made, the priming activity of methyl, n-octyl, p-nitrophenyl, 4-methylumbelliferyl, trans,trans-farnesyl, cholesteryl, and estradiol beta-D-xylosides was compared. Their potency was tested in pgsA-745 cells, a Chinese hamster ovary cell mutant unable to initiate glycosaminoglycan synthesis due to a defect in xylosyltransferase. All of the xylosides stimulated chondroitin sulfate synthesis in the mutant, but only estradiol beta-D-xyloside primed heparan sulfate synthesis efficiently. When incubated with 30 microM estradiol beta-D-xyloside, mutant cells made about 3-fold more glycosaminoglycan than untreated wild-type cells and as much as 50% was heparan sulfate. Estradiol beta-D-xyloside also induced heparan sulfate synthesis in cycloheximide-treated wild-type Chinese hamster ovary cells, bovine aortic endothelial cells, baby hamster kidney cells, and Balb/c 3T3 fibroblasts. In addition to stimulating heparan sulfate synthesis, low concentrations of estradiol beta-D-xyloside inhibited the formation of endogenous heparan sulfate proteoglycans.

Animals↗

Cell surface, heparin-like molecules are required for binding of basic fibroblast growth factor to its high affinity receptor.

The role of low affinity, heparin-like binding sites for basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) was investigated in CHO cells mutant in their metabolism of glycosaminoglycans. Heparan sulfate-deficient mutants transfected to express a cloned mouse FGF receptor cDNA are not able to bind bFGF. It is demonstrated that free heparin and heparan sulfate can reconstitute a low affinity receptor that is, in turn, required for the high affinity binding of bFGF. These studies suggest that the low affinity receptor is an accessory molecule required for binding of bFGF to the high affinity site. Such an obligatory interaction of low and high affinity FGF receptors suggests a physiological role for heparin-like, low affinity receptors and constitutes a novel mechanism for the regulation of growth factor-receptor interactions.

Animals↗

Genetic analysis of proteoglycan structure, function and metabolism.

Significant progress has been made in understanding the structure, function, and metabolism of proteoglycans. Many of the advances derive from the application of recombinant DNA methodology to their core proteins and from the characterization of animal cell mutants altered in glycosaminoglycan synthesis.

Animals↗

Binding of heparan sulfate to type V collagen. A mechanism of cell-substrate adhesion.

The functions and molecular interactions of type V collagen in the pericellular matrix are unclear. Our studies show that type V collagen adsorbed on a surface binds heparin/heparan sulfate with apparent higher affinity than do collagen types I, II, III, IV, or VI, fibronectin, or laminin. Therefore, heparin-like molecules may mediate interactions between cells and type V collagen. Hence, type V collagen may act as an anchor for proteoglycans in the extracellular matrix and function as a substrate for glycosaminoglycan-mediated cell attachment. This model is supported by studies showing that Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell mutants which are deficient in glycosaminoglycan synthesis attach poorly to type V collagen substrates compared to wild-type cells, whereas attachment of CHO cell mutants to fibronectin substrates is not affected. Also, exogenous heparin reduces attachment of CHO, endothelial, and smooth muscle cells to type V collagen but does not affect cell attachment to fibronectin. The inhibitory activity of the exogenous heparin/heparan sulfate depends on the size and sulfate content of the polysaccharide chains. At tested concentrations, chondroitin sulfate does not affect the attachment of CHO cells or the binding of biotin-conjugated heparan sulfate to wells coated with type V collagen. These data suggest that a certain degree of structural specificity is involved in glycosaminoglycan binding to type V collagen.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Undersulfated heparan sulfate in a Chinese hamster ovary cell mutant defective in heparan sulfate N-sulfotransferase.

Heparan sulfate N-sulfotransferase catalyzes the transfer of sulfate groups from adenosine 3'-phosphate, 5'-phosphosulfate to the free amino groups of glucosamine residues in heparan sulfate. We have identified a Chinese hamster ovary cell mutant, designated pgsE-606, which is 3-5-fold defective in N-sulfotransferase activity. The residual enzyme activity is indistinguishable from the wild-type enzyme with respect to Km values for adenosine 3'-phosphate,5'-phosphosulfate and N-desulfoheparin, pH dependence, Arrhenius activation energy, and thermal lability. The mutation is recessive, and mixing experiments indicate that the mutant does not produce soluble antagonists of N-sulfotransferase. Inspection of the heparan sulfate chains from the mutant showed that the extent of N-sulfation is reduced about 2-3-fold. The addition of sulfate to hydroxyl groups on the chain is reduced to a similar extent, suggesting that N-sulfation and O-sulfation are normally coupled. Nitrous acid fragmentation of the chains showed that N-sulfated glucosamine residues are spaced much less frequently than in heparan sulfate from wild-type cells. The close correlation of enzyme activity to the number and position of N-sulfate groups indicates that N-sulfotransferase plays a pivotal role in determining the extent of sulfation of heparan sulfate.

Animals↗

Lysis of Trypanosoma brucei by a toxic subspecies of human high density lipoprotein.

Trypanosoma brucei brucei is an important pathogen of domestic cattle in sub-Saharan Africa and is closely related to the human sleeping sickness parasites, Trypanosoma brucei gambiense and Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense. However, T. b. brucei is non-infectious to humans. The restriction of the host range of T. b. brucei results from the sensitivity of the parasite to lysis by toxic human high density lipoproteins (HDL) (Rifkin, M. R. (1978) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 75, 3450-3454). We show in this report that trypanosome lytic activity is not a universal feature of all human HDL particles but rather that it is associated with a minor subclass of HDL. We have purified the lytic activity about 8,000-fold and have identified and characterized the subspecies of HDL responsible for trypanosome lysis. This class of HDL has a relative molecular weight of 490,000, a buoyant density of 1.21-1.24 g/ml, and a particle diameter of 150-210 A. It contains apolipoproteins AI, AII, CI, CII, and CIII, and monoclonal antibodies against apo-AI and apo-AII inhibit trypanocidal activity. In addition to these common apolipoproteins, the particles also contain at least three unique proteins, as measured by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis under nonreducing conditions. Treatment of the particles with dithiothreitol resulted in the disappearance of two of the proteins and abolished trypanocidal activity. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis showed that these proteins were a disulfide-linked trimer of 45,000, 36,000, and 13,500-Da polypeptides and dimers of the 36,000- and 13,500-Da polypeptides or of 65,000- and 8,500-Da polypeptides. Studies on the lysis of T. b. brucei by the purified particle suggest that the lytic pathway may involve the uptake of the trypanocidal subspecies of HDL by endocytosis.

Animals↗

Chinese hamster ovary cell adhesion to human platelet thrombospondin is dependent on cell surface heparan sulfate proteoglycan.

Thrombospondin is a 420-kD platelet alpha-granule glycoprotein that binds specifically to heparin. We examined adhesion to thrombospondin of CHO K1 cells and three mutant CHO lines with varying deficiencies in glycosaminoglycan (GAG) synthesis. In an experiment in which the parent line (K1) had 78% adherence to thrombospondin adsorbed to tissue culture plastic, CHO S745 cells, with less than 6% normal GAG synthesis had 11% adherence. CHO S677 cells, with decreased heparan sulfate proteoglycan but increased chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan, had 42% adherence. CHO S803 cells, with decreased heparan sulfate proteoglycan and normal chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan, had 31% adherence. Heparin inhibited K1 cell adhesion to thrombospondin, but not fibronectin, in a concentration-dependent manner. Dermatan sulfate but not chondroitin sulfate was also inhibitory. There was markedly decreased K1 cell adhesion to a thrombospondin core fragment that lacked the heparin binding NH2-terminal domain. Purified heparin binding domain, although poorly adhesive when adsorbed to substratum, inhibited cell adhesion to intact thrombospondin. Adhesion was better for all cell lines tested, including three human tumor cell lines, when thrombospondin was adsorbed at pH 4.0 compared with pH 7.4. When adsorption of thrombospondin was done at pH 7.4, cell adhesion was better when thrombospondin was adsorbed in the presence of greater than or equal to 0.6 mM calcium, compared to 0.1 mM calcium or EDTA. These findings suggest that thrombospondin can adsorb to plastic with varying degrees of exposure of a cell adhesion domain. We conclude that the thrombospondin cell adhesion receptor on CHO cells is a heparan sulfate proteoglycan, and that cell adhesion to thrombospondin depends on conformation of adsorbed thrombospondin.

Adsorption↗

Chinese hamster ovary cell mutants deficient in an anion exchanger functionally similar to the erythroid band 3.

Studies in Chinese hamster ovary cells demonstrate the presence of an anion exchanger, which has some of the properties of the band 3 transporter in erythrocytes. 1) Extracellular chloride is a competitive inhibitor of sulfate influx and stimulates sulfate efflux, suggesting that the mechanism of uptake is SO2-(4)/Cl- exchange. 2) The anion exchange inhibitor 4,4'-diisothiocyanostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid inhibits sulfate uptake in a dose-dependent manner. Half-maximal inhibition is achieved at 0.06 microM 4,4'-diisothiocyanostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid. 3) Low extracellular pH markedly stimulates sulfate uptake. A 6-fold decrease in the apparent Km is observed at pHout 5.5 as compared to pHout 7.5. However, studies carried out over a broad range of extracellular SO2-(4) concentrations indicate the presence of three components of this transport activity in Chinese hamster ovary cells: two high affinity low capacity systems, one in the range 0.5 microM less than [SO2-(4)]out less than 50 microM and one in the range 50 microM less than [SO2-(4)]out less than 150 microM, and a low affinity, high capacity system (at [SO2-(4)]out greater than 150 microM). These properties have not been previously reported for the erythroid band 3 transporter. The availability of mutants deficient in these activities has enabled us to carry out studies which suggest that the high affinity systems are functionally independent of the low affinity system, but that all systems are dependent on the same anion exchange protein. Studies in a mutant which lacks all components of the transport activity indicates that the anion exchanger may be instrumental in the regulation of the intracellular pH in Chinese hamster ovary cells.

4,4'-Diisothiocyanostilbene-2,2'-Disulfonic Acid↗

Tumor formation dependent on proteoglycan biosynthesis.

The role proteoglycans play in tumor formation was examined by measuring the tumorigenicity of proteoglycan-deficient Chinese hamster ovary cell mutants in nude mice. When 10(7) cells were injected subcutaneously, mutants with less than about 15% of the wild-type level of proteoglycan synthesis did not produce tumors. Mutants defective in the synthesis of heparan sulfate proteoglycans also did not form tumors, whereas mutants with altered chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans were tumorigenic. Tumors arose from mixtures of wild-type and nontumorigenic mutant cells and contained both cell types, suggesting that wild-type cell proteoglycans enabled mutant cells to survive. The failure of heparan sulfate-deficient mutants to form tumors depended on the ability of the host to mount a B cell-mediated immune reaction.

Animals↗

Altered metabolism of thrombospondin by Chinese hamster ovary cells defective in glycosaminoglycan synthesis.

We examined the ability of Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell mutants defective in glycosaminoglycan synthesis to metabolize 125I-labeled thrombospondin (TSP). Wild type CHO cells bound and degraded 125I-TSP with kinetics similar to those reported for endothelial cells. Both binding and degradation were saturable (half-saturation at 20 micrograms/ml). When the concentration of labeled TSP was 1-5 micrograms/ml, mutant 745, defective in xylosyltransferase, and mutant 761, defective in galactosyltransferase I, bound and degraded 6- to 16-fold less TSP than wild type; mutant 803, which specifically lacks heparan sulfate chains, bound and degraded 5-fold less TSP than wild type; and mutant 677, which lacks heparan sulfate and has increased levels of chondroitin sulfate, bound and degraded 2-fold less TSP than wild type. Binding and degradation of TSP by the mutants were not saturable at TSP concentrations up to 100 micrograms/ml. Bound TSP was localized by immunofluorescence to punctate structures on wild type and, to a lesser extent, 677 cells. Heparitinase pretreatment of wild type cells caused a 2- to 3-fold decrease in binding and degradation, whereas chondroitinase pretreatment had no effect. Chondroitinase pretreatment of the 677 mutant (deficient heparan sulfate and excess chondroitin sulfate) caused a 2-fold decrease in binding and an 8-fold decrease in turnover, whereas heparitinase pretreatment had no effect. Treatment of wild type cells with both heparitinase and chondroitinase resulted in a 6- to 8-fold decrease in binding and turnover. These results indicate that cell surface proteoglycans mediate metabolism of TSP by CHO cells and that the primary effectors of TSP metabolism are heparan sulfate proteoglycans.

Animals↗

Adhesion of glycosaminoglycan-deficient chinese hamster ovary cell mutants to fibronectin substrata.

We have examined the role of cell surface glycosaminoglycans in fibronectin-mediated cell adhesion by analyzing the adhesive properties of Chinese hamster ovary cell mutants deficient in glycosaminoglycans. The results of our study suggest that the absence of glycosaminoglycans does not affect the initial attachment and subsequent spreading of these cells on substrata composed of intact fibronectin or a fibronectin fragment containing the primary cell-binding domain. However, in contrast to wild-type cells, the glycosaminoglycan-deficient cells did not attach to substrate composed of a heparin-binding fibronectin fragment. Furthermore, the wild-type but not the glycosaminoglycan-deficient cells formed F-actin-containing stress fibers and focal adhesions on substrata composed of intact fibronectin. We propose, therefore, that cell surface proteoglycan(s) participate in the transmembrane linking of intracellular cytoskeletal components to extracellular matrix components which occurs in focal adhesions.

Actin Cytoskeleton↗

Inhibition of chondroitin and heparan sulfate biosynthesis in Chinese hamster ovary cell mutants defective in galactosyltransferase I.

We have isolated five Chinese hamster ovary cell mutants defective in galactosyltransferase I (UDP-D-galactose:xylose beta-1,4-D-galactosyltransferase) and studied the effect of p-nitrophenyl-beta-D-xyloside supplementation on glycosaminoglycan biosynthesis in the mutant cells. Assays of galactosyltransferase I showed that the mutants contained less than 2% of the enzyme activity present in wild-type cells, and enzyme activity was additive in mixtures of mutant and wild-type cell extracts, suggesting that the mutations most likely defined the structural gene encoding the enzyme. Cell hybridization studies showed that the mutations in all five strains were recessive and that the mutants belonged to the same complementation group. The mutants contained wild-type levels of xylosyltransferase (UDP-D-xylose:core protein (serine) beta-D-xylosyltransferase), lactose synthase (UDP-D-galactose:N-acetyl-glucosaminide beta-1,4-D-galactosyltransferase), and lactosylceramide synthase (UDP-D-galactose:glucosylceramide beta-1,4-D-galactosyltransferase). Their sensitivity to lectin-mediated cytotoxicity was virtually identical to that of the wild-type, indicating that there were no gross alterations in glycoprotein or glycolipid compositions. Anion-exchange high performance liquid chromatography of 35S-glycosaminoglycans from one of the galactosyltransferase I-deficient mutants showed a dramatic reduction in both heparan sulfate and chondroitin sulfate, demonstrating that galactosyltransferase I is responsible for the formation of both glycosaminoglycans in intact cells. Surprisingly, the addition of 1 mM-p-nitrophenyl-beta-D-xyloside, a substrate for galactosyltransferase I, restored glycosaminoglycan synthesis in mutant cells. This finding suggested that another galactosyltransferase, possibly lactose synthase, can transfer galactose to xylose in intact cells.

Animals↗