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Oligosaccharide synthesis and library assembly by one-pot sequential glycosylation strategy.

The oligosaccharide residue in glycoconjugates located in cell membranes is responsible for intercellular recognition and interaction: it acts as a receptor for proteins, hormones, and microorganisms and governs immune reactions. These significant activities have stimulated great interest in the field of oligosaccharides and glycoconjugates. Although many advances have been made in the synthesis of oligosaccharides, more convenient and efficient methods are still needed. This review describes one of these new methods-the one-pot sequential glycosylation approach as a potent tool for oligosaccharide assembly. The oligosaccharide library construction in a one-pot fashion is also summarized.

Carbohydrate Conformation↗

In vitro fermentation characteristics of selected oligosaccharides by swine fecal microflora.

The objective of this study was to quantify the fermentation characteristics of oligosaccharides present in feed ingredients or isolated for dietary supplementation. Substrates studied included short-chain fructooligosaccharides, medium-chain fructooligosaccharides, long-chain fructooligosaccharides, raffinose, stachyose, soy solubles, granular and liquid forms of transgalactooligosaccharides, glucooligosaccharides, mannanoligosaccharides, and xylooligosaccharides. Three healthy pigs that had never received antibiotics served as sources of fecal inoculum. Each substrate was fermented in vitro; samples were taken at 0, 2, 4, 8, and 12 h, and pH change and short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) and gas production determined. Gas production at 12 h did not differ (P > 0.05) among all fructooligosaccharides, transgalactooligosaccharides, soy solubles, and xylooligosaccharides. Raffinose, stachyose, and raffinose + stachyose fermentation resulted in the greatest (P < 0.05) gas production at 12 h of all substrates tested. The rate of gas production was greatest (P < 0.05) for stachyose and least (P < 0.05) for glucooligosaccharides and mannanoligosaccharides. Substrate did not affect (P > 0.05) time to attain maximal rate of gas production. The pH at 12 h for all fructooligosaccharides and xylooligosaccharides did not differ (P > 0.05). The pH values at 12 h for raffinose, stachyose, and raffinose + stachyose were highest (P < 0.05) compared with all other substrates. Total SCFA production at 12 h was similar for all fructooligosaccharides and transgalactooligosaccharides, glucooligosaccharides, and soy solubles. Total SCFA production was greatest (P < 0.05) for xylooligosaccharides, stachyose, and raffinose + stachyose, and least (P < 0.05) for mannanoligosaccharides and raffinose. Stachyose fermentation resulted in the greatest (P < 0.05) rate and earliest time to attain maximal rate of SCFA production. All oligosaccharides studied were readily fermentable but varied in amount and type of SCFA produced. Fermentation of the pure forms of oligosaccharides contained in soy solubles resulted in greater gas production and higher pH compared with soy solubles. The oligosaccharides in the soy solubles matrix seemed to behave differently than their pure counterparts. The high rates of fermentation of most oligosaccharides tested indicate that they may serve as fermentable carbohydrate sources in the terminal small intestine or large intestine of swine.

Animals↗

Self-aggregation of bovine skin proteodermatan sulphate promoted by removal of the three N-linked oligosaccharides.

Progressive digestion of native bovine skin proteodermatan sulphate with glycopeptidase F (EC. 3.2.2.18), followed by electrophoresis and affinity-blotting with concanavalin A, demonstrated the presence of three N-linked oligosaccharide chains on the protein core. These oligosaccharides were localized to the C-terminal portion of the protein core. Proteodermatan sulphate purified after removal of the oligosaccharides exhibited an altered circular dichroism spectrum and apparently enhanced thermal stability which were explained by the finding that it had aggregated. The aggregates could be partially dissociated by urea. Aggregation could also be demonstrated without intervening preparative steps between digestion with glycopeptidase-F and electrophoresis. Oligosaccharide-free proteodermatan sulphate retained its ability to inhibit fibril formation from monomeric collagen but showed a tendency to self-aggregate in solution. These results suggest a role for the oligosaccharides of proteodermatan sulphate in maintaining the molecule in a predominantly monomeric form in the tissue, thus indirectly promoting its interaction with collagen.

Animals↗

Determination of oligosaccharides in Pompe disease by electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry.

BACKGROUND: The development of therapies for lysosomal storage disorders has created a need for biochemical markers to monitor the efficacy of therapy and methods to quantify these markers in biologic samples. In Pompe disease, the concentration of a tetrasaccharide, consisting of four glucose residues, is reputedly increased in urine and plasma, but faster and more sensitive methods are required for the analysis of this, and other oligosaccharides, from biologic fluids. METHODS: We optimized the derivatization of storage oligosaccharides with 1-phenyl-3-methyl-5-pyrazolone for the measurement, by electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry, of oligosaccharide concentrations in urine (n = 6), plasma (n = 11), and dried-blood spots (n = 17) from Pompe-affected individuals. Age-matched control samples of urine (n = 10), plasma (n = 28), and blood spots (n = 369) were also analyzed. RESULTS: The mean tetrasaccharide concentration was increased in urine from infantile-onset (0.69-12 mmol/mol of creatinine) and adult-onset (0.22-3.0 mmol/mol of creatinine) Pompe individuals compared with age-matched controls. In plasma samples, an increased tetrasaccharide concentration was observed in some infantile patients (up to 22 micromol/L) compared with age-matched controls (mean, 2.2 micromol/L). The method developed was sensitive enough to determine oligosaccharide concentrations in a single 3-mm blood spot, but no differences were observed between blood spots from control and Pompe-affected individuals. CONCLUSIONS: Measurements of oligosaccharide concentrations in urine by this new method have potential application for the diagnosis and monitoring of patients with Pompe disease. Plasma analysis may have limited application for infantile patients, but analysis of blood spots does not discriminate between controls and affected individuals.

Adolescent↗

Endo-beta-galactosidase of Escherichia freundii. Purification and endoglycosidic action on keratan sulfates, oligosaccharides, and blood group active glycoprotein.

Endo-beta-galactosidase was purified 4400-fold from a culture filtrate of Escherichia freundii with 45% recovery. The enzyme preparation was practically free of exoglycosidases, sulfatase, and proteases. This enzyme hydrolyzed several keratan sulfates, endoglycosidically releasing oligosaccharides of various molecular sizes. Among the digestion products of the corneal keratan sulfate, the structure of a disaccharride and a tetrasaccharride were shown to be 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-6-O-sulfo-beta-D-glucosyl-(1 leads to 3)-D-galactose and 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-6-O-sulfo-beta-D-glucosyl-(1 leads to 3)-6-O-sulfo-beta-D-galactosyl-(1 leads to 4)-2-acetamido-2-deoxy-6-O-sulfo-beta-D-glucosyl-(1 leads to 3)-D-galactose, respectively. These oligosaccharide structures indicate that this enzyme specifically hydrolyzes the galactosidic bonds in which nonsulfated galactose residues participate. The enzyme could also hydrolyze a small oligosaccharide such as lacto-N-neotetraitol as follows: Gal(beta 1 leads to 4)GlcNAc(beta 1 leads to 3)Gal(beta 1 leads to 4) sorbitol leads to Gal(beta 1 leads to 4)GlcNAc(beta 1 leads to 3)Gal + sorbitol AB active blood group substance could be hydrolyzed by this enzyme only after Smith degradation. After enzymatic digestion small oligosaccharides and resistant macromolecules were produced. These findings indicate that the enzyme should be useful in studying the precise structures of keratan sulfates, related glycoproteins, and oligosaccharides.

ABO Blood-Group System↗

Isolation and characterization of an N-linked oligosaccharide that is increased in glioblastoma tissue and cell lines.

We have isolated and characterized N-linked oligo-saccharides that are significantly increased in glioblastoma tissue and cell lines. The structures of N-linked oligosaccharides present in 3 human normal brain tissues, 15 patients with glio-blastoma and 3 glioma cell lines were analyzed by partially automated technique for the isolation and fluorescent labeling of N-linked sugar chains from glycoproteins. Characterization of the sugar chains was achieved with the use of a combination of HPLC columns and a highly sensitive fluorescence detector at femtomole levels. By collecting peaks which accounted for 0.1% or more, sixteen different oligosaccharide structures were characterized from glioblastoma tissue and cell lines. The 16 oligosaccharide structures accounted for 48.9% of the total N-linked oligosaccharides present in glioblastoma tissue. The major components of total oligosaccharides were similar to those of normal brain tissue. The amount of a biantennary bigalactosylated structure with one core fucosylation (A2G2F) was present in increased levels in glioblastoma tissue (mean = 2.90%) and glioma cell lines (mean = 5.60%), while being less than 0.1% in normal brain tissue. Expression of highly branched tetra-antennary N-glycans that are usually detected in lungs or hepatocellular cancer was not observed. Tissue glioma cells and cultured cells also displayed strong LCA-lectin binding, which binds to sugar chains with core fucose (including A2G2F), while normal brain tissue did not. Moreover, LCA lectin inhibited proliferation of glioma cells through induction of apoptosis. A2G2F on glioma specimens may provide a novel marker and target for the diagnosis and treatment of glioblastoma, respectively.

Adolescent↗

Relationship between N-linked oligosaccharide chains of human serum immunoglobulin G and serum tumor markers with non-small cell lung cancer progression.

BACKGROUND: It has been demonstrated that increased expression of the sialyl Le(x) sugar chains on cancer cells influences cellular adhesion to vascular-endothelial cells. Therefore, it was thought that alterations in the sugar chain structure of E-cadherin, a calcium dependent adhesion molecule, influence the metastasis of cancer cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, N-linked oligosaccharides of human serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) were analyzed in 12 patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) (6 localized cancer: 3 adenocarcinomas and 3 squamous cell carcinomas; 6 metastatic cancer: 3 adenocarcinomas and 3 squamous cell carcinomas) and 10 healthy controls using fluorophore-associated carbohydrate electrophoresis (FACE). The relationship between changes in sugar chain structure and serum concentrations of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and cytokeratin 19 fragment (CYFRA21-1) were evaluated. CEA levels in the sera were determined using an enzyme immunoassay, and CYFRA21-1 levels were determined using an enzyme chemiluminescent immunoassay. RESULTS: Fri (monogalactosyl IgG oligosaccharides) and Fr2 (digalactosyl IgG oligosaccharides) decreased, while Fr4 (agalactosyl IgG oligosaccharides) significantly increased (p < 0.01-0.05) with NSCLC progression. The Fr4/Fr1+Fr2 ratio increased with NSCLC progression, and the ratios in localized and metastatic NSCLC were significantly higher than in healthy controls (p < 0.01 and p < 0.01, respectively). There was a strong correlation between serum CEA levels and Fr4 (r = 0.91) and a significant correlation between serum CEA levels and the Fr4/Fr1+Fr2 ratio (r = 0.83, p < 0.05) in patients with lung adenocarcinoma. There was a significant correlation between serum CYFRA21-1 levels and Fr4 (r = 0.88, p < 0.001) and a positive correlation between serum CYFRA21-1 levels and the Fr4/Fr1+Fr2 ratio (r = 0.38) in patients with lung squamous cell carcinoma. CONCLUSION: The analysis of serum IgG N-linked oligosaccharide chain structures by FACE may be an auxiliary indicator of serum tumor markers for monitoring NSCLC progression.

Aged↗

alpha-Glucosidase II-deficient cells use endo alpha-mannosidase as a bypass route for N-linked oligosaccharide processing.

The kinetics of N-linked oligosaccharide processing and the structures of the processing intermediates have been examined in normal parental BW5147 mouse lymphoma cells and the alpha-glucosidase II-deficient PHAR2.7 mutant cells. The mutant cells accumulated glucosylated intermediates but were able to deglucosylate and process about 40% of their oligosaccharides to complex-type. This processing was not due to residual alpha-glucosidase II activity since the alpha-glucosidase inhibitors 1-deoxynojirimycin (DNJ) and N-butyl-DNJ did not prevent it. Parent cells also showed alpha-glucosidase II-independent processing in the presence of DNJ and N-butyl-DNJ. Membrane preparations from both parent and mutant cells had endo alpha-mannosidase activity, that is, split Glc1,2Man9GlcNAc to Glc1,2Man plus Man8GlcNAc, indicating that this was a candidate for an alternate route to complex oligosaccharide formation in the mutant cells. A balance study in which the cellular glycoproteins, intracellular water soluble saccharides, and saccharides secreted into the medium were isolated and analyzed from [2-3H]mannose-labeled mutant cells showed that the cells formed the di- and trisaccharides Glc1Man and Glc2Man in amounts equivalent to the deglucosylated oligosaccharides found in the cellular glycoproteins. This result shows unequivocally that the alpha-glucosidase II-deficient mutant cells use endo alpha-mannosidase as a bypass route for N-linked oligosaccharide processing.

1-Deoxynojirimycin↗

Biosynthetic maturation of an ascites tumor cell surface sialomucin. Evidence for O-glycosylation of cell surface glycoprotein by the addition of new oligosaccharides during recycling.

Previous biosynthetic studies of the ascites 13762 rat mammary adenocarcinoma cell surface sialomucin ASGP-1 (ascites sialoglycoprotein-1) showed that it is synthesized initially as a poorly glycosylated immature form, which is converted to a larger premature form (t1/2 30 min) and more slowly to the mature glycoprotein (t1/2 greater than 4 h). In the present study O-glycosylation of ASGP-1 polypeptide is shown to occur in two phases: an early phase complete in less than 30 min, which corresponds to the synthesis of the premature form, and a later phase that continues for hours and corresponds to the synthesis of the mature form. Pulse-chase labeling studies indicate that 95% of the ASGP-1 has moved to the cell surface in 2 h. Since transit to the cell surface is faster than the slow phase of addition of new oligosaccharides, some new oligosaccharides must be added after ASGP-1 has reached the cell surface. Initiation of new oligosaccharides on cell surface ASGP-1 was demonstrated directly using a biotinylation procedure to identify cell surface molecules. Glucosamine labeling of biotinylated ASGP-1 was shown to occur on galactosamine residues, which are linked to the polypeptide, establishing the addition of new oligosaccharides to the cell surface molecules. Finally, resialylation studies indicate that ASGP-1 rapidly recycles through a sialylating compartment. From these results we propose that ASGP-1 reaches the cell surface in an incompletely glycosylated state and that additional oligosaccharides are added to the glycoprotein in a second process involving recycling.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Purification and characterization of GDP-L-fucose-N-acetyl beta-D-glucosaminide alpha 1----6fucosyltransferase from cultured human skin fibroblasts. Requirement of a specific biantennary oligosaccharide as substrate.

GDP-L-fucose-N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminide alpha 1----6fucosyltransferase which catalyzes the transfer of fucose from GDP-L-fucose to the asparagine-linked N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosamine of N-linked glycoproteins has been purified 37,000-fold from cultured human skin fibroblasts. The Km values for the substrate asialoagalactotransferrin glycopeptide, and GDP-L-fucose were 66 and 4.2 microM, respectively. The Vmax was 1.4 mumols/mg/min. The key step in enzyme purification was affinity chromatography using the immobilized substrate asialoagalactotransferrin glycopeptide-CH-Sepharose. The affinity-purified enzyme had a minimum substrate requirement for a biantennary oligosaccharide with GlcNAc in terminal position, having a Km value of 55 microM. It was heretofore unexpected that the oligosaccharide would serve as substrate, since the site of enzyme activity is GlcNAc-1-linked to Asn. Although the presence of amino acids on this oligosaccharide enhanced the activity 3-fold, it is proposed that this may be the result of an alpha/beta anomeric mixture (2:1) of oligosaccharide used in these studies with only the beta anomer active as substrate. The implication is that the amino acid is required only to retain the beta anomeric position of the substrate. Removal of GlcNAc or addition of Gal to either the oligosaccharide or glycopeptide destroyed the ability to serve as substrates. In addition, di-N-acetylchitobiose, tri-N-acetylchitotriose and GlcNAc beta 1----Asn were nonpermissible substrates. This rigid substrate requirement is unique among fucosyltransferases thus far reported, since the natural substrates for the other enzymes may be substituted by one of several disaccharides.

Carbohydrate Sequence↗

Beta 1-6 branched oligosaccharides as a marker of tumor progression in human breast and colon neoplasia.

Malignant transformation of murine and human cells is commonly associated with increased--GlcNAc beta 1-6Man alpha 1-6Man beta--branching in asparagine-linked oligosaccharides. Somatic mutations and drugs which block expression of the beta 1-6 branched oligosaccharides are potent inhibitors of tumor cell invasion and metastasis in animal models. This suggests that the oligosaccharides are required for metastasis to occur and therefore their increased presence in primary tumors may be diagnostic of metastatic disease. Although antibodies to the beta 1-6 branched portion of the oligosaccharides are not available, a plant lectin leukoagglutinin (L-PHA) has been shown to bind specifically to this structure. L-PHA lectin histochemistry was performed on paraffin sections of human breast and colon tissues. All breast carcinomas and epithelial hyperplasia with atypia showed significantly increased L-PHA staining compared to fibroadenomas and hyperplasia without atypia. In histological sections of colon, adenomas showed a small but significant increase in L-PHA staining compared to normal colonic epithelium, while carcinomas showed greatly increased reactivity. In addition, Dukes stage C tumors showed higher levels of L-PHA staining than stage A tumors. These results demonstrate that L-PHA-reactive beta 1-6 branched N-linked oligosaccharides are consistently increased in neoplasias of human breast and colon and that the level of L-PHA staining correlates with the pathological staging of the diseases.

Adenofibroma↗

The importance of N- and O-linked oligosaccharides for the biosynthesis and in vitro and in vivo biologic activities of erythropoietin.

Erythropoietin (EPO) plays a critical role in stimulating the proliferation and differentiation of erythroid precursor cells. EPO is heavily glycosylated with three asparagine (N)-linked tetraantennary oligosaccharides that may contain N-acetyl-lactosamine repeats and a single serine (O)-linked oligosaccharide. EPO expressed in Chinese hamster ovary cells exhibits biologic properties and amino acid and carbohydrate composition similar to natural urinary EPO. The importance of the complex N-linked and the O-linked carbohydrate was studied by expressing EPO in cells that are deficient in UDP-galactose/UDP-N-acetylgalactosamine 4-epimerase activity. In these cells, the ability to add galactose and N-acetylgalactosamine to glycoproteins can be controlled by the addition of these sugars to the culture medium. The results demonstrate that a block in O-linked glycosylation and/or the ability to process N-linked carbohydrate to completion does not alter EPO secretion. EPO produced without O-linked carbohydrate exhibits normal in vitro and in vivo biologic activity and in vivo clearance. However, EPO produced with incompletely processed N-linked oligosaccharides exhibits normal in vitro activity but is at least 500-fold less effective in stimulating erythropoiesis in vivo. Studies on the survival of bioactive EPO remaining in the circulation demonstrated that EPO with incomplete N-linked oligosaccharides exhibits a sevenfold increased rate of clearance. However, this increased clearance may not fully account for the 500-fold loss of in vivo activity. These results suggest a potentially important unique requirement for appropriate complex N-linked oligosaccharides for the intrinsic biologic activity of EPO in vivo.

Acetylgalactosamine↗

Secretion of rat hepatic lipase is blocked by inhibition of oligosaccharide processing at the stage of glucosidase I.

Rat hepatic lipase is a glycoprotein bearing two N-linked oligosaccharide chains. The importance of glycosylation in the secretion of hepatic lipase was studied using freshly isolated rat hepatocytes. Various inhibitors of oligosaccharide synthesis and processing were used at concentrations that selectively interfere with protein glycosylation. Secretion of hepatic lipase activity was abolished by tunicamycin, castanospermine, and N-methyldeoxynojirimycin. No evidence was found by ELISA or Western blotting for secretion of inactive protein. Inhibition of secretion became apparent after a 30-min lag, corresponding to the time of intracellular transport of pre-existing protein. Simultaneously, intracellular hepatic lipase activity ws depleted. Secretion of hepatic lipase protein and activity was not affected by deoxymannojirimycin and swainsonine. Upon SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, hepatic lipase secretion by deoxymannojirimycin- or swainsonine-treated cells showed an apparent Mr of 53 kDa and 55 kDa, respectively, which was distinct from hepatic lipase secreted by untreated cells (Mr = 58 kDa). We conclude that glycosylation and subsequent oligosaccharide processing play a permissive role in the secretion of hepatic lipase. As secretion is prevented by the glucosidase inhibitors castanospermine and N-methyldeoxynojirimycin, but not by inhibitors of subsequent oligosaccharide trimming, the removal of glucose residues from the high-mannose oligosaccharide intermediate in the rough endoplasmic reticulum appears the determining step.

1-Deoxynojirimycin↗

Differential recognition of core and terminal portions of oligosaccharide ligands by carbohydrate-recognition domains of two mannose-binding proteins.

Two different mannose-binding proteins (MBP-A and MBP-C), which show 56% sequence identity, are present in rat serum and liver. It has previously been shown that MBP-A binds to a range of monosaccharide-bovine serum albumin conjugates, and that, among oligosaccharide ligands tested, preferential binding is to terminal nonreducing N-acetylglucosamine residues of complex type N-linked oligosaccharides. In order to compare the binding specificity of MBP-C, an expression system has been developed for production of a fragment of this protein which contains the COOH-terminal carbohydrate-recognition domain. After radioiodination, the domain has been used to probe natural glycoproteins, neoglycoproteins, and neoglycolipids. Like MBP-A, MBP-C binds several different monosaccharides conjugated to bovine serum albumin, including mannose, fucose, and N-acetylglucosamine, although binding to the last of these is relatively weaker than observed for MBP-A. The results of binding to natural glycoproteins and to neoglycolipids containing oligosaccharides derived from these proteins are most compatible with the interpretation that MBP-C interacts primarily with the trimannosyl core of complex N-linked oligosaccharides, with additional ligands being terminal fucose and perhaps also peripheral mannose residues of high mannose type oligosaccharides. This binding specificity is thus quite distinct from that of MBP-A. The presence of multiple MBPs with distinct binding specificities in preparations derived from serum and liver explains conflicting conclusions which have been reached about carbohydrate recognition by these proteins.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Monoclonal antibodies specific for oligosaccharides prepared by partial nitrous acid deamination of heparin.

Monoclonal antibodies were raised against a conjugate between heparin oligosaccharides and human serum albumin. The oligosaccharides were prepared by partial nitrous acid degradation of heparin and were coupled to human serum albumin by reductive amination. Characterization of the antibodies secreted by one of the resulting clones showed that they recognize a determinant present in the oligosaccharide antigen, but not in intact heparin, nor in a variety of related polysaccharides. Degradation of heparin by nitrous acid generates a 2,5-anhydro-D-mannose residue at the reducing end of the resulting oligosaccharides, and it is concluded that this structure is essential for interaction with the antibodies. Reduced oligosaccharides (containing a terminal anhydromannitol residue) are also active. After gel chromatography of partially degraded heparin, the smallest components capable of binding to the antibodies were found in a tetrasaccharide fraction. Affinity chromatography on immobilized monoclonal antibodies separated this tetrasaccharide fraction into distinct populations of binding and nonbinding species. Structural analysis showed that the tetrasaccharide fraction that bound to the monoclonal antibodies contained one single component with the structure IdoA(2-OSO3)-GlcNSO3 (6-OSO3)-IdoA(2-OSO3)-aManR(6-OSO3), whereas the fraction that did not bind to the antibodies contained a mixture of different structures.

Animals↗

Post-translational addition of chondroitin sulfate glycosaminoglycans. Role of N-linked oligosaccharide addition, trimming, and processing.

A melanoma proteoglycan model system has been used to examine the role of core protein asparagine-linked (N-linked) oligosaccharides in the transport and assembly of proteoglycan molecules. The use of agents which block discrete steps in the trimming and processing of core oligosaccharides (castanospermine, 1-deoxynojirimycin, N-methyldeoxynojirimycin, 1-deoxymannojirimycin, and swainsonine) demonstrates that removal of glucose residues from the N-linked oligosaccharides is required for the cell surface expression of a melanoma proteoglycan core protein and for the conversion of the core protein to a chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan. However, complete maturation of the oligosaccharides to a "complex" form is not required for these events. Treatment of M21 human melanoma cells with the glucosidase inhibitors castanospermine, 1-deoxynojirimycin, or N-methyldeoxynojirimycin results in a dose-dependent inhibition of glycosaminoglycan (GAG) addition to the melanoma antigen recognized by monoclonal antibody 9.2.27. In contrast, treatment with the mannosidase inhibitors 1-deoxymannojirimycin and swainsonine does not effect GAG addition. Identical results are obtained when the major histocompatibility complex class II antigen gamma chain proteoglycan is examined in inhibitor-treated melanoma and B-lymphoblastoid cells. These data, in conjunction with the known effects of the glucosidase and mannosidase inhibitors on the transport and secretion of other glycoproteins support the hypothesis that the addition, trimming, and processing of N-linked oligosaccharides is involved in the transport of certain proteoglycan core proteins to the site of GAG addition and to the cell surface.

Antigens, Neoplasm↗

Oncogenes conferring metastatic potential induce increased branching of Asn-linked oligosaccharides in rat2 fibroblasts.

Increased -GlcNA beta-6 Man alpha 1-6 Man beta 1- branching of Asn-linked oligosaccharides has been observed in a number of rodent and human tumor cell lines and the structures have been correlated with enhanced metastatic potential of murine tumor cells. Here we have compared the malignant potential and levels of beta 1-6-branched oligosaccharides in rat 2 fibroblast transfected with the cytoplasmic tyrosine kinase v-fps/fes, the activated GTPase T24 H-ras, and the nuclear oncogene c-myc. Rat2 cells transfected with activated c-myc were non-tumorigenic in nude mice and did not show elevated levels of beta 1-6 branched oligosaccarides, whereas transfectants carrying H-ras or v-fps were tumorigenic and generally exhibited metastatic potential which was associated with increased beta 1-6 branching. Enhanced expression of beta 1-6 branched oligosaccharides did not correlate with increased ratios of UDP-HexNAc to UDP-Hex, but was accompanied by elevated GlcNAc-transferase V activity, increased sensitivity of the cells to the toxic effects of leukoagglutinin, and an altered intracellular distribution of beta 1-6-branched oligosaccharides as visualized by fluorescent lectin staining. These results provide information on the quantitative and qualitative relationships between oncogene expression and cellular glycosylation and suggest that the ability of an oncogene to confer metastatic potential may be related to its ability to induce increased branching of Asn-linked oligosaccharides.

Animals↗

Oligosaccharides as recognition structures.

The diverse O-linked oligosaccharide structures of the glycoproteins in mucus have the potential for encoding a vast amount of biological information. A major challenge in modern cell biology is to devise ways of decoding the information in these and other oligosaccharide structures of N-linked chains and glycolipids. In this article, I highlight some studies of oligosaccharide antigenicity, and discuss the way the results are being interpreted with respect to oligosaccharide function. I conclude with a discussion of a new technology that is under development with the aim of investigating oligosaccharide recognition in diverse biological systems.

Antigens↗