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PubMed1984

Structural characterization of neutral oligosaccharides of human H+Leb+ gastric mucin.

The structure of carbohydrate chains of human gastric mucin was investigated. The mucin, purified from pronase-degraded gastric aspirates of the secretors with blood group H+Leb, was subjected to alkaline borohydride treatment and a heterogeneous population of neutral (72.1%) and acidic (27.9%) oligosaccharide alditols was obtained. Ten oligosaccharides (I-X), representing 80.3% of the neutral oligosaccharide fraction, have been purified to homogeneity and their structures determined. These oligosaccharides ranged in length from 4 to 12 sugar units and contained mono-, bi-, and triantennary structures. Based on hemagglutination inhibition data in H-anti-H, Leb-anti-Leb, and I-anti-I systems, and the results of structural analyses, we proposed the following structures for these oligosaccharides: (formula, see text)

Blood Group Antigens↗

PubMed1982

Structure analysis of the major oligosaccharides accumulating in canine GM1 gangliosidosis liver.

A homologous series of structurally related, high molecular weight oligosaccharides have been isolated and purified from the livers of a mixed breed of Beagle dogs affected with GM1 gangliosidosis. Five individual oligosaccharide fractions were purified by charcoal chromatography, preparative silicic acid thin layer chromatography, and gel filtration chromatography. Molecular size determinations revealed that these oligosaccharides contained 6, 9, 11, and 13 sugar residues, respectively. Detailed structure analysis was carried out on the most abundant fractions, oligosaccharides 1,2 and 3 (OS 1,2 and OS 3) using permethylation analysis and 360-MHz proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy coupled with sequential exoglycosidase degradation. OS 1,2 was a mixture of two linear isomeric hexasaccharides and OS 3 was a nonasaccharide containing a bianntenary branched mannosyl core. The proposed structures are: (formula see text) These compounds are nearly identical with the oligosaccharides stored in human GM1 gangliosidosis liver but they differ from the human compounds uniquely since they contain 2 GlcNAc residues at the reducing terminus instead of 1, suggesting that there may be significant differences in glycoprotein metabolism or structure between mammalian species.

Animals↗

PubMed1981

Partial purification from Saccharomyces cerevisiae of a soluble glucosidase which removes the terminal glucose from the oligosaccharide Glc3Man9GlcNAc2.

Glucosidase activities capable of removing the three glucose residues from Glc3Man9GlcNAc2 oligosaccharide were detected in a cell-free preparation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae X-2180. The glucosidase which cleaves the glucose residue at the nonreducing terminus (Glc3Man9GlcNAc2 oligosaccharide glucosidase) was equally distributed between the particulate and the supernatant fractions obtained after centrifugation of the yeast homogenate at 27,000 X g for 30 min. The membrane-bound activity was stimulated by Triton X-100, whereas the supernatant activity was not affected. The soluble Glc3Man9GlcNAc2 oligosaccharide glucosidase was partially purified from the supernatant by ammonium sulfate fractionation followed by DEAE-Sephadex chromatography. It was clearly separated from alpha-glucosidase, which acts onp-nitrophenyl-alpha-D-glucopyranoside, but still contained beta-glucosidase and alpha-mannosidase acting on p-nitrophenyl-beta-D-glucopyranoside and alpha-D-mannopyranoside, respectively. The Glc3Man9GlcNAc2 oligosaccharide glucosidase had a pH optimum of 6.8, and showed no requirement for divalent cations. The enzyme was very active with glucose-labeled Glc3Man9GlcNAc2, was slightly active with Glc2Man9GlcNAc2, and showed no activity with Glc1Man9GlcNAc2. These properties suggest that this enzyme is involved in the first step of processing of oligosaccharides after transfer from dolichyl pyrophosphate to proteins.

Carbon Radioisotopes↗

PubMed1981

Oligosaccharide specific endocytosis by isolated rat hepatic reticuloendothelial cells.

We have examined the specificity and kinetics of endocytosis of iodinated glycopeptides and glycoproteins by isolated rat reticuloendothelial cell preparations. All of the probes which were recognized by this system contain within their oligosaccharide moiety the following common structural unit which we hypothesize to be the minimum required structure for binding and endocytosis: GlcNAc beta 1,6 or Man alpha 1,6 Man alpha 1,6[Man alpha 1,3]Man beta 1,4GlcNAc beta 1,4GlcNAc beta Asn. Desialyzed tetra-antennary complex oligosaccharides contain this minimum structure but are not endocytosed until after removal of the beta 1,4-linked terminal Gal residues by Diplococcal beta-galactosidase. Further degradation by Diplococcal beta-hexosaminidase removes only the beta 1,2-linked GlcNAc residues resulting in a product which still contains the minimum structure and can be taken up by this system. Desialyzed triantenary and biantenary complex oligosaccharides are not endocytosed following treatment with Diplococcal beta-galactosidase and beta-hexosaminidase. High mannose type oligosaccharides which contain the minimum structure are endocytosed, whereas hybrid structures are not, indicating that the presence of a beta 1,4-linked GlcNAc on the beta-linked core mannose inhibits endocytosis. The Michaelis-Menten kinetic constants are similar for glycopeptides and glycoproteins, ranging from 1.1-6.4 X 10(-7) M for all ligands recognized by this system. In the range of 50-150 X 10(3) ligand binding sites per cell are estimated to be on the cell surface with a capacity to internalize from 13-80 X 10(3) molecules per min per cell at 37 degrees C. All of the structural information required for binding and internalization resides in the oligosaccharide moiety itself.

Animals↗

PubMed1995

Gluco-oligosaccharide production by a strain of Erwinia amylovora.

When grown in sorbitol-asparagine-salts medium, cells of Erwinia amylovora isolate T83 released a mixture of oligosaccharides and lipopolysaccharide in place of extracellular polysaccharide. The oligosaccharide fraction was usually readily separable from lipopolysaccharide by gel permeation chromatography, but some samples required disaggregation by preliminary treatment with EDTA. By 1H- and 13C-NMR spectroscopy, methylation analysis and mass spectrometry, the oligosaccharide fraction was shown to consist of terminal, beta-1,2- and beta-1,2,6-linked D-glucose residues in the ratio 2.2:2.6:1, indicating a branched oligosaccharide structure. The purified oligosaccharide fraction was partially resolved by gel permeation chromatography into two components containing approximately equal amounts of glucose. When grown on pear slices, isolate T83 produced normal extracellular polysaccharide.

Erwinia↗

PubMed1994

Modification of glycoproteins by N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase V is greatly influenced by accessibility of the enzyme to oligosaccharide acceptors.

The formation of tri- and tetraantennary complex-type N-linked oligosaccharides in animal glycoproteins is partly regulated by UDP-N-acetylglucosamine:beta-6-D-mannoside beta-1,6-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase (EC 2.4.1.155) (GlcNAc-T V), which generates 2,6-branched mannose. In Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells we found that 2,6-branched mannosyl structures are preferentially contained on lysosome-associated membrane proteins (LAMPs) and are generally low or absent in other cellular glycoproteins (Do, K.-Y. and Cummings, R.D. (1993) J. Biol. Chem. 268, 22028-22035). To determine the mechanism by which GlcNAc-T V appears to preferentially recognize glycoproteins, we examined the activity of purified GlcNAc-T V toward a variety of glycoprotein acceptors. Because GlcNAc-T V requires as acceptors oligosaccharides lacking outer galactosyl and sialyl residues, we utilized two classes of acceptor preparations. The first class of acceptor was enzymatically desialylated (DS) and degalactosylated (DG) preparations of bovine fetuin, human transferrin, and human fibrinogen. The second class was glycoproteins in extracts of the mutant CHO cell line, Lec8 CHO, which cannot add galactose or sialic acid to N-linked oligosaccharides. GlcNAc-T V was highly active toward DSDG-fetuin, -transferrin, and -fibrinogen (Km values ranged between 30 and 74 microM), and the catalytic efficiencies (Vmax/Km) of the enzyme toward different acceptors were comparable. In the case of fetuin, each of its three sites for attachment of N-linked oligosaccharides were shown to be utilized equally well by GlcNAc-T V. Notably, the enzyme exhibited a 2-3-fold higher rate of transfer toward DSDG-transferrin when it was further denatured by reduction and S-carboxymethylation. When extracts of Lec8 CHO cells were used as acceptors, GlcNAc-T V preferentially transferred to LAMPs, and only low level transfer was observed to other cell-derived glycoproteins, thus demonstrating specificity of GlcNAc-T V toward native glycoprotein acceptors. When the cell-derived glycoproteins were denatured by reduction and S-carboxymethylation prior to use as acceptors for Glc-NAc-T V, significant transfer occurred to other glycoproteins. These results demonstrate that the mechanism of glycoprotein-specific branching by GlcNAc-T V is determined primarily by its accessibility to available bi/triantennary oligosaccharides on glycoproteins and not by its recognition of peptide determinants or conformation-specific determinants.

Animals↗

PubMed1979

Structural studies of the major high mannose oligosaccharide units from Chinese hamster ovary cell glycoproteins.

The major high mannose-type glycopeptides present in Chinese hamster ovary cells have the compositions (Man)9(GlcNAc)2-Asn, (Man)8(GlcNAc)2-Asn, and (Man)6(GlcNAc)2-Asn. The structures of these glycopeptides were determined by the combination of methylation analysis, acetolysis, Smith periodate degradation, and alpha- and beta-mannosidase digestion. Their complete structures are: manalpha1 leads to 2Manaalpha1 leads to 6(Manalpha1 leads to 2Manalpha1 leads to 3)Manalpha1 leads to 6(Manalpha1 leads to 2Manalpha1 leads to 2Manalpha1 leads to 3)Manbeta1 leads to 4GlcNAcbeta1 leads to 4GlcNAc-Asn, Manalpha1 leads to 2Manalpha1 leads to 6(Manalpha1 leads to 3)Manalpha1 leads to 6(Manalpha1 leads to 2Manalpha1 leads to 2Manalpha1 leads to 3)Manbeta1 leads to 4GlcNAcbeta1 leads to 4GlcNAc-Asn, and Manalpha1 leads to 6(Manalpha1 leads to 3)Manalpha1 leads to 6(Manalpha1 leads to 2Manalpha1 leads to 3)Manbeta1 leads to 4GlcNAcbeta1 leads to 4GlcNAc-Asn. These structures are compared with the structures of the peptide-bound oligosaccharide intermediates that are processed to form complex-type oligosaccharides. From these results, it is proposed that the high mannose-type oligosaccharides are a product of "incomplete" processing of the protein-bound oligosaccharide along the same pathway which leads ultimately to the formation of a complex-type oligosaccharide.

Animals↗

PubMed1994

Exoglycosidases and lectins as sequencing approaches of salivary gland oligosaccharides.

This review was focused on the salivary gland oligosaccharide chains studied by lectin histochemistry combined with exoglycosidase digestion. Glycoconjugates play an important role in many biofunctions and, generally, salivary mucins, which consist of numerous oligosaccharide chains attached at closely spaced intervals to a peptide backbone, serve as lubricants and protective agents, but in many instances we are ignorant about the role of biochemically identified oligosaccharides. Lectin histochemistry represents the greatest analytic tool to study carbohydrates in situ; in addition, there is availability of selective enzymes, so glycosidase degradation is useful to both investigate the structure of a given oligosaccharide and verify the influence of neighbouring sugars on the affinity towards the respective specific lectins. Using stepwise digestion of samples, followed by lectin labelling, the structure of terminal short oligosaccharides with blood-group activity was also elucidated. Additional histochemical methodologies were developed to establish the presence of acetylated groups in sialic acid residues, and the position of the linkage to the underlying monosaccharide. Sequencing approaches by exoglycosidases and lectins were also seen to be particularly useful when substantial differences did not emerge in lectin affinity, glycoconjugate composition and complex carbohydrate cytochemistry.

Animals↗

PubMed1993

Developmentally-regulated cell surface N-linked oligosaccharides participate in intercellular cohesion in Dictyostelium discoideum.

The ability of purified plasma membrane glycoconjugates to inhibit the EDTA-resistant agglutination between aggregation-stage cells of Dictyostelium discoideum has suggested that receptor binding of these glycoconjugates provides a basis for cell-cell cohesion during aggregation. This has been tested by analysis of a series of mutants with different defects in the assembly of N-linked oligosaccharides. Mutant HL241 lacks outer branch components of N-linked oligosaccharides and fails to aggregate or express EDTA-resistant cohesion. HL244 makes unsulphated but otherwise normal N-linked oligosaccharides, generates multiple tips on aggregated cell mounds in some clones, and shows abnormally strong EDTA-resistant cohesion. Two mutants that are temperature-sensitive for complete processing of N-linked oligosaccharides are also temperature-sensitive for expression of both aggregation ability and EDTA-resistant cohesion. A revertant that recovered essentially normal N-linked oligosaccharide processing at the restrictive temperature has also recovered its ability to aggregate and to agglutinate in EDTA.

Agglutination↗

PubMed1994

Immunoreactivity and function of oligosaccharides in cobra venom factor.

Cobra venom factor (CVF) is the nontoxic C-activating glycoprotein in cobra venom. It is a structural and functional analogue of complement component C3. Previous work has established that the major oligosaccharide chain of CVF is a symmetric fucosylated biantennary complex-type N-linked chain containing an alpha-galactosylated Le(x) antigenic epitope, Gal alpha 1-3Gal beta 1-4 (Fuc alpha 1-3) GlcNAc beta 1, a novel carbohydrate structure. We show that naturally occurring anti-alpha-Gal Ab present in normal human serum binds to CVF. In view of a possible human application of CVF, we studied the effect of this anti-alpha-Gal Ab on CVF function as well as the effect of oligosaccharide modification or removal on CVF activity and immunoreactivity with the anti-alpha-Gal Ab. The immunoreactivity of CVF with the anti-alpha-Gal Ab is abolished upon de-alpha-galactosylation or complete deglycosylation. De-alpha-galactosylated CVF and deglycosylated CVF were found to be equally active in forming a stable C3/C5 convertase with human factor B and in decomplementing human serum indicating that the oligosaccharide chains of CVF are not required for its C-activating function. Consistent with the unaltered functional activity, deglycosylation of the molecule caused only minor changes in secondary structure as judged by far UV circular dichroism analysis. However, the oligosaccharide chains appear to contribute to the thermal stability of CVF, because deglycosylation caused the molecule to be more sensitive to temperature. Inasmuch as rCVF produced in mammalian cells can be expected to contain sialylated oligosaccharide chains, we also prepared sialylated CVF by enzymatic sialylation of de-alpha-galactosylated and de-alpha-fucosylated CVF with 2,6-sialyltransferase. It was found that the secondary structure and the activity of sialylated CVF were unchanged compared to native CVF.

Animals↗

PubMed1994

Glycoprotein synthesis in yeast. Early events in N-linked oligosaccharide processing in Schizosaccharomyces pombe.

Oligosaccharide-lipid precursors and glycoprotein N-linked oligosaccharides isolated from the fission yeast, Schizosaccharomyces pombe, were compared with those from the budding yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Bio-Gel P-4 chromatography of oligosaccharide intermediates showed that Glc3Man9GlcNAc2-PP-dol synthesis, transfer of glycan to protein, and glucose removal to yield Man9GlcNAc2 proceeded in S. pombe as in S. cerevisiae. Two series of oligosaccharides were released from S. pombe glycoproteins by endo-beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase H; large "mannan-like" structures and smaller precursor or "core-filling" species. Unexpectedly, the smallest S. pombe N-linked glycan was Man9GlcNAc, confirmed by 500 MHz 1H NMR spectroscopy to be the lipid-linked isomer. No endoplasmic reticulum Man9-alpha 1,2-mannosidase activity was detected in S. pombe, thus identifying Man9GlcNAc as the minimum precursor for oligosaccharide elongation in contrast to the Man8GlcNAc2 intermediate identified in S. cerevisiae (Byrd, J. C., Tarentino, A. L., Maley, F., Atkinson, P. H., and Trimble, R. B. (1982) J. Biol. Chem. 257, 14657-14666). S. pombe Hex10GlcNAc was at least four isomers by high pH anion-exchange chromatography with pulsed amperometric detection. Compositional analyses identified two of the major species as GalMan9GlcNAc and GlcMan9GlcNAc, the latter of which suggests that glycan trimming may be attenuated in the S. pombe endoplasmic reticulum. Hex13GlcNAc from S. pombe was homogeneous by mass spectrometry but yielded 12 species by high pH anion-exchange chromatography. Compositional analyses, alpha-galactosidase digestion, and lectin affinity chromatography on Griffonia simplicifolia lectin I-agarose indicated these to be a family of GalxMan13-xGlcNAc isomers (X = 1-4 residues). The absence of Man9GlcNAc2 to Man8GlcNAc2 trimming in S. pombe and elongation of the lipid precursor of Man9GlcNAc with both Man and Gal to form "galactomannans" provides a novel system for N-linked glycoprotein processing studies.

Carbohydrate Sequence↗

PubMed1993

Characterization of the N-linked oligosaccharides in glycoproteins synthesized by microfilariae of Dirofilaria immitis.

In this report, we describe studies on the structures of the N-linked oligosaccharides contained in glycoproteins synthesized by microfilariae of the canine heartworm, Dirofilaria immitis. Microfilariae were incubated in media containing either 2-[3H]mannose, 6-[3H]glucosamine, or 6-[3H]galactose. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and fluorographic analyses indicated that many glycoproteins were radiolabeled by both the mannose and glucosamine, whereas glycoproteins were not radiolabeled by the galactose. Glycopeptides from these total glycoproteins were fractionated and purified by serial lectin affinity chromatography, and the structures of the oligosaccharides in the isolated glycopeptides were analyzed by a variety of techniques. The N-linked oligosaccharides were shown to contain mannose (Man), fucose, N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc), and N-acetylgalactosamine (GalNAc). However, they lacked sialic acid and galactose, which are commonly found in mammalian glycoproteins. GalNAc was shown to be in an unusual terminal position and beta-linked in the sequence GalNAc beta GlcNAc beta Man-R, where R is the typical branch of complex-type N-linked oligosaccharides. Similar structures were recently found by us to be synthesized by the helminthic parasite Schistosoma mansoni. These results demonstrate that glycoproteins synthesized by microfilariae of D. immitis have unusual carbohydrate moieties and may lead to a better understanding of the specific roles of glycoprotein oligosaccharides in host-parasite interactions.

Animals↗

PubMed1993

Equine lutropin and chorionic gonadotropin bear oligosaccharides terminating with SO4-4-GalNAc and Sia alpha 2,3Gal, respectively.

Equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG) and lutropin (eLH) are heterodimeric glycoprotein hormones which are synthesized in the placenta and pituitary, respectively. The beta subunits of eCG and eLH, like their alpha subunits, arise from a single gene and have identical amino acid sequences. In contrast, the beta subunits of CG and LH in primates arise from different genes and differ in sequence. We have examined the structures of the Asn-linked oligosaccharides on eCG and eLH. eCG bears di- and tri-branched Asn-linked oligosaccharides terminating with Sia alpha 2,3 or 6Gal beta 1,4GlcNAc. In contrast, > 72% of the Asn-linked oligosaccharides on eLH have 1 or 2 branches terminating with the sequence SO4-4-GalNAc beta 1,4GlcNAc. The nonsulfated oligosaccharides on eLH are neutral (6% of the total) or have branches terminating with sialic acid-Gal (22% of the total). Since the alpha and beta subunits of eCG and eLH both contain the tripeptide motif, Pro-Xaa-Arg/Lys, recognized by the glycoprotein hormone-specific GalNAc-transferase found in pituitary, expression of the GalNAc- and sulfotransferases must differ in the placenta and pituitary. eLH, but not eCG, is bound by the hepatic endothelial cell receptor specific for the sequence SO4-4-GalNAc beta 1,4GlcNAc. As a result, eLH is removed from the circulation 5.7-fold more rapidly than eCG and is selectively localized to the liver. Since the major structural difference between eCG and eLH is in the terminal glycosylation of their Asn-linked oligosaccharides and this has a major impact on circulatory half-life, it is likely that the difference in circulatory half-life defines the functional difference between eCG and eLH.

Animals↗

PubMed1977

Glucosyltransferase activity in calf pancreas microsomes. Formation of dolichyl D[14C]glucosyl phosphate and 14C-labeled lipid-linked oligosaccharides from UDP-D-[14C]glucose.

Calf pancreas microsomes incorporated radioactively labeled D-glucose from UDP-D-glucose into products extracted with chloroform/methanol (2:1, v/v), chloroform/methanol/water (10:102.5, v/v), and into the residual precipitate, with a pH optimum in Tris/maleate buffer of about 5.3. The chloroform/methanol extract contained a single 14C-labeled acidic product, which was identified as dolichyl beta-D-glucosyl phosphate. It was stable to mild alkali, yielded D-[14C]glucose upon mild acid hydrolysis, and a 14C-labeled compound with the chromatographic mobility of 1,6-anhydro-beta-D-glucopyranosyl upon hot alkali treatment. The [14C]glucolipid had the same chromatographic mobility as dolichyl beta-D-[14C]mannosyl phosphate, and its formation was stimulated by exogenous dolichyl phosphate. The chloroform/methanol/water extract contained radioactive lipid-bound oligosaccharides which were retained on DEAE-cellulose more strongly than dolichyl D-[14C]glucosyl phosphate. They were stable to mild alkali, but labile to acid and hot alkali. Acid treatment yielded a D-glucose-labeled oligosaccharide fraction which was shown by gel filtration to be slightly larger than most of the D-mannose-labeled oligosaccharides. About 80% of the radioactive D-glucose residues could be removed with alpha-glucosidase, but not with beta-glucosidase. Pancreatic dolichyl beta-D-[14C]glucosyl phosphate incubated with calf pancreas microsomes served as direct donor of D-glucosyl residues to lipid-bound oligosaccharides and to the precipitate. These oligosaccharides had the same size as those labeled from UDP-D-[14C]glucose, and the D-[14C]glucose residues could also be removed with alpha-glucosidase.

Animals↗

PubMed1997

Characterization of the acidic oligosaccharides assembled on the Pichia pastoris-expressed recombinant kringle 2 domain of human tissue-type plasminogen activator.

The N-linked glycans assembled in Pichia pastoris on the recombinant kringle 2 domain of human tissue-type plasminogen activator (r-[K2tPA]) are composed of approx. 80% neutral and 20% charged species. After peptide:N4-(N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminyl)asparaginyl amidase-catalysed liberation of the oligosaccharides from the purified glycopeptide, the glycan mixture was resolved by HPLC on amino-silica-based resin. Oligosaccharide mapping of the resulting mixture by HPLC, gel filtration and time-of-flight matrix-assisted laser-desorption-ionization-with-delayed-extraction mass spectrometry (TOF-MALDI DE-MS) revealed that > 90% of the charged species consisted of a series of oligosaccharides possessing molecular masses that were consistent with a range of saccharides comprising phospho-Man10GlcNAc2-phospho-Man14GlcNAc2, with phospho-Man11GlcNAc2 representing the major species. The remaining material in the charged fraction contained identifiable phosphorylated glycans that were one or two mannose units shorter, and one to four mannose units longer, than those present in the above range of oligosaccharides. Treatment of the native charged glycan pool with alkaline phosphatase did not result in molecular-size alterations, showing that phosphomonoesters are not present. Mild acid hydrolysis of the glycans led to a decrease in the size of all charged glycans by one mannose residue, providing phospho-Man9GlcNAc2-phospho-Man13GlcNAc2. Following this procedure, treatment with alkaline phosphatase resulted in size decreases that were equivalent to the loss of one phosphate group from each glycan. This demonstrates that all charged glycans isolated contained phosphate in phosphodiester bonds to two mannose units. The present study shows that P. pastoris cells possess the capability of assembling phosphorylated glycans having the phosphate moiety present in phosphodiester linkages with two mannose units. These saccharides, like the neutral oligosaccharides, contain considerably smaller amounts of mannose than glycans present in other strains of yeast.

Carbohydrate Sequence↗

PubMed1997

Lactose, oligosaccharide and monosaccharide content of milk from mothers delivering preterm newborns over the first month of lactation.

BACKGROUND: Monosaccharide, lactose and oligosaccharide content of milk from mothers delivering prematurely (PT milk) was studied to evaluate whether changes occur during lactation, as observed in milk from mothers delivering at term (T milk). METHODS: To study a homogeneous population, women having the most common phenotype (secretory both Lewis and A, B, or H phenotype) were selected. Milk samples from 26 mothers who delivered between the 27th and 35th week of gestation were collected at the 4th, 10th, and 30th post-partum days. Monosaccharides, lactose and oligosaccharides were measured by high-pressure liquid chromatography. RESULTS: Lactose concentration increased significantly (p < 0.05) from 52.81 +/- 8.2 g/L on day 4 to 69.24 +/- 9.36 g/L on day 30. During the same period of time oligosaccharide content decreased significantly (p < 0.05) from 25.61 +/- 5.19 g/L to 15.83 +/- 6.05 g/L. Monosaccharides did not show statistically significant variations. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that PT milk contains in addition to lactose, a substantial amount of oligosaccharides and a lower percentage of monosaccharides. Compared to T milk, in the colostral phase PT milk presents significantly lower lactose concentration (p < 0.0001); on the contrary its oligosaccharide content is significantly higher (p < 0.0001). The physiological role of human milk carbohydrates in view of the peculiar needs of the preterm newborn is also discussed.

Female↗

PubMed2003

Prognostic significance of reduced expression of beta-N-acetylgalactosaminylated N-linked oligosaccharides in human breast cancer.

Our previous studies showed that expression of the GalNAcbeta1-->4GlcNAc group on N-linked oligosaccharides is associated with functional differentiation of the bovine mammary gland. In the present study, the occurrence of the GalNAcbeta1-->4GlcNAc group was established in human milk proteins and membrane glycoproteins from a human breast cancer cell line, MRK-nu-1, by structural analysis of oligosaccharides released by hydrazinolysis. Whether the expression level of the disaccharide group is affected upon malignant transformation was examined in human breast cancer specimens using Wistaria floribunda agglutinin (WFA) which interacts with oligosaccharides with N-acetylgalactosamine at their termini. Lectin blot analysis of membrane glycoprotein samples from human breast cancer specimens showed that the number of protein bands reacting with WFA, as well as their intensities, are lower in samples from primary carcinoma lesions compared with samples from surrounding normal tissues. No lectin binding was observed when the blots were treated with jack bean beta-N-acetylhexosaminidase or N-glycanase, indicating that WFA-reactive oligosaccharides are N-linked. A histochemical study of tissue specimens from 92 patients with breast cancer revealed that the reduced WFA staining levels in primary carcinoma lesions correlate with advancing clinical stages and prognostic status (i.e., 58% of patients in a group showing reduced/negative staining died of disease recurrence, whereas more than 90% of those in the positive staining group survived for 5 years after surgery). These results indicate that reduced expression of beta-N-acetylgalactosaminylated N-linked oligosaccharides on primary carcinoma lesions predicts a poor prognosis for patients with breast cancer.

Breast Neoplasms↗

PubMed2006

A chemical synthesis of UDP-LacNAc and its regioisomer for finding 'oligosaccharide transferases'.

A chemical synthesis of uridine 5'-diphospho-N-acetyllactosamine (Galbeta(1-->4)GlcNAc-UDP; UDP-LacNAc) and Galbeta(1-->3)GlcNAc-UDP is described. Coupling of the disaccharide imidate derivatives with dibenzylphosphate gave the corresponding 1-phosphates, which were condensed with UMP-imidazolate to give the target UDP-oligosaccharides after purification by anion exchange HPLC and gel filtration column chromatography. Using this methodology a variety of oligosaccharide nucleotide analogues can be synthesized. These UDP-oligosaccharides may be useful for finding so-called ;oligosaccharide transferases', the glycosyltransferases which transfer the oligosaccharide moiety onto glycosyl acceptors.

Hexosyltransferases↗