A transfected sialyltransferase that is elevated in breast cancer and localizes to the medial/trans-Golgi apparatus inhibits the development of core-2-based O-glycans.

The alpha2,3 sialyltransferase, alpha2,3 SAT (O), catalyzes the transfer of sialic acid to Galbeta1,3 N-acetyl-D-galactosamine (GalNAc) (core-1) in mucin type O-glycosylation, and thus terminates chain extension. A Core-2 branch can also be formed from core-1 by the core-2 beta1,6 N-acetyl-d-glucosamine transferase (beta1,6 GlcNAc T) that leads to chain extension. Increased levels of the alpha2,3 SAT (O) and decreased levels of the core-2 beta1,6 GlcNAc T are seen in breast cancer cells and correlate with differences in the structure of the O-glycans synthesized (Brockhausen et al., 1995; Lloyd et al., 1996). Since in mucin type O-glycosylation sugars are added individually and sequentially in the Golgi apparatus, the position of the transferases, as well as their activity, can determine the final structure of the O-glycans synthesized. A cDNA coding for the human alpha2,3 SAT (O) tagged with an immunoreactive epitope from the myc gene has been used to map the position of the glycosyltransferase in nontumorigenic (MTSV1-7) and malignant (T47D) breast epithelial cell lines. Transfectants were analyzed for expression of the enzyme at the level of message and protein, as well as for enzymic activity. In T47D cells, which do not express core-2 beta1,6 GlcNAc T, the increased activity of the sialyltransferase correlated with increased sialylation of core-1 O-glycans on the epithelial mucin MUC1. Furthermore, in MTSV1-7 cells, which do express core-2 beta1,6 GlcNAc T, an increase in sialylated core-1 structures is accompanied by a reduction in the ratio of GlcNAc: GalNAc in the O-glycans attached to MUC1, implying a decrease in branching. Using quantitative immunoelectron microscopy, the sialyltransferase was mapped to the medial- and trans-Golgi cisternae, with some being present in the TGN. The data represent the first fine mapping of a sialyltransferase specifically active in O-glycosylation and demonstrate that the structure of O-glycans synthesized by a cell can be manipulated by transfecting with recombinant glycosyltransferases.

The action of TNFalpha and TGFbeta include specific alterations of the glycosylation of bovine and human chondrocytes.

Joint destruction in arthritis is often associated with high levels of inflammatory cytokines. Previous work has shown that inflammatory conditions can alter the activities of glycosyltransferases that synthesize the glycan chains of glycoproteins, and that these changes in turn can influence the functions of glycoproteins. We therefore examined glycosyltransferases involved in glycoprotein biosynthesis in primary cultures of bovine articular chondrocytes and human chondrocytes isolated from knee cartilage of osteoarthritis patients. Bovine chondrocytes exhibited enzyme activities involved in the synthesis of bi-antennary complex Asn-linked N-glycans, as well as the enzymes involved in the synthesis of GalNAc-Ser/Thr-linked O-glycans with the core 1 structure. Human chondrocytes, in addition, were able to synthesize more complex O-glycans with core 2 structures. TNFalpha was found to induce apoptosis in chondrocytes, and this process was associated with significant changes in lectin binding to chondrocyte cell surface glycans. TGFbeta increased cell proliferation, and had significant effects on cell surface glycosylation in bovine but not in human cells. These cytokine-specific effects were partially correlated with changes in glycosyltransferase activities. Thus, chondrocytes have many of the enzymes necessary for the synthesis of N- and O-glycan chains of glycoproteins. The O-glycosylation pathways and the effects of TNFalpha and TGFbeta on glycosylation differed between bovine and human chondrocytes. These alterations are of potential importance for the regulation of the functions of cell surface receptors on chondrocytes, and for an understanding of the pathophysiology of arthritis.

Primary human osteoblasts and bone cancer cells as models to study glycodynamics in bone.

Bone cells produce many glycoproteins potentially involved in the maintenance of healthy bone tissues. Two cytokines produced in inflamed joints, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)alpha and transforming growth factor (TGF)beta, have previously been shown to alter cellular glycosylation which may potentially affect the expression and function of glycoproteins. In order to evaluate models to study the glycodynamics of bone cells, we examined primary human osteoblastic cells from osteoarthritis patients, and compared these to human osteosarcoma cells MG63 and SJSA-1. We showed here for the first time that all of the human osteoblastic cells actively synthesize complex N- and O-glycan chains of bone cell glycoproteins, with quantitative differences between cell types. TNFalpha-induced apoptosis or TGFbeta-induced cell differentiation and proliferation had significant effects on both cell surface carbohydrates and glycosyltransferase activities of osteoblasts and osteosarcoma cells. The results indicate that cultured human bone-derived osteoblastic cells are good models to examine the glycodynamics of osteoblasts under conditions of cell growth and cell death. The changes induced by cytokines can result in altered cell surface functions which may be of importance in osteoarthritis, osteoporosis and other bone diseases.

Glycosyltransferase changes upon differentiation of CaCo-2 human colonic adenocarcinoma cells.

The spontaneous differentiation of CaCo-2 human colonic adenocarcinoma cells to enterocytes in culture is associated with a decrease in polylactosaminoglycans, particularly those attached to the lysosomal membrane glycoprotein h-lamp-1 (Youakim et al., Cancer Res., 49:6889-6895, 1989). To elucidate the biosynthetic mechanisms leading to these alterations we have compared glycosyltransferase activities that are involved in the synthesis of polylactosaminoglycans and of the N- and O-glycan structures that provide the framework for the attachment of these chains. Glycosyltransferase activities in cell homogenates obtained from undifferentiated and differentiated CaCo-2 cells were assayed by high pressure liquid chromatography separation of enzyme products. The beta-galactosidase activities and extremely high pyrophosphatase activities in differentiated cells were effectively inhibited by 5 mM gamma-galactonolactone and 10 mM AMP, respectively. CaCo-2 cells contain most of the enzymes that are involved in N-glycan branching [N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) transferases I to V] with the exception of GlcNAc transferase VI. The levels of GlcNAc transferase I activities were comparable in undifferentiated and differentiated cells, but GlcNAc transferase II to V activities were significantly increased upon differentiation. The enzyme activities that are directly involved in the synthesis of linear polylactosaminoglycans (Gal beta 4GlcNAc beta 3- repeating units), blood group i UDP-GlcNAc:Gal beta-R beta 3-GlcNAc transferase and UDP-Gal:GlcNAc beta 4-Gal transferase, were found at similar levels in undifferentiated and differentiated CaCo-2 cells. Since GlcNAc transferase III activity is known to inhibit further branching and galactosylation, these results suggest that its increased activity in differentiated CaCo-2 cells may be partly responsible for the decreased synthesis of fucosylated polylactosaminoglycans. Differentiated cells showed a 2-fold increase in O-glycan core 2 UDP-GlcNAc:Gal beta 3GalNAc alpha-R [GlcNAc to N-acetylgalactosamine (GalNAc)] beta 6-GlcNAc transferase activity. In contrast, O-glycan core 1 UDP-Gal:GalNAc alpha-R beta 3-Gal transferase activity was found decreased. Several enzymes that are found in homogenates from normal human colonic tissue are absent or barely detectable in CaCo-2 cells. These include blood group I UDP-GlcNAc:GlcNAc beta 3Gal beta-R (GlcNAc to Gal) beta 6-GlcNAc transferase, O-glycan core 3 UDP-GlcNAc:GalNAc alpha-R beta 3 GlcNAc transferase and O-glycan core 4 UDP-GlcNAc:GlcNAc beta 3GalNAc-R (GlcNAc to GalNAc) beta 6-GlcNAc transferase.

Biosynthesis of O-glycans in leukocytes from normal donors and from patients with leukemia: increase in O-glycan core 2 UDP-GlcNAc:Gal beta 3 GalNAc alpha-R (GlcNAc to GalNAc) beta(1-6)-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase in leukemic cells.

We have studied the biosynthesis of altered O-glycan structures on leukocytes from patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia and with acute myeloblastic leukemia (AML). It has been shown previously that the activity of CMP-NeuAc:Gal beta 1-3GalNAc alpha-R (sialic acid to galactose) alpha(2-3)-sialytransferase (EC 2.4.99.4) is increased in leukocytes from patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia (M. A. Baker, A. Kanani, I. Brockhausen, H. Schachter, A. Hindenburg, and R. N. Taub, Cancer Res., 47: 2763-2766, 1987) and with AML (A. Kanani, D. R. Sutherland, E. Fibach, K. L. Matta, A. Hindenburg, I. Brockhausen, W. Kuhns, R. N. Taub, D. van den Eijnden and M. A. Baker, Cancer Res., 50: 5003-5007, 1990). This increased activity may in part be responsible for the hypersialylation observed in leukemic leukocytes; however, hypersialylation may also be due to changes in underlying O-glycan structures. To test this hypothesis, we have assayed in normal human granulocytes and leukemic leukocytes several glycosyltransferases involved in the synthesis and elongation of the four common O-glycan cores. UDP-GlcNAc:Gal beta 1-3GalNAc-R (GlcNAc to GalNAc) beta(1-6)-GlcNAc transferase (EC 2.4.1.102), which synthesizes O-glycan core 2 (GlcNAc beta 1-6[Gal beta 1-3]GalNAc alpha), is significantly elevated in chronic myelogenous leukemia (4-fold) and AML (18-fold) leukocytes relative to normal human granulocytes. Neither normal nor leukemic cells show detectable activities of GlcNAc transferases which synthesize O-glycan core 3 (GlcNAc beta 1-3GalNAc-R) and core 4 (GlcNAc beta 1-6[GlcNAc beta 1-3] GalNAc-R) or the blood group I structure. The beta 3-GlcNAc transferase which elongates core 1 and core 2 was found at low levels in normal granulocytes but was not detectable in leukemic cells. The beta 3-GlcNAc transferase and beta 4-Gal transferase involved in poly-N-acetyllactosamine synthesis, as well as the beta 3-Gal transferase synthesizing core 1 (Gal beta 3 GalNAc), were present in all samples but were significantly increased in patients with AML. The observed changes are consistent with hypersialylation in leukemia.

Presence of cytidine 5'-monophospho-N-acetylneuraminic acid:Gal beta 1-3GalNAc-R alpha(2-3)-sialyltransferase in normal human leukocytes and increased activity of this enzyme in granulocytes from chronic myelogenous leukemia patients.

We have examined granulocytes from patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) and from normal subjects to determine whether activity of a specific sialyltransferase might account for the aberrant sialylation of O-linked membrane oligosaccharides in CML cells. Total membrane preparations of morphologically mature CML and normal granulocytes were tested for sialyltransferase activity using the substrates galactosyl-beta 1-3-N-acetyl-D-galactosamine-alpha-O-nitrophenyl and N-acetyl-D-galactosamine-alpha-phenyl. N-Acetyl-D-galactosamine-alpha-phenyl was not an acceptor with either CML or normal cells. With galactosyl-beta 1-3-N-acetyl-D-galactosamine-alpha-O-nitrophenyl, sialyltransferase activity was 2.8 times higher in CML cells compared to normal cells. Product identification by high performance liquid chromatography showed that enzyme from both normal and CML granulocytes linked sialic acid to galactosyl-beta 1-3-N-acetyl-D-galactosamine-R by the alpha(2-3) and not the alpha(2-6) linkage. The enzyme CMP-N-acetylneuraminic acid: galactosyl-beta 1-3-N-acetyl-D-galactosamine-R alpha(2-3)-sialyltransferase has not previously been described in human granulocytes. The marked increase in activity of this enzyme in CML and the resulting increase in sialylation may contribute to the pathophysiological behavior of CML granulocytes.

Human leukemic myeloblasts and myeloblastoid cells contain the enzyme cytidine 5'-monophosphate-N-acetylneuraminic acid:Gal beta 1-3GalNAc alpha (2-3)-sialyltransferase.

We have examined the role of CMP-NeuAc:Gal beta 1-3GalNAc-R alpha(2-3)-sialyltransferase in fresh leukemia cells and leukemia-derived cell lines. Enzyme activity in normal granulocytes using Gal beta 1-3GalNAc alpha-o-nitrophenyl as substrate was 1.5 +/- 0.7 nmol/mg/h whereas activity in morphologically mature granulocytes from 6 patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) was 4.2 +/- 1.6 nmol/mg/h (P less than 0.05). Myeloblasts from 5 patients with CML in blast crisis showed enzyme activity levels of 6.5 +/- 2.5 nmol/mg/h. From 2 patients with CML, both blasts and granulocytes were obtained, with higher enzyme activity in the patients' blasts (7.1 nmol/mg/h) than in their granulocytes (4.9 nmol/mg/h) in both cases, suggesting that the increase in enzyme activity is related to the differentiation or proliferation status of the CML cells. However, similarly high enzyme levels were also seen in myeloblasts from acute myeloblastic leukemia patients (5.6 +/- 1.4 nmol/mg/h) and in some acute myeloblastic leukemia-derived cell lines (KG1a and HL60), suggesting that increased levels of this enzyme are not directly correlated with the presence of the Ph1 chromosome. This alpha(2-3)-sialyltransferase activity can also be detected in normal peripheral blood lymphocytes and exhibits increased activity in chronic lymphocytic leukemia cells and acute lymphoblastic leukemia. These data suggest that the level of enzyme activity may vary with growth rate and maturation status in myeloid and lymphoid hemopoietic cells. Finally, we have identified a glycoprotein in acute myeloblastic leukemia cells that serves as a substrate for the alpha(2-3)-sialyltransferase. The desialylated form of the glycoprotein was resialylated in vitro by the purified placental form of this alpha(2-3)-sialyltransferase and exhibits a molecular weight of about 150,000.

Pathways of O-glycan biosynthesis in cancer cells.

Glycoproteins with O-glycosidically linked carbohydrate chains of complex structures and functions are found in secretions and on the cell surfaces of cancer cells. The structures of O-glycans are often unusual or abnormal in cancer, and greatly contribute to the phenotype and biology of cancer cells. Some of the mechanisms of changes in O-glycosylation pathways have been determined in cancer model systems. However, O-glycan biosynthesis is a complex process that is still poorly understood. The glycosyltransferases and sulfotransferases that synthesize O-glycans appear to exist as families of related enzymes of which individual members are expressed in a tissue- and growth-specific fashion. Studies of their regulation in cancer may reveal the connection between cancerous transformation and glycosylation which may help to understand and control the abnormal biology of tumor cells. Cancer diagnosis may be based on the appearance of certain glycosylated epitopes, and therapeutic avenues have been designed to attack cancer cells via their glycans.

The biosynthesis of highly branched N-glycans: studies on the sequential pathway and functional role of N-acetylglucosaminyltransferases I, II, III, IV, V and VI.

At least 6 N-acetylglucosaminyltransferases (GlcNAc-T I, II, III, IV, V and VI) are involved in initiating the synthesis of the various branches found in complex asparagine-linked oligosaccharides (N-glycans), as indicated below: GlcNAc beta 1-6 GlcNAc-T V GlcNAc beta 1-4 GlcNAc-T VI GlcNAc beta 1-2Man alpha 1-6 GlcNAc-T II GlcNAc beta 1-4Man beta 1-4-R GlcNAc T III GlcNAc beta 1-4Man alpha 1-3 GlcNAc-T IV GlcNAc beta 1-2 GlcNAc-T I where R is GlcNAc beta 1-4(+/- Fuc alpha 1-6)GlcNAcAsn-X. HPLC was used to study the substrate specificities of these GlcNAc-T and the sequential pathways involved in the biosynthesis of highly branched N-glycans in hen oviduct (I. Brockhausen, J.P. Carver and H. Schachter (1988) Biochem. Cell Biol. 66, 1134-1151). The following sequential rules have been established: GlcNAc-T I must act before GlcNAc-T II, III and IV; GlcNAc-T II, IV and V cannot act after GlcNAc-T III, i.e., on bisected substrates; GlcNAc-T VI can act on both bisected and non-bisected substrates; both Glc-NAc-T I and II must act before GlcNAc-T V and VI; GlcNAc-T V cannot act after GlcNAc-T VI. GlcNAc-T V is the only enzyme among the 6 transferases cited above which can be essayed in the absence of Mn2+. In studies on the possible functional role of N-glycan branching, we have measured GlcNAc-T III in pre-neoplastic rat liver nodules (S. Narasimhan, H. Schachter and S. Rajalakshmi (1988) J. Biol. Chem. 263, 1273-1281). The nodules were initiated by administration of a single dose of carcinogen 1,2-dimethyl-hydrazine.2 HCl 18 h after partial hepatectomy and promoted by feeding a diet supplemented with 1% orotic acid for 32-40 weeks. The nodules had significant GlcNAc-T III activity (1.2-2.2 nmol/h/mg), whereas the surrounding liver, regenerating liver 24 h after partial hepatectomy and control liver from normal rats had negligible activity (0.02-0.03 nmol/h/mg). These results suggest that GlcNAc-T III is induced at the pre-neoplastic stage in liver carcinogenesis and are consistent with the reported presence of bisecting GlcNAc residues in N-glycans from rat and human hepatoma gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase and their absence in enzyme from normal liver of rats and humans (A. Kobata and K. Yamashita (1984) Pure Appl. Chem. 56, 821-832).

Role of aberrant sialylation of chronic myeloid leukemia granulocytes on binding and signal transduction by chemotactic peptides and colony stimulating factors.

Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) granulocytes exhibit a number of characteristics attributable to immature granulocytes, including marked increases in cell surface sialylation of glycoproteins which may be due, at least in part, to an increased activity of cytidine 5'-monophosphate-N-acetylneuraminic acid:Ga1 beta 1-3Ga1NAc alpha(2-3)-sialyltransferase (EC 2.4.99.4), and perhaps to altered activity of other glycosyltransferases and sialidases. This aberrant sialylation of CML granulocytes contributes to the decreased binding of the synthetic chemotactic peptide, formyl Met Leu Phe (fMLP), to the surface of CML granulocytes which leads to a rapid, transient increase in cytosolic free calcium ([Ca2+]i), an integral step in the biochemical cascade leading to cell activation. To determine if the decrease in binding of fMLP to CML granulocytes translates into a functional deficit, we measured fMLP-induced increases in [Ca2+]i. Compared to normal granulocytes, fMLP-induced increases in [Ca2+]i were markedly decreased in CML granulocytes. After sialidase treatment, a significant augmentation in fMLP-induced increases in [Ca2+]i was noted in CML granulocytes, indicating that the decreased signalling may be a consequence of aberrant sialylation. To determine if the effects of aberrant sialylation also alters the binding of endogenous polypeptide mediators, we determined the effect of desialylation of CML and normal granulocytes on binding of the colony stimulating factor for granulocytes and monocytes (GM-CSF), which plays a role in differentiation and proliferation of myeloid-lineage cells. As with fMLP binding, we also showed that the binding of GM-CSF to CML granulocytes, but not normal granulocytes, was markedly increased after sialidase treatment. Similarly, binding of GM-CSF to undifferentiated HL-60 cells was markedly increased after sialidase treatment. Therefore, we have demonstrated that aberrant sialylation of CML granulocytes not only alters the binding of fMLP and GM-CSF to their receptor(s), but may also alter signal transduction. Thus, aberrant glycosylation of CML granulocytes may reduce the binding of hematopoietic growth factors, which in turn may be responsible for the immature phenotype of CML granulocytes.

[Synthesis of modified oligosaccharides of the N-glycoprotein as substrate for N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase I]. / Synthese von modifizierten Oligosacchariden der N-Glycoproteine als Substrate für N-Acetylglucosaminyltransferase I.

In the synthesis of modified derivatives of octyl O-(alpha-D-mannopyranosyl)-(1-->3)-O-[(alpha-D-mannopyranosyl)-(1-->6)]- beta-D-mannopyranoside, 4.,5-epoxypentyl, a 4-diazirinopentyl, and a 5-(iodoacetamido)pentyl group were attached to the 3''-OH of the trisaccharide. The diazirino derivative may be especially suitable for photolabeling of the active site of N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase I (GlcNAcT-I). In addition, the 2'-OH group of the above-mentioned trisaccharide was reduced to a 2'-deoxy group and substituted 2'-O-methyl group.

The separation by liquid chromatography (under elevated pressure) of phenyl, benzyl, and O-nitrophenyl glycosides of oligosaccharides. Analysis of substrates and products for four N-acetyl-D-glucosaminyl-transferases involved in mucin synthesis.

Liquid chromatography under elevated pressure (h.p.l.c.) has been applied to the separation of the phenyl, benzyl, and O-nitrophenyl glycosides of 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-D-galactopyranose and of various mucin-type, di-, tri-, and tetra-saccharides. The separations were carried out with a Whatman Partisil PXS 5/25 PAC column and various proportions of acetonitrile and water in the mobile phase. These methods were subsequently used to separate the substrates and products of the following N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase reactions: UDP-GlcNAc + beta-Gal-(1 leads to 3)-GalNAc-R leads to beta-Gal-(1 leads to 3)-[beta-GlcNAc-(1 leads to 6)]-GalNAc-R + UDP (1); UDP-GlcNAc + beta-Gal-(1 leads to 3)-[beta-GlcNAc-(1 leads to 6)]-GalNAc-R leads to beta-GlcNAc-(1 leads to 3)-beta-Gal-(1 leads to 3)-[beta-GlcNAc-(1 leads to 6)]-GalNAc-R + UDP (2); UDP-GlcNAc + GalNAc-R' leads to beta-GlcNAc-(1 leads to 3)-GalNAc-R' + UDP (3); and UDP-GlcNAc + beta-GlcNAc-(1 leads to 3)-GalNAc-R' leads to beta-GlcNAc-(1 leads to 6)-[beta-GlcNAc-(1 leads to 3)]-GalNAc-R' + UDP (4), where R is = benzyl or o-nitrophenyl, and R' = benzyl or phenyl alpha-D-glycoside. Reaction 1 is catalyzed by a transferase in canine submaxillary glands and porcine gastric mucosa, and reaction 2 by an enzyme in porcine gastric mucosa. Enzyme activities catalyzing reactions 3 and 4 have recently been demonstrated in rat colonic mucosa. Liquid chromatography can be used at the preparative level for the purification and identification of the transferase products, and at the analytical level in the assay of glycosyltransferases.

Synthesis of tetrasaccharide analogues of the N-glycan substrate of beta-(1-->2)-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase II using trisaccharide precursors and recombinant beta-(1-->2)-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase I.

Recombinant rabbit UDP-GlcNAc: alpha-Man-(1-->3R) beta-(1-->2)-N-acetylglucosaminyl-transferase I (EC 2.4.1.101, GlcNAc-T I) produced in the Sf9 insect cell/baculovirus expression system has been used to convert compounds of the form 3-R-alpha-Man(1-->6)(alpha-Man(1-->3)) beta-Man-O-octyl to 3-R-alpha-Man(1-->6)(beta-GlcNAc(1-->2)alpha-Man(1-->3)) beta-Man-O-octyl where R is OH (14), O-methyl (17), O-pentyl (18), O-(4,4-azo)pentyl (19), O-(5-iodoacetamido)pentyl (20) and O-(5-amino)pentyl (21); 2-deoxy-alpha-Man(1-->6)(beta-GlcNAc(1-->2) alpha-Man(1-->3)) beta-Man-O-octyl (16), 4-O-methyl-alpha-Man(1-->6) (beta-GlcNAc(1-->2) alpha-Man(1-->3)) beta-Man-O-octyl (22), 6-O-methyl-alpha-Man(1-->6)(beta-GlcNAc(1-->2) alpha Man(1-->3)) beta-Man-O-octyl (23) and alpha-Man(1-->6)[beta-GlcNAc(1-->2)(4-O-methyl) alpha-Man(1-->3)] beta-Man-O-octyl (15) were also synthesized by this procedure. The yields ranged from 80 to 99%. Products were characterized by high resolution 1H and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry. Compounds 14, 15, 17, 22, and 23 are excellent substrates for UDP-GlcNAc: alpha-Man(1-->6R) beta-(1-->2)-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase II and the other compounds are inhibitors of this enzyme.

Control of glycoprotein synthesis. Characterization of (1-->4)-N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminyltransferases acting on the alpha-D-(1-->3)- and alpha-D-(1-->6)-linked arms of N-linked oligosaccharides.

Hen oviduct membranes contain at least three N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminyltransferases (GlcNAc-T) that attach a beta GlcNAc residue in (1-4)-linkage to a D-Man p residue of the N-linked oligosaccharide core, i.e., (1-->4)-beta-D-GlcNAc-T III which adds a "bisecting" GlcNAc group to form the beta-D-GlcpNAc-(1-->4)-beta-D-Man p-(1-->4)-D-GlcNAc moiety; (1-->2)-beta-D-GlcNAc-T IV which adds a GlcNAc group to the (1-->3)-alpha-D-Man arm to form the beta-D-GlcpNAc-(1-->4)-[beta-D- GlcpNAc-(1-->2)]-alpha-D-Man p-(1-->3)-beta-D-Man p-(1-->4)-D-GlcpNAc component; and (1-->4)-beta-D-GlcNAc-T VI which adds a GlcNAc group to the alpha-D-Man p residue of beta-D-GlcpNAc-(1-->6)-[beta-D-GlcpNAc- (1-->2)]-alpha-D-Man p-R to form beta-D-GlcpNAc-(1-->6)-[beta-D-GlcpNAc-(1-->4)]-[beta-D-GlcpNAc- (1-->2)]-alpha-D-Man p-R. We now report a novel (1-->4)-beta-D-GlcNAc-T activity (GlcNAc-T VI') in hen oviduct membranes that transfers GlcNAc to beta-D-GlcpNAc-(1-->2)-alpha-D-Man p-(1-->6)-beta-D-Man p-R to form beta-D-GlcpNAc-(1-->4)-[beta-D-GlcpNAc-(1-->2)]-alpha-D-Man p-(1-->6)- beta-D-Man p-R. The structure of the enzyme product was confirmed by 1H NMR spectroscopy, FAB-mass spectrometry and methylation analysis. Previous work with GlcNAc-T IV was carried out with biantennary substrates; we now show that hen oviduct membrane GlcNAc-T IV can also transfer GlcNAc to monoantennary beta-D-GlcpNAc-(1-->2)-alpha-D-Manp-(1-->3)-beta-D-Man p-R to form beta-D-GlcpNAc-(1-->4)-[beta-D-GlcpNAc-(1-->2)]-alpha-D-Man p- (1-->3)-beta-D-Man p-R. The findings that GlcNAc-T VI' and IV have similar kinetic characteristics and that hen oviduct membranes can convert methyl beta-D-GlcpNAc-(1-->2)-alpha-D-Man p to methyl beta-D-GlcpNAc-(1-->4)-[beta-D-GlcpNAc-(1-->2)]-alpha-D-Man p suggest that these two activities may be due to the same enzyme. The R-group of the beta-D-GlcpNAc-(1-->2)-alpha-D-Man p-(1-->6)-beta-D-Man p (or Glcp)-R substrate has an important influence on GlcNAc-T VI' enzyme activity.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Sulphotransferases acting on mucin-type oligosaccharides.

This review summarizes the occurrence, properties and role in mucin O-glycosylation pathways of the various members of glycoprotein sulphotransferase families. Although a number of sulphotransferases have been cloned that act on mucin-type substrates in vitro, it is still difficult to determine exactly which enzymes are responsible for mucin sulphation in vivo. Sulphotransferases play a critical role in determining the chemical, physical and biological properties of mucins. Several of these enzymes have been shown to differ in expression and activity in cancer and inflammation.

Clinical aspects of glycoprotein biosynthesis.

Glycoproteins are widely distributed among species in soluble and membrane-bound forms, associated with many different functions. The heterogenous sugar moieties of glycoproteins are assembled in the endoplasmic reticulum and in the Golgi and are implicated in many roles that require further elucidation. Glycoprotein-bound oligosaccharides show significant changes in their structures and relative occurrences during growth, development, and differentiation. Diverse alterations of these carbohydrate chains occur in diseases such as cancer, metastasis, leukemia, inflammatory, and other diseases. Structural alterations may correlate with activities of glycosyltransferases that assemble glycans, but often the biochemical origin of these changes remains unclear. This suggests a multitude of biosynthetic control mechanisms that are functional in vivo but have not yet been unraveled by in vitro studies. The multitude of carbohydrate alterations observed in disease states may not be the primary cause but may reflect the growth and biochemical activity of the affected cell. However, knowledge of the control mechanisms in the biosynthesis of glycoprotein glycans may be helpful in understanding, diagnosing, and treating disease.