Endometrial secretions: creating a stimulatory microenvironment within the human early placenta and implications for the aetiopathogenesis of preeclampsia.

Endometrial glands represent an important source of nutrients for the conceptus during the first trimester. Their secretions are enriched with carbohydrates, and glycogen accumulates within the syncytiotrophoblast of the placenta. It has been assumed that fetal and placental metabolism follow adult pathways, although it is now appreciated that early development occurs in a low-oxygen environment. In past decades, a novel family of putative insulin mediators, inositol phosphoglycans (IPGs), was discovered. These molecules act as allosteric activators and/or inhibitors of enzymes and transduction proteins involved in the control of cell signalling and metabolic pathways, and determine the specificity of responses after activation of the insulin receptor. One member, IPG P-type, activates pyruvate dehydrogenase phosphatase (PDH-Pase), glycogen synthase phosphatase, and glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase. Activation of key phosphatases play a major role in the regulation of glucose disposal by oxidative metabolism via PDH, and the non-oxidative storage by glycogen synthesis, both pathways classically known to be regulated by insulin. High concentrations of IPG P-type in amniotic fluid suggest a role in the regulation of carbohydrate metabolism in the fetal-placental unit. Glycogen accumulation in the syncytiotrophoblast also occurs in preeclamptic pregnancies, and is consistently associated with higher placental levels of IPG P-type. Here, we explore the relationship between nutrients provided by the endometrial glands during early pregnancy, IPG P-type and fetal metabolic requirements. We also discuss whether a disconnect between the placental/fetal metabolic state and oxygen tension could lead to a preeclamptic-type syndrome via leakage of Warburg/IPG mediators into the maternal circulation.

Insight into the role of inositol phosphoglycans in insulin response and the regulation of glucose and lipid metabolism illustrated by the response of adipocytes from two strains of rats.

Differences in biochemical and hormone profiles between two strains of rats provide insights into the relationships between insulin response, inositol phosphoglycans and lipid metabolism in adipose tissue. The results suggest the apparent anomaly of a higher rate of lipogenesis and response to insulin with a lower fat pad weight in the Charles River vs. Harlan Olac group relates to: (i) enzyme pre-programming with IPG-A, (ii) faster turnover of lipid, (iii) effects of leptin and cAMP.

Improvement of glucose homeostasis in obese diabetic db/db mice given Plasmodium yoelii glycosylphosphatidylinositols.

We have previously reported that infection with Plasmodium yoelii, Plasmodium chabaudi, or injection of extracts from malaria-parasitized red blood cells induces hypoglycemia in normal mice and normalizes the hyperglycemia in streptozotocin (STZ)-diabetic mice. P yoelii glycosylphosphatidylinositols (GPIs) were extracted in chloroform:methanol:water (CMW) (10:10:3), purified by high-performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC) and tested for their insulin-mimetic activities. The effects of P yoelii GPIs on blood glucose were investigated in insulin-resistant C57BL/ks-db/db diabetic mice. A single intravenous injection of GPIs (9 and 30 nmol/mouse) induced a significant dose-related decrease in blood glucose (P < .001), but insignificantly increased plasma insulin concentrations. A single oral dose of 2.7 micromol GPIs per db/db mouse significantly lowered blood glucose (P < .01). P yoelii GPIs in vitro (0.062 to 1 micromol/L) significantly stimulated lipogenesis in rat adipocytes in a dose-dependent manner both in the presence and absence of 10(-8) mol/L insulin (P < .01). P yoelii GPIs stimulated pyruvate dehydrogenase phosphatase (PDH-Pase) and inhibited both cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)-dependent protein kinase A and glucose-6-phosphatase (G6Pase). P yoelii GPIs had no effect on the activity of the gluconeogenic enzymes fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase (FBPase) and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK). This is the first report of the hypoglycemic effect of P yoelii GPIs in murine models of type 2 diabetes. In conclusion, P yoelii GPIs demonstrated acute antidiabetic effects in db/db mice and in vitro. We suggest that P yoelii GPIs, when fully characterized, may provide structural information for the synthesis of new drugs for the management of diabetes.

Reversal of type 2 diabetes in mice by products of malaria parasites. II. Role of inositol phosphoglycans (IPGs).

We have previously shown that infection with Plasmodium yoelii malaria or injection of extracts from malaria-parasitized red cells induces hypoglycemia in normal mice and normalizes the hyperglycemia in mice made moderately diabetic with streptozotocin. Inositol phosphoglycans (IPGs) are released outside cells by hydrolysis of membrane-bound glycosylphosphatidylinositols (GPIs), and act as second messengers mediating insulin action. The C57BL/Ks-db/db and C57BL/6J-ob/ob mice offer good models for studies on human obesity and Type 2 diabetes. In the present study, we show that a single iv injection of IPG-A or IPG-P extracted from P. yoelii significantly (P < 0.02) lowers the blood glucose in STZ-diabetic, db/db, and in ob/ob mice for at least 4--6 h. Using rat white adipocytes, IPG-P increased lipogenesis by 20--30% in the presence and absence of maximal concentrations of insulin (10(-8) M) (P < 0.01) and stimulated pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) phosphatase in a dose-related manner. Both IPG-A and IPG-P inhibited c-AMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) in a dose-related manner. Compositional analysis of IPGs after 24 h hydrolysis revealed the presence of myo-inositol, phosphorus, galactosamine, glucosamine, and glucose in both IPG-A and IPG-P. However, hydrolysis of IPGs for 4 h highlighted differences between IPG-A and IPG-P. There are some functional similarities between P. yoelii IPGs and those previously described for mammalian liver. However, this is the first report of the hypoglycemic effect of IPGs in murine models of Type 2 diabetes. We suggest that IPGs isolated from P. yoelii, when fully characterized, may provide structural information for the synthesis of new drugs for the management of diabetes mellitus.

Inositolphosphoglycan mediators structurally related to glycosyl phosphatidylinositol anchors: synthesis, structure and biological activity.

The preparation of the pseudopentasaccharide 1a, an inositol-phosphoglycan (IPG) that contains the conserved linear structure of glycosyl phosphatidylinositol anchors (GPI anchors), was carried out by using a highly convergent 2+3-block synthesis approach which involves imidate and sulfoxide glycosylation reactions. The preferred solution conformation of this structure was determined by using NMR spectroscopy and molecular dynamics simulations prior to carrying out quantitative structure--activity relationship studies in connection with the insulin signalling process. The ability of 1a to stimulate lipogenesis in rat adipocytes as well as to inhibit cAMP dependent protein kinase and to activate pyruvate dehydrogenase phosphatase was investigated. Compound 1a did not show any significant activity, which may be taken as a strong indication that the GPI anchors are not the precursors of the IPG mediators.

Inositol phosphoglycans and signal transduction systems in pregnancy in preeclampsia and diabetes: evidence for a significant regulatory role in preeclampsia at placental and systemic levels.

Measurements have been made of the urinary content of inositol phosphoglycans IPG P-type and IPG A-type, putative insulin second messengers, in preeclampsia, in type I insulin-treated diabetic pregnant women and their matched control subjects, and nonpregnant women of child-bearing age. The content of IPG P-type and IPG A-type was also measured in the placenta from preeclamptic patients and from normal pregnancies. Pregnancy was associated with an increase, approximately twofold, in urinary output of IPG-P-type relative to nonpregnant controls (P<0.01). The 24-h output of IPG P-type in urine in preeclamptic women was significantly higher (2- to 3-fold) than in pregnant control subjects matched for age, parity, and stage of gestation (P<0.02). In contrast, insulin-dependent diabetic pregnant women did not show any significant change in urinary output of IPG P-type or IPG A-type relative to pregnant control subjects. Evidence for a possible relationship and correlation between the urinary excretion of IPG P-type and markers of preeclampsia, including proteinuria (r = 0.720, P<0.01), plasma aspartate transaminase (r = 0.658, P<0.05), and platelet counts (r = 0.613, P<0.05) is presented. A high yield of IPG P-type was extracted from human placenta, in preeclampsia some 3-fold higher (P = 0.03) than the normal value, whereas no IPG A-type (with lipogenic-stimulating activity) was found. Low concentrations of placental IPG A-type were detected relative to IPG P-type using assay systems dependent upon the effect of this mediator on cAMP-dependent protein kinase or on a proliferation assay using thymidine incorporation into DNA of EGFR T17 fibroblasts. It is postulated that the high urinary excretion IPG P-type in preeclampsia reflects high placental levels and relates to the accumulation of glycogen in the placenta. The paracrine effects of placental IPG P-type (stimulation off other endocrine glands and/or endothelial cells) could contribute to the pathogenesis of the maternal syndrome. A possible theoretical link between elevated placental IPG P-type and apoptosis is proposed.

Isolation and partial characterisation of insulin-mimetic inositol phosphoglycans from human liver.

Extracts of human liver were found to contain activities which copurified and coeluted with the two major subtypes of mediators (type A and type P) isolated from insulin-stimulated rat liver. The putative type A mediator from human liver inhibited cAMP-dependent protein kinase from bovine heart, decreased phosphoenolypyruvate carboxykinase mRNA levels in rat hepatoma cells, and stimulated lipogenesis in rat adipocytes. The putative type P mediator stimulated bovine heart pyruvate dehydrogenase phosphatase. Both fractions were able to stimulate proliferation of EGFR T17 fibroblasts and the type A was able to support growth in organotypic cultures of chicken embryo cochleovestibular ganglia. Both activities were resistant to Pronase treatment and the presence of carbohydrates, phosphate, and free-amino groups were confirmed in the two fractions. These properties are consistent with the structure/ function characteristics of the type A and P inositolphosphoglycans (IPG) previously characterized from rat liver. Further, the ability of the human-derived mediators to interact with rat adipocytes and bovine-derived metabolic enzymes suggests similarity in structure between the mediators purified from different species. Galactose oxidase-susceptible membrane-associated glycosylphosphatidylinositols (GPI) have been proposed to be the precursors of IPG. GPI was purified from human liver membranes followed by treatment with galactose oxidase and reduction with NaB3H4. Serial t.l.c. revealed three radiolabeled bands which comigrated with the putative GPI precursors found in rat liver. These galactose-oxidase-reactive lipidic compounds, however, were only partially susceptible to hydrolysis with phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C from Bacillus thuringiensis and were resistant to glycosylphosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C from Trypanosoma brucei. These data indicate that IPG molecules with insulin-like biological activities are present in human liver.

Structural similarities among malaria toxins insulin second messengers, and bacterial endotoxin.

Malaria toxin causes hypoglycemia and induction of tumor necrosis factor. Extracts of parasitized erythrocytes which were coeluted and copurified with one of the two subtypes of mammalian insulin-mimetic inositolphosphoglycans similarly induced fibroblast proliferation in the absence of serum. In addition, induction of tumor necrosis factor in macrophages by malaria toxin and by lipopolysaccharide from Escherichia coli was enhanced by pretreatment of these toxins with alpha-galactosidase. Thus, parasitized erythrocytes contain both soluble inositolphosphoglycan-like insulin second messengers and endotoxin-like lipidic molecules.

The glycosylation of Bowes melanoma tissue plasminogen activator: lectin mapping, reaction with anti-L2/HNK-1 antibodies and the presence of sulphated/glucuronic acid containing glycans.

The glycosylation of tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) obtained from the Bowes melanoma cell line was re-examined using methods of serial lectin affinity chromatography coupled with Bio-Gel P-4 gel filtration chromatography and exoglycosidase sequencing. This study clarified an earlier discrepancy in the literature and confirmed that the major complex N-linked glycans on Bowes t-PA that carry sialic acid as their sole charged group are bi-antennary, core fucosylated, with terminal N-acetylgalactosamine residues. We also report the characterization of a series of related and previously unidentified sialylated glycans. Further we show that Bowes t-PA expresses glucuronic acid/sulphate containing N-linked glycans and is recognized by anti-carbohydrate L2/HNK-1 monoclonal antibodies. The presence on Bowes t-PA of glycans associated primarily with the nervous system is consistent with its expression in a cell line of neuroectodermal origin.

Malaria: a tumour necrosis factor inhibitor from parasitized erythrocytes.

The excessive production of tumour necrosis factor (TNF) is associated with the pathology of blood-stage malaria and phosphatidylinositol-containing phospholipid antigens from parasitized erythrocytes stimulate its secretion by macrophages, thus acting as toxins. This brief report describes some properties of an inhibitor present in lysates from erythrocytes infected with malarial parasites that blocked the detection of recombinant TNF in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and diminished or abolished the cytotoxicity of TNF. It was not found in control lysates of normal erythrocytes. Its addition to macrophage cultures stimulated by toxic malarial preparations or by bacterial lipopolysaccharide also blocked the detection of TNF. These findings may explain the contradictory results obtained from different assays for TNF, and emphasize the need for caution when interpreting the results of a single assay system. If released when parasitized erythrocytes rupture in vivo, the inhibitor could help protect both parasite and host from the damaging effects of TNF.

Human serum amyloid P component is an invariant constituent of amyloid deposits and has a uniquely homogeneous glycostructure.

Human serum amyloid P component (SAP) is a normal plasma protein and the precursor of amyloid P component (AP), a universal constituent of the abnormal tissue deposits in amyloidosis, including Alzheimer disease. We show here that its single N-linked biantennary oligosaccharide does not display the microheterogeneity usually characteristic of glycoproteins. The protein and the glycan structures of AP were also invariant, their resistance to degradation suggesting a role in persistence of amyloid deposits. Asialo-SAP was rapidly cleared from the circulation in mice by a mechanism dependent on terminal galactose residues and was catabolized in hepatocytes. However blockade of this pathway did not affect the clearance of native SAP. Rapid hepatic uptake and catabolism of human asialo-SAP in man were also directly demonstrated. The protein and glycan homogeneity of SAP and the integrity of AP suggest that the complete glycoprotein structure is important for the normal and the pathophysiological functions of this molecule.

Inositolphosphoglycan second messengers

The mechanisms by which cellular receptors can elicit different biological responses in a maturation state-dependent manner is one of the central problems in cell differentiation which remains to be resolved. The signals generated are likely to be due to additional (as yet unknown) transmembrane signalling pathways. In addition, the recent observation that a single growth factor receptor can activate a whole family of different putative second messengers and that the combinatorial interactions and stoichiometric ratios between the different messengers determine the resulting biological activities has opened up a whole new area of cell biology. It has been proposed that membrane GPI-anchors may function in signal transduction. We have recently confirmed the presence of a family of inositolphosphoglycan second messengers. Partial structural data suggest that these second messengers are not derived from known GPI membrane anchors and may thus constitute a novel class of non-protein-conjugated GPI

Galactosylation of human IgG monoclonal anti-D produced by EBV-transformed B-lymphoblastoid cell lines is dependent on culture method and affects Fc receptor-mediated functional activity.

Human monoclonal antibodies to the Rh D blood group antigen were produced by EBV-transformed B cell lines grown in serum-free medium in low density (LD) static cultures or high density (HD) hollow fiber bioreactors. Glycosylation analysis of the purified IgG was determined by the binding of anti-GlcNAc monoclonal antibody (GN7) and by analysis of oligosaccharides released by hydrazinolysis. The LD MAbs had only trace levels of agalactosyl oligosaccharides (G0), the major species (> 70%) being digalactosyl structures (G2). The HD MAbs, by contrast, contained about 10% G0 and relatively high levels (over 50%) of monogalactosyl (G1) oligosaccharides. beta 1-4 galactosyltransferase activity in the LD cell lines was similar to that found previously for other EBV-transformed B cell lines. The predominant oligosaccharides of an IgG3 anti-D, BRAD-3, contained bisecting N-acetylglucosamine. In functional assays with Fc receptor (Fc gamma R) positive effector cells, the highly galactosylated LD form of BRAD-3 was more active than the HD form in monocyte (Fc gamma RI) and K cell (Fc gamma RIII) mediated lysis of erythrocytes in ADCC assays, although these preparations showed no difference in Fc gamma RI-mediated rosette formation with U937 cells. One MAb, JAC10, was over 10-fold less active than two other IgG1 MAbs, 2B6 and BRAD-5, at mediating lysis of erythrocytes by Fc gamma RIII+ K cells; differences in sialylation may have contributed to this heterogeneity.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Aberrant control of galactosyltransferase in peripheral B lymphocytes and Epstein-Barr virus transformed B lymphoblasts from patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

It is now well established that hypogalactosylation of IgG is a molecular marker for rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, the mechanism for the alteration of the galactosylation status has not been resolved. We compared the galactosyltransferase activities of anti-CD19 selected peripheral B lymphocytes of healthy subjects and patients with RA using ovalbumin as the acceptor substrate. In addition, certain samples of lymphocytes were assayed after Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) transformation and, also, the ability of bovine milk galactosyltransferase to galactosylate IgG in vitro was examined. Our results indicate that there is a significant difference between the galactosyltransferase activities of rheumatoid and control peripheral B lymphocytes and that EBV transformation causes a variable increase (15-1225%) in galactosyltransferase activity, over that present in the peripheral B lymphocytes from which the transformed cells were derived. Also the ubiquitous "lactose synthetase" type galactosyltransferase (EC 2.4.1.38) will galactosylate normal native IgG at concentrations of 500 mU/ml in vitro. We conclude that there is no evidence from our study for an IgG specific galactosyltransferase and that galactosyltransferase is an enzyme that is aberrantly modulated in peripheral B lymphocytes and EBV transformed B lymphoblasts derived from patients with RA.

Comparative analysis of the N-glycans of rat, mouse and human Thy-1. Site-specific oligosaccharide patterns of neural Thy-1, a member of the immunoglobulin superfamily.

Protein structure and tissue type are known to influence glycosylation of proteins. We have previously investigated the N-glycans at each of the three glycosylation sites of the cell surface glycoprotein Thy-1 when isolated from rat brain and thymocytes. Here we report a comparative analysis of the site-specific N-glycosylation patterns from rat (Asn 23, 74, 98), mouse (Asn 23, 75, 99) and human (Asn 23, 60, 100) neural Thy-1. Despite considerable differences in amino acid sequence, the results show a remarkable conservation of the pattern of N-glycans at corresponding sites between the three species, as judged by chromatographic comparisons and glycosidase susceptibility. This is particularly marked for sites at Asn 74/75 in rat/mouse and the equivalent site at 60 in human Thy-1, as well as for sites at Asn 98/99 and 100, respectively. The sites at Asn 23 in rat/mouse also contained almost identical glycosylation patterns, but at this site human Thy-1 showed significantly different glycosylation patterns. These site glycosylation patterns are discussed in relation to the likely accessibility of the oligosaccharides for processing. It is known that within a species, the glycosylation of Thy-1 is tissue specific; therefore, this degree of conservation of glycosylation of Thy-1 expressed in the same tissue in different species is all the more striking, given the known variation between species in the amino acid sequence of Thy-1. It is therefore proposed that neural cells have a particular requirement for specific surface carbohydrates and that the Thy-1 polypeptide serves as an appropriate carrier for these structures.

Pre-eclampsia is associated with an increase in trophoblast glycogen content and glycogen synthase activity, similar to that found in hydatidiform moles.

Pre-eclampsia is a placental disorder, but until now, biochemical details of dysfunction have been lacking. During an analysis of the oligosaccharide content of syncytiotrophoblast microvesicles purified from the placental chorionic villi of 10 primigravid women with proteinuric pre-eclampsia, we found an excess of glycogen breakdown products. Further investigation revealed a 10-fold increase in glycogen content (223 +/- 117 micrograms glycogen/mg protein), when compared with controls matched for gestational age at delivery (23 +/- 18 micrograms glycogen/mg protein) (P < 0.01). This was confirmed by examination of electron micrographs of chorionic villous tissue stained for glycogen. The increase in glycogen content was associated with 16 times more glycogen synthase (1,323 +/- 1,013 relative to 83 +/- 96 pmol glucose/mg protein per min) (P < 0.001), and a threefold increase in glycogen phosphorylase activity (2,280 +/- 1,360 relative to 700 +/- 540 pmol glucose/mg protein per min; P < 0.05). Similar changes in glycogen metabolism were found in trophoblast microvesicles derived from hydatidiform moles. Glycogen accumulation in villous syncytiotrophoblast may be a metabolic marker of immaturity of this cell which is unable to divide. The implications of these findings with regard to the pathogenesis of pre-eclampsia are discussed.

Synthetic glycosylation of peptides using unprotected saccharide beta-glycosylamines.

Glycopeptides can be valuable tools in determining the influence of carbohydrate moieties on the intrinsic properties of glycoproteins. However, glycopeptides of sufficient quantity and purity are as yet not readily available from biological sources. The chemical coupling of a beta-glycosylamino group of an unprotected carbohydrate with an activated aspartic acid residue of an unprotected peptide is a simple method for synthesizing asparagine-linked glycopeptides. In this report we demonstrate that the use of this method is not restricted to beta-glycosylamines of simple monosaccharides or short aspartic acid-containing pentapeptides. This is illustrated by the syntheses of several glycopentapeptides containing N,N'-diacetylchitobiose, a glutamine-linked glycopentapeptide containing a biantennary complex oligosaccharide, and glycosylated variants of two analogs of a polypeptide hormone, atriopeptin, containing N,N'-diacetylchitobiose.

Molecular characterization of Limulus polyphemus C-reactive protein. I. Subunit composition.

The molecular mass of whole native C-reactive protein (CRP) from Limulus polyphemus, the horseshoe crab, was precisely determined for the first time, by analytical ultracentrifugation after measurement of its absorption coefficient, A1cm, 1% at 280 nm (15.49) and its partial specific volume (0.72 +/- 0.003 ml/g). The apparent weight-average molecular mass, in the range over which it was independent of the concentration, was 300 kDa. Limulus CRP, isolated from an individual animal, was also analyzed by electrospray mass spectrometry after dissociation into its subunits, and nine components were detected in the mass range 24935-25617 Da. Four of these components corresponded precisely to one of the previously reported protein sequences of Limulus CRP subunits which is glycosylated by a single oligosaccharide chain of composition, Man2GlcNAc2, Man3GlcNAc2, Man4GlcNAc2 or Man5GlcNAc2, the structures of which are elucidated in the accompanying paper [Amatayakul-Chantler, S., Dwek, R. A., Tennent, G. A., Pepys, M. B. & Rademacher, T. W. Molecular characterization of Limulus polyphemus C-reactive protein. II. Asparagine-linked oligosaccharides (1993) Eur. J. Biochem. 214, 99-110]. All the remaining components, except one minor component, corresponded to the analogous glycoforms of peptides of molecular mass 24281 +/- 2 Da and 24523 +/- 1 Da, neither of which have previously been characterized. These results are consistent with the presence of 12 subunits in the Limulus CRP molecule, in contrast to the number of subunits in vertebrate members of the CRP family. The CRP family members in vertebrates are known as pentraxins because of the symmetrical pentameric arrangement of their subunits. The concentration of Limulus CRP in hemolymph from 20 individual animals, measured precisely by specific electroimmunoassay, covered the wide range 0.275-6.64 mg/ml, mean (SD) = 1.83 (2.06) mg/ml. It remains to be determined whether this protein is an acute-phase reactant, like its human and some other mammalian homologues.

Molecular characterization of Limulus polyphemus C-reactive protein. II. Asparagine-linked oligosaccharides.

The N-linked oligosaccharides of C-reactive protein (CRP) from the arachnid Limulus polyphemus, the horseshoe crab, were characterized after their release by hydrazinolysis, re-N-acetylation, and reduction with NaB3H4. High-voltage paper electrophoresis of the reduced oligosaccharides revealed only neutral species. Gel-permeation chromatography on Bio-Gel P4 yielded five fractions. The oligosaccharide fractions were further fractionated using high-voltage borate paper electrophoresis and Dionex BioLC ion-exchange chromatography. The oligosaccharides were structurally characterized by sequential exoglycosidase digestion, fragmentation by acetolysis and methylation analysis. Three major structures were found, of which two were the biantennary oligomannose type with compositions Man5GlcNAc2 (B-1), Man4GlcNAc2 (C-3) and one was the monoantennary structure Man3GlcNAc2 (D-1). The biantennary oligomannose structures B-1 and C-3 contained the structural unit Man alpha 6Man alpha 6R. This unusual arrangement of mannose linkages suggests a biosynthetic pathway in Limulus which differs from that reported in mammals, plants and the parasitic protozoa.