[Non-targeted metabolomics of spleen and liver metabolism in mice treated with Pruni Semen processed with different methods].

Ultra performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry(UPLC-Q-TOF-MS) was employed to investigate the impacts of Pruni Semen processed with different methods(raw and fried) on the liver and spleen metabolism in mice. A total of 24 male mice were randomly assigned to three groups: raw Pruni Semen group, fried Pruni Semen group, and control(deionized water) group. Mice in the three groups were orally administrated with 0.01 g·mL~(-1) Pruni Semen decoction or deionized water for one week. After that, the liver and spleen tissues were collected, and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry(LC-MS)-based metabolomic analysis was carried out to investigate the impact of Pruni Semen on the liver and spleen metabolism in mice. Compared with thte control group, the raw Pruni Semen group showed up-regulation of 11 metabolites and down-regulation of 57 metabolites in the spleen(P<0.05), as well as up-regulation of 15 metabolites and down-regulation of 58 metabolites in the liver(P<0.05). The fried Pruni Semen group showed up-regulation of 31 metabolites and down-regulation of 10 metabolites in the spleen(P<0.05), along with up-regulation of 26 metabolites and down-regulation of 61 metabolites in the liver(P<0.05). The differential metabolites identified in the raw Pruni Semen group were primarily associated with alanine, aspartate, and glutamate metabolism, purine metabolism, amino sugar and nucleotide sugar metabolism, and D-glutamine and D-glutamate metabolism. The differential metabolites identified in the fried Pruni Semen group predominantly involved riboflavin metabolism, amino sugar and nucleotide sugar metabolism, purine metabolism, alanine, aspartate, and glutamate metabolism, D-glutamine and D-glutamate metabolism, and glutathione metabolism. The findings suggest that both raw and fried Pruni Semen have the potential to modulate the metabolism of the liver and spleen in mice by influencing the glutamine and glutamate metabolism.

Isolectins from Solanum tuberosum with different detailed carbohydrate binding specificities: unexpected recognition of lactosylceramide by N-acetyllactosamine-binding lectins.

Glycosphingolipid recognition by two isolectins from Solanum tuberosum was compared by the chromatogram binding assay. One lectin (PL-I) was isolated from potato tubers by affinity chromatography, and identified by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry as a homodimer with a subunit molecular mass of 63,000. The other (PL-II) was a commercial lectin, characterized as two homodimeric isolectins with subunit molecular masses of 52,000 and 55,000, respectively. Both lectins recognized N-acetyllactosamine-containing glycosphingolipids, but the fine details of their carbohydrate binding specificities differed. PL-II preferentially bound to glycosphingolipids with N-acetyllactosamine branches, as Galbeta4GlcNAcbeta6(Galbeta4GlcNAcbeta3)Galbeta4Glcbeta1C er. PL-I also recognized this glycosphingolipid, but bound equally well to the linear glycosphingolipid Galbeta4GlcNAcbeta3Galbeta4GlcNAcbeta3Galbeta4Glcbeta1Cer. Neolactotetraosylceramide and the B5 pentaglycosylceramide were also bound by PL-I, while other glycosphingolipids with only one N-acetyllactosamine unit were non-binding. Surprisingly, both lectins also bound to lactosylceramide, with an absolute requirement for sphingosine and non-hydroxy fatty acids. The inhibition of binding to both lactosylceramide and N-acetyllactosamine-containing glycosphingolipids by N-acetylchitotetraose suggests that lactosylceramide is also accomodated within the N-acetylchitotetraose/N-acetyllactosamine-binding sites of the lectins. Through docking of glycosphingolipids onto a three-dimensional model of the PL-I hevein binding domain, a Galbeta4GlcNAcbeta3Galbeta4 binding epitope was defined. Furthermore, direct involvement of the ceramide in the binding of lactosylceramide was suggested.

Common architecture of the primary galactose binding sites of Erythrina corallodendron lectin and heat-labile enterotoxin from Escherichia coli in relation to the binding of branched neolactohexaosylceramide.

The heat-labile enterotoxin from Escherichia coli (LT) is responsible for so-called traveller's diarrhea and is closely related to the cholera toxin (CT). Toxin binding to GM1 at the epithelial cell surface of the small intestine initiates the subsequent diarrheal disease. However, LT has a broader receptor specificity than CT in that it also binds to N-acetyllactosamine-terminated structures. The unrelated lectin from Erythrina corallodendron (ECorL) shares this latter binding property. The findings that both ECorL and porcine LT (pLT) bind to lactose as well as to neolactotetraosylceramide suggests a common structural theme in their respective primary binding sites. Superimposing the terminal galactose of the lactoses in the respective crystal structures of pLT and ECorL reveals striking structural similarities around the galactose despite the lack of sequence and folding homology, whereas the interactions of the penultimate GlcNAcb3 in the neolactotetraosylceramide differ. The binding of branched neolactohexaosylceramide to either protein reveals an enhanced affinity relative to neolactotetraosylceramide. The b3-linked branch is found to bind to the primary Gal binding pocket of both proteins, whereas the b6-linked branch outside this site provides additional interactions in accordance with the higher binding affinities found for this compound. While the remarkable architectural similarities of the primary galactose binding sites of pLT and ECorL point to a convergent evolution of these subsites, the distinguishing structural features determining the overall carbohydrate specificities are located in extended binding site regions. In pLT, Arg13 is thus found to play a crucial role in enhancing the affinity not only for N-acetyllactosamine-terminated structures but also for GM1 as compared to human LT (hLT) and CT. The physiological relevance of the binding of N-acetyllactosamine-containing glycoconjugates to LT and ECorL is briefly discussed.

Structure/thermodynamics relationships of lectin-saccharide complexes: the Erythrina corallodendron case.

Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of Erythrina corallodendron lectin binding to a monosaccharide, alpha-galactose, and a disaccharide, N-acetyl lactosamine, have been performed in order to investigate the relationship between structure and thermodynamics. A simulated annealing protocol has been used to generate ensembles of structures for the two complexes, from which both qualitative and quantitative information on binding dynamics have been extracted. The ensembled averaged lectin-saccharide interaction enthalpy is equivalent for both sugars, whereas the calculation based on the X-ray structures does show a difference. Within large statistical errors, the calculated 'binding enthalpy' is also the same for the two systems. These errors arise largely from terms involving solvent and are a typical limitation of current MD simulations. Significant qualitative differences in binding between the two complexes are, however, observed over the ensembles. These could be important for unraveling the structure/thermodynamic relationship. Stated simply, there are a greater number of binding options available to the disaccharide compared to the monosaccharide. The implications of alternative binding states on thermodynamic parameters and the 'breaking of enthalpy-entropy compensation' are discussed. The role of solvent in lectin-saccharide complex formation is suggested to be significant.

Structures of the Erythrina corallodendron lectin and of its complexes with mono- and disaccharides.

The structures of the Erythrina corallodendron lectin (EcorL) and of its complexes with galactose, N-acetylgalactosamine, lactose and N-acetyllactosamine were determined at a resolution of 1.9 to 1.95 A. The final R-values of the five models are in the range 0.169 to 0.181. The unusual, non-canonical, dimer interface of EcorL is made of beta-strands from the two monomers, which face one another in a "hand-shake" mode. The galactose molecule in the primary binding site is bound in an identical way in all four complexes. Features of the electrostatic potential of the galactose molecule match those of the potential in the combining site, thus probably pointing to the contribution of the electrostatic energy to determining the orientation of the ligand. No conformational change occurs in the protein upon binding the ligand. Subtle variations in the binding mode of the second monosaccharide (glucose in the complex with lactose and N-acetylglucosamine in the complex with N-acetyllactosamine) were observed. The mobility of Gln219 is lower in the complexes with the disaccharides than in the complexes with the monosaccharides, indicating further recruitment of this residue to ligand binding through more extensive hydrogen bonding in the former complexes. Water molecules that have been located in the combining sites of the five structures undergo rearrangement in response to binding of the different ligands. The new structural information is in qualitative agreement with thermodynamic data on the binding to EcorL.

Mutational studies of the amino acid residues in the combining site of Erythrina corallodendron lectin.

High-resolution X-ray crystallography of the complex of the Gal/GalNAc-specific Erythrina corallodendron lectin with lactose identified the amino acid side chains that form contacts with the galactose moiety of the disaccharide. The contribution of these amino acids to the binding of different monosaccharides and oligosaccharides by the lectin was examined by site-directed mutagenesis. Replacement of Phe131, on which the galactose is stacked, by tyrosine, gave a mutant with the same hemagglutinating activity and carbohydrate specificity as the parent lectin, but replacement by alanine or valine resulted in loss of activity. Mutations of Ala88, Asp89, and Asn133 produced mutants that were also inactive whereas those of the other combining site residues, Tyr106, Ala218, and Gln219, were biologically active. None of the active mutants interacted with mannose or glucose. Thus, contrary to an earlier assumption. Ala218 is not responsible for the inability of E. corallodendron lectin to bind these sugars. Our findings also demonstrate that Gln219 is not involved in galactose binding in solution, even though this is implicated by the crystal data. Instead, our data suggest that Gln219 assists in the ligation of N-acetyllactosamine to the lectin, by interacting with the acetamide group of the disaccharide. Comparison with other legume lectins specific for mannose/glucose, galactose, N-acetylgalactosamine, L-fucose or N-acetylglucosamine, shows that only three of the combining site residues of E. corallodendron lectin occupy invariant positions both in their primary and tertiary structures. These residues are an aspartic acid and an asparagine corresponding to positions 89 and 133, respectively, in E. corallodendron lectin, and an aromatic residue, either phenylalanine (as Phe131 in this lectin), tyrosine or tryptophan. We therefore postulate that these three residues are essential for ligand binding by all such lectins, irrespective of their specificity.

Galectins: a family of animal lectins that decipher glycocodes.

Galectins, animal lectins exhibiting specificity for galactosides, are now known to be widely distributed from lower invertebrates, such as sponges and nematodes, to higher vertebrates. The origin of the family can be traced back to the Precambrian era. They are classified into proto-, chimera-, and tandem-repeat types on the basis of protein architecture. The molecular functions of these types should be different because they can cross-link pairs of biomolecules of different combinations. Their biological significance, however, is not yet fully understood because they are involved in too many phenomena, such as differentiation, morphogenesis, metastasis, etc., and too many problems remain unsolved, such as those regarding their controversial cellular localization, mechanism of externalization, etc. Nevertheless, such difficulties seem to indicate their importance as household equipment and their common roles throughout the animal kingdom. They are likely to be responsible for recognizing the N-acetyllactosamine (LacNAc) structure, which is included in various glycoconjugates and considered to be an important glycocode, and then carry out appropriate tasks under given circumstances. Recently, crystallographic studies revealed that galectins and legume lectins such as concanavalin A have a common topology in spite of the absence of sequence homology. This suggests a possible relationship between animal and plant lectins, and the existence of a lectin super family. Studies on the galectin family are becoming increasingly important for glycobiology.

Branching and elongation with lactosaminoglycan chains of N-linked oligosaccharides result in a shift toward termination with alpha 2-->3-linked rather than with alpha 2-->6-linked sialic acid residues.

The activity of bovine colostrum CMP-NeuAc:Gal beta 1-->4GlcNAc beta-R alpha 2-->6-sialyltransferase (alpha 6-NeuAcT) toward oligosaccharides that form part of complex-type, N-linked glycans appears significantly reduced when a bisecting GlcNAc residue or additional branches are present, or when core GlcNAc residues are absent. By contrast human placenta CMP-NeuAc:Gal beta 1-->4GlcNAc beta-R alpha 2-->3-sialyltransferase (alpha 3-NeuAcT) is much less sensitive to structural variations in these acceptors. Furthermore the alpha 3-NeuAcT shows a much higher activity than the alpha 6-NeuAcT with oligosaccharides that form part of linear and branched lactosaminoglycan extensions. These results indicate that, in tissues that express both enzymes, branching and lactosaminoglycan formation of N-linked glycans will cause a shift from termination with alpha 2-->6-linked sialic acid to termination with alpha 2-->3-linked sialic acid residues. These findings provide an enzymatic basis for the sialic acid linkage-type patterns found on the oligosaccharide chains of N-glycoproteins.

Branch specificity of bovine colostrum CMP-sialic acid: Gal beta 1----4GlcNAc-R alpha 2----6-sialyltransferase. Sialylation of bi-, tri-, and tetraantennary oligosaccharides and glycopeptides of the N-acetyllactosamine type.

Using 500-MHz 1H NMR spectroscopy we have investigated the branch specificity that bovine colostrum CMP-NeuAc:Gal beta 1----4GlcNAc-R alpha 2----6-sialyltransferase shows in its sialylation of bi-, tri-, and tetraantennary glycopeptides and oligosaccharides of the N-acetyllactosamine type. The enzyme appears to highly prefer the galactose residue at the Gal beta 1----4GlcNAc beta 1----2Man alpha 1----3 branch for attachment of the 1st mol of sialic acid in all the acceptors tested. The 2nd mol of sialic acid becomes linked mainly to the Gal beta 1----4GlcNAc beta 1----2Man alpha 1----6 branch in bi- and triantennary substrates, but this reaction invariably proceeds at a much lower rate. Under the conditions employed, the Gal beta 1----4GlcNAc beta 1----6Man alpha 1----6 branch is extremely resistant to alpha 2----6-sialylation. A higher degree of branching of the acceptors leads to a decrease in the rate of sialylation. In particular, the presence of the Gal beta 1----4GlcNAc beta 1----6Man alpha 1----6 branch strongly inhibits the rate of transfer of both the 1st and the 2nd mol of sialic acid. In addition, it directs the incorporation of the 2nd mol into tetraantennary structures toward the Gal beta 1----4GlcNAc beta 1----4Man alpha 1----3 branch. In contrast, the presence of the Gal beta 1----4GlcNAc beta 1----4Man alpha 1----3 branch has only minor effects on the rates of sialylation and, consequently, on the branch preference of sialic acid attachment. Results obtained with partial structures of tetraantennary acceptors indicate that the Man beta 1----4GlcNAc part of the core is essential for the expression of branch specificity of the sialyltransferase. The sialylation patterns observed in vivo in glycoproteins of different origin are consistent with the in vitro preference of alpha 2----6-sialyltransferase for the Gal beta 1----4GlcNAc beta 1----2Man alpha 1----3 branch. Our findings suggest that the terminal structures of branched glycans of the N-acetyllactosamine type are the result of the complementary branch specificity of the various glycosyltransferases that are specific for the acceptor sequence Gal beta 1----4GlcNAc-R.

Human milk nonprotein nitrogen: occurrence and possible functions.

Human milk contains a wide variety of nitrogenous compounds in addition to protein. Recognition of the special roles these compounds can perform raises questions about their availability from human milk, and, ultimately, their significance in the development of the human newborn. While it is likely that the major categories of compounds contributing to the nonprotein-nitrogen fraction of human milk have been identified, the true variety of nitrogenous compounds within the peptide fraction of human milk is only beginning to be recognized and appreciated. If predictions can be made from those peptides already identified, epidermal growth factor, delta-sleep inducing peptide, somatomedin-C/insulin-like growth factor I and the peptide hormones, further elucidation of the specific peptides that contribute to this fraction of human milk promises to be especially exciting. With each new published report, the recognized chemical gap between human milk and proprietary formulas increases. There is increasing evidence that human milk produced by a well-nourished woman is a chemical mixture uniquely suited for the developmental stage of her infant. Whether these differences confer developmental advantages to the infant fed human milk, advantages not enjoyed by infants fed formula, is less easily determined. Attempts to answer this question must take into account the relative physiological maturity of the infant at birth. There is a distinct possibility that infants born early in the last intrauterine trimester will derive more benefit from receiving mother's milk than those infants nourished in utero to term.

Binding of simple carbohydrates and some N-acetyllactosamine-containing oligosaccharides to Erythrina cristagalli agglutinin as followed with a fluorescent indicator ligand.

Erythrina cristagalli agglutinin, a dimeric lectin [J.L. Iglesias, et al. (1982) Eur. J. Biochem. 123, 247-252] was shown by equilibrium dialysis to be bivalent for 4-methylumbelliferyl-beta-D-galactoside. Upon binding to the lectin, this ligand showed a difference absorption spectrum with two maxima (at 322 and 336 nm) of equal intensity (delta epsilon = 1.2 X 10(3) M-1 cm-1). A similar spectrum with a comparable value of delta epsilon was obtained with 4-methylumbelliferyl-N-acetyl-beta-D-galactosaminide. Binding of methyl-alpha-D-galactoside, lactose, and N-acetyllactosamine all produced small but equally intense protein difference spectra with a maximum (delta epsilon = 2.8 X 10(2) M-1 cm-1) at 291.6 nm. Upon binding of N-dansyl-D-galactosamine to the lectin, there was a fivefold increase in fluorescence intensity of this ligand. The association constant for N-dansyl-D-galactosamine was caused by a very favorable delta S degree of the dansyl group without affecting the strictly carbohydrate-specific character of binding. N-Dansyl-D-galactosamine was employed as a fluorescent indicator ligand in substitution titrations. This involved the use of simple carbohydrates, N-acetyllactosamine, and oligosaccharides which occur in the carbohydrate units of N-glycoproteins; the latter were Gal(beta 1----4)GlcNAc(beta 1----2)Man, Gal(beta 1----4)GlcNAc(beta 1----6)Man, and Gal(beta 1----4)GlcNAc(beta 1----6)[Gal(beta 1----4)GlcNAc(beta 1----2)]Man. The titrations were performed at two temperatures to determine the thermodynamic parameters. In the series N-acetyl-D-galactosamine, methyl-alpha-D-galactoside, and lactose, -delta H degrees increased from 24 to 41 kJ mol-1; it increased further for N-acetyllactosamine and then remained unchanged for the N-acetyllactosamine-containing oligosaccharides (55 +/- 1 kJ mol-1. This indicated that the site specifically accommodated the disaccharide structure with an important contribution of the 2-acetamido group in the penultimate sugar. Beyond this, no additional contacts seemed to be formed. This conclusion also followed from considerations of delta S degrees values which became more unfavorable in the above series (-23 to -101 +/- 4 J mol-1 K-1); the most negative value of delta S degrees was observed with N-acetyllactosamine and the three N-acetyllactosamine-containing oligosaccharides.

Ascorbic acid deficiency in cultured human fibroblasts.

Fibroblasts grown in medium containing less than 1 microg of ascorbic acid per milliliter showed evidence of ascorbic acid deficiency when compared with cells grown in medium containing 50 microg of ascorbic acid per milliliter. This was manifested morphologically by dilated endoplasmic reticulum, a decrease in number, size, and intensity of staining of the mitochondria, by defective intercellular fibril formation, and by easy disaggregation of the cells from the intercellular matrix after treatment with pronase. When 50 microg per milliliter of ascorbic acid was incorporated into the medium, the altered morphology was corrected, banded fibrils were produced which were organized into bundles, and the cells were tightly bound in a matrix which was resistant to disaggregation with a variety of proteolytic enzymes. Collagen and sulfated glycosaminoglycan synthesis were less in the control than in the ascorbic acid supplemented cells. Similar morphological and chemical changes have been reported in the connective tissue of scorbutic animals. The effects of low ascorbic acid concentration on fibroblasts in culture indicate that these cells require ascorbic acid to maintain connective tissue functions.