The catalytic activity of protein disulfide isomerase is involved in human immunodeficiency virus envelope-mediated membrane fusion after CD4 cell binding.

Protein disulfide isomerase (PDI) is a multifunctional protein with thiol-disulfide redox-isomerase activities. It catalyzes thiol-disulfide interchange reactions on the cell surface that may cause structural modifications of exofacial proteins. PDI inhibitors alter human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) spread, and it has been suggested that PDI may be necessary to trigger HIV entry. This study examined this hypothesis by using cell-to-cell fusion assays, in which the HIV envelope (Env) expressed on the cell surface interacts with CD4(+) lymphocytes. PDI is clustered at the lymphocyte surface in the vicinity of CD4-enriched regions, but both antigens essentially do not colocalize. Anti-PDI antibodies and 2 inhibitors of its catalytic function altered Env-mediated membrane fusion at a post-CD4 cell binding step. The fact that the PDI catalytic activity present on lymphocytes is required for fusion supports the hypothesis that catalysts assist post-CD4 cell binding conformational changes within Env.

Ca2+-dependent regulation of synaptic SNARE complex assembly via a calmodulin- and phospholipid-binding domain of synaptobrevin.

Synaptic core complex formation is an essential step in exocytosis, and assembly into a superhelical structure may drive synaptic vesicle fusion. To ascertain how Ca(2+) could regulate this process, we examined calmodulin binding to recombinant core complex components. Surface plasmon resonance and pull-down assays revealed Ca(2+)-dependent calmodulin binding (K(d) = 500 nM) to glutathione S-transferase fusion proteins containing synaptobrevin (VAMP 2) domains but not to syntaxin 1 or synaptosomal-associated protein of 25 kDa (SNAP-25). Deletion mutations, tetanus toxin cleavage, and peptide synthesis localized the calmodulin-binding domain to VAMP(77-94), immediately C-terminal to the tetanus toxin cleavage site (Q(76)-F(77)). In isolated synaptic vesicles, Ca(2+)/calmodulin protected native membrane-inserted VAMP from proteolysis by tetanus toxin. Assembly of a (35)S-SNAP-25, syntaxin 1 GST-VAMP(1-96) complex was inhibited by Ca(2+)/calmodulin, but assembly did not mask subsequent accessibility of the calmodulin-binding domain. The same domain contains a predicted phospholipid interaction site. SPR revealed calcium-independent interactions between VAMP(77-94) and liposomes containing phosphatidylserine, which blocked calmodulin binding. Circular dichroism spectroscopy demonstrated that the calmodulin/phospholipid-binding peptide displayed a significant increase in alphahelical content in a hydrophobic environment. These data provide insight into the mechanisms by which Ca(2+) may regulate synaptic core complex assembly and protein interactions with membrane bilayers during exocytosis.

Relationships between the anti-HIV V(3)-derived peptide SPC(3) and lymphocyte membrane properties involved in virus entry: SPC(3) interferes with CXCR(4).

SPC(3) is a multiple antigen peptide derived from the V(3) loop of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) envelope (Env). It exerts a potent anti-HIV activity whereas it alters neither Env expression nor binding to CD(4). Here, SPC(3) binding characteristics, its subsequent intracellular fate and the fact that it inhibited SDF(1)alpha binding to the lymphocyte surface provided strong arguments to conclude that it exerts its anti-HIV activity through interference with the CXCR(4) coreceptor. In contrast, it interferes with none of the other major surface proteins and mechanisms involving V(3) and implicated in infection, as shown here. This work identifies the target mechanism of SPC(3).

Protein-disulfide isomerase (PDI) in FRTL5 cells. pH-dependent thyroglobulin/PDI interactions determine a novel PDI function in the post-endoplasmic reticulum of thyrocytes.

Thyroglobulin (TG) is secreted by the thyrocytes into the follicular lumen of the thyroid. After maturation and hormone formation, TG is endocytosed and delivered to lysosomes. Quality control mechanisms may occur during this bidirectional traffic since 1) several molecular chaperones are cosecreted with TG in vivo, and 2) lysosomal targeting of immature TG is thought to be prevented via the interaction, in acidic conditions, between the Ser(789)-Met(1172) TG hormonogenic domain (BD) and an unidentified membrane receptor. We investigated the secretion and cell surface expression of PDI and other chaperones in the FRTL5 thyroid cell line, and then studied the characteristics of the interaction between TG and PDI. We demonstrated that PDI, but also other chaperones such as calnexin and KDEL-containing proteins are exposed at the cell surface. We observed on living cells or membrane preparations that PDI specifically binds TG in acidic conditions, and that only BD is involved in binding. Surface plasmon resonance analysis of TG/PDI interactions indicated: 1) that PDI bound TG but only in acidic conditions, and that it preferentially recognized immature molecules, and 2) BD is involved in binding even if cysteine-rich modules are deleted. The notion that PDI acts as an "escort" for immature TG in acidic post-endoplasmic reticulum compartments is discussed.

Intracellular degradation of the HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein. Evidence for, and some characteristics of, an endoplasmic reticulum degradation pathway.

Analysis of the fate of HIV-1 envelope protein gp160 (Env) has shown that newly synthesized proteins may be degraded within the biosynthetic pathway and that this degradation may take place in compartments other than the lysosomes. The fate of newly synthesized Env was studied in living BHK-21 cells with the recombinant vaccinia virus expression system. We found that gp160 not only undergoes physiological endoproteolytic cleavage, producing gp120, but is also degraded, producing proteolytic fragments of 120 kDa to 26 kDa in size, as determined by SDS/PAGE in non reducing conditions. Analysis of the 120-kDa proteolytic fragment, and comparison with gp120, showed that it is composed of peptides linked by disulfides bonds and lacks the V3-loop epitope and the C-terminal domain of gp120 (amino acids 506-516). A permeabilized cell system, with impaired transport of labeled Env from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to Golgi compartments, was developed to determine the site of degradation and to define some biochemical characteristics of the intracellular degradation process. In the semipermeable BHK-21 cells, there was: (a) no gp120 production (b), a progressive decrease in the amount of newly synthesized gp160 and a concomitant increase in the amount of a 120-kDa proteolytic fragment. This fragment had the same biochemical characteristics as the 120-kDa proteolytic fragment found in living nonpermeabilized cells, and (c) susceptibility of the V3 loop. This degradation process occurred in the ER, as shown by both biochemical and indirect immunofluorescence analysis. Furthermore, there was evidence that changes in redox state are involved in the ER-dependent envelope degradation pathway because adding reducing agents to permeabilized cells caused dose-dependent degradation of the 120-kDa proteolytic fragment and of the remaining gp160 glycoprotein. Thus our results provide direct evidence that regulated degradation of the HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein may take place in the ER of infected cells.

SPC3, an anti-HIV peptide construct derived from the viral envelope, binds and enters HIV target cells.

SPC3 is a peptide construct (eight branches of the GPGRAF motif) derived from the consensus sequence present at the apex of the third variable domain of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) envelope (Env). It presents a potent anti-HIV activity and is currently tested in phase II clinical trials (FDA protocol 257A). Its mode of action remains unclear. It was thought that SPC3 exerts its effect both during HIV interaction with CD4+ cells but also through interference either with a post-binding event or with Env processing. Accordingly, SPC3 was supposed to be able to bind and to enter CD4+ cells. In this work, we addressed these points. SPC3 was found to interact with CD4+ cell membrane with a K0.5 value in the range of 500 nM. The binding of SPC3 to CD4+ cells involves its interaction with a cell membrane associated protein which is pronase sensitive and different from CD4. This interaction was similar from 2 to 37 degrees C. The maximum binding occurred at acidic pH whereas the interaction was inhibited in alkaline conditions. We observed also that SPC3 was internalized rapidly into the cells - the maximal intracell amount was reached within 30 min - where it remained stable for at least 24 h. Altogether, these data suggest that SPC3 can exert its antiviral activity via interference with events occurring at the cell surface but also into the target cell.

Identification of the membrane receptor binding domain of thyroglobulin. Insights into quality control of thyroglobulin biosynthesis.

The last stages of thyroglobulin maturation occur in the thyroid follicular lumen and include thyroid hormone formation and glycan completion. In this compartment, newly secreted thyroglobulins interact with a thyrocyte membrane receptor that prevents their premature lysosomal transfer and degradation. Both GlcNAc moieties and thyroglobulin peptide determinants are involved in receptor interaction. Here we used monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) directed against human thyroglobulin either to inhibit (mAb78) or to enhance (mAb240) the thyroglobulin binding and to identify the region of the thyroglobulin involved in the receptor recognition. Peptides containing the mAb epitopes were obtained by immunoscreening cyanogen bromide-derived native human thyroglobulin peptides and a cDNA thyroglobulin expression library. Three peptides, localized in the thyroglobulin N-terminal domain, were obtained. Peptides N1 (Ala1148-Gln1295) and N2 (Ser789-Met1008) were recognized by mAb240 and mAb78, respectively. None of them bound the receptor. The third peptide, N3 (Ser789-Met1172), (i) overlapped all or part of the N1 and N2 peptide sequences and was recognized by both mAbs, (ii) carried two complex glycans at Asn797 and Asn928, of which a subset presented accessible GlcNAc residues, and (iii) inhibited the thyroglobulin binding to FRTL5 cell membrane preparations. The N3 peptide includes tyrosine residues that have been reported to be involved in hormone formation. These results suggest that structural modifications closely associated with hormone formation within this domain act as sensors for the receptor interaction and thus for the intrafollicular retention or lysosomal homing of the prohormone.

Antigenic mapping of human thyroglobulin--topographic relationship between antigenic regions and functional domains.

We characterized 26 mAb to human thyroglobulin to obtain a topographic map of the thyroglobulin antigenic surface. Among these mAb, three bind thyroglobulin peptides that are located in the primary sequence of thyroglobulin at either the N terminus or in the middle part of the molecule, three bind thyroglobulin via epitopes comprising the thyroid-hormone moiety, and three bind thyroglobulin through epitopes involved in the recognition of the molecule by its receptor. The 18 remaining mAb bind thyroglobulin through undetermined epitopes; most of these epitopes are resistant to trypsinization. We used two methods to map the antigenic regions of thyroglobulin: all 26 mAb were grouped, by means of cross-inhibition experiments, in 11 clusters corresponding to 11 antigenic regions of the thyroglobulin surface; by means of thyroglobulin peptides of decreasing size, obtained by time-controlled tryptic digestion, we analyzed the relative distance between pairs of epitopes in sandwich immunoassays. By combining these two methods, we organized most of the 11 antigenic regions on a topographic representation of the thyroglobulin surface. This new topographic map of thyroglobulin led us to some unexpected features of the thyroglobulin structure. First, antigenic region 8 located far from the N-terminal region is in close contact with two remote N-terminal antigenic regions (1 and 4), both involved in hormone formation. This antigenic region is likely to play a role in the correct positioning of hormonogenic tyrosines so as to optimize iodination-coupling reactions. Secondly, the domain involved in the binding of thyroglobulin to its receptor, probed by three mAb, is shared by two distinct mid-molecule antigenic regions, one being the main autoantigenic region of thyroglobulin.

Carbohydrate and protein determinants are involved in thyroglobulin recognition by FRTL 5 cells.

To avoid premature lysosomal degradation, thyrocytes have a system able to recycle internalized immature thyroglobulin molecules (Tg) to the follicular lumen via the Golgi apparatus. It has been shown that this quality control system depends on recognition of exposed N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) determinants (Miquelis et al., J Cell Biol, 1993, 123, 1695) present on immature Tg (Bastiani et al., 1995, Endocrinology, 1995, 136, 4204). However, the same in vitro kinetics studies also showed that GlcNAc residues alone induce only weak recycling. The latter finding led us to investigate the possibility that protein determinants might also be involved in binding. For this purpose, we studied binding of Tg to FRTL 5 cells, a widely available TSH-dependent cell line and found that binding to plasma membranes occurred at acidic pH in the presence of calcium, i.e. under conditions previously reported for binding of GlcNAc-BSA to porcine thyroid cell membranes. As expected, binding was GlcNAc- and oligosaccharide-dependent because Bandeiraea Simplificiola II affinity column analysis indicated that GlcNAc-bearing Tg were preferentially bound and N-glycanase treatment of Tg inhibited interaction. Ovomucoid, GlcNAc-BSA, and porcine Tg oligosaccharides did not inhibit binding, indicating that carbohydrates were not the sole determinants for binding. The fact that pronase digestion of Tg totally abolished binding implied that peptide determinants were involved in the interaction. This involvement is supported by the observation that porcine, rat, bovine, and human Tg bound FRTL 5 cell membranes and that monoclonal antibodies raised against human Tg interfered with the binding of both human and porcine Tg. Based on these findings we conclude that, besides the involvement of GlcNAc-bearing oligosaccharides, Tg receptors form a stable bond with peptide determinants.

Biological properties of recombinant HIV envelope synthesized in CHO glycosylation-mutant cell lines.

N-glycosylation of the human immunodeficiency virus type-1 envelope (Env) glycoprotein precursor (gp160) occurs by transfer of Glc3Man9GlcNAc2 onto the nascent protein. Maturation then occurs via cleavage of the three Glc residues, which starts during translation. These events are considered necessary to create Env functional conformation: treatment with "alpha"-glucosidase inhibitors, but not alpha-mannosidase inhibitors (i) impairs gp160 cleavage into gp120 and gp41, (ii) diminishes the accessibility of gp120 V3 region, (iii) prevents gp120 binding to its CD4 receptor, and (iv) prevents gp41-mediated membrane fusion. These inhibitors are of therapeutic interest. Here, using a collection of parent and mutant CHO cells that possess mutations in different steps of glycosylation, we reassessed the role of glycans in both the processing and the properties of recombinant gp160 expressed from a vaccinia virus vector. Mutant cells were as follows: Lec23 (which lacks alpha-glucosidase I activity) produces a collection of triglucosylated structures (Glc3Man7-9GlcNAc2); LEC10 (which has increased GlcNAc transferase III activity) produces complex glycans with a bisected GlcNAc residue; Lec1 (which lacks GlcNAc transferase I) and Lec3.2.8.1 (which lacks GlcNAc transferase I and has decreased activity of CMP-NeuNAc and UDP-Gal translocases) produce Man5GlcNAc2 glycans at complex or hybrid sites. As expected, glycosylation of Env produced from mutants was affected but, irrespective of the glycosylation phenotype, (i) similar quantities of Env were synthesized, (ii) the immunoreactivity of V3 was similar, (iii) gp160 was efficiently cleaved into gp120 and gp41, (vi) Env was exposed at the cell membrane, (v) secreted gp120 bound CD4, and (vi) membrane gp41 was able to induce membrane fusion with CD4+ cells. Thus, the glycosylation alterations examined are dispensable for Env processing and biological activity in CHO cells. In particular, removal of the three outer Glc residues was not required per se for Env folding in this system because functional Env is obtained from Lec23 cells: it appears therefore that lack of modification is not equivalent to drug inhibition of modification. These data are discussed in the light of previous reports describing the use of glycosidase inhibitors to alter glycosylation.

Glycosylation and stability of mature HIV envelope glycoprotein conformation under various conditions.

The role of the glycans of the mature human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) envelope (gp160) in its stability in various conditions was studied. gp160 conformation was monitored through its subsequent ability to bind [125I]CD4. Treatment of glycosylated (CHO+) gp160 with (i) sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) concentrations above 0.01% impaired subsequent CD4 binding while 0.3% SDS abolished it; (ii) beta-mercaptoethanol (MSH) concentrations above 0.01% impaired CD4 binding while 0.03% MSH abolished it; (iii) 2 M guanidine-HCl had no effect; (iv) temperatures between 50 degrees C and 80 degrees C altered CD4 binding while, above 80 degrees C, the binding was abolished; (v) CD4 binding was decreased by 50% by 2 freeze-thaw cycles but was not further affected by subsequent (up to 15) cycles; (vi) gp160 incubation in serum or cell lysate had no effect on CD4 binding. Glycanase treated (CHO-) gp160 binding activity was only 3-fold lower than that of CHO+ gp160. Only 2 M guanidine-HCl and heating at 70 degrees C differentially affected the binding of CHO+ and CHO- gp160, the effects being larger for CHO- gp160. CHO- gp160 binding was impaired after incubation in either serum or cell lysate. Thus, glycans stabilize gp160 conformation in some environments. However, CHO- gp160 appears to be resistant to denaturation as compared to other glycoproteins reported in the literature.

On the relationship between completion of N-acetyllactosamine oligosaccharide units and iodine content of thyroglobulin: a reinvestigation.

Lack of completion of N-acetyllactosamine-type glycosylation on thyroglobulin (Tg) has been implicitly considered as an etiological factor of some thyroid disorders, i.e. goiter and hypothyroidism. However, there is some evidence that Tg with incompletely processed N-acetyllactosamine glycans occurs in the normal gland. Recent findings demonstrated that exposed N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) residues present on internalized glycoprotein in the thyrocyte may act as a retention signal that prevents lysosomal homing and triggers recycling of GlcNAc-bearing molecules through galactosyltransferase- and thyroperoxidase-containing compartments of the Golgi apparatus. This finding raises the possibilities 1) that exposed GlcNAc residues are not randomly distributed, but are mainly present on immature Tg; and 2) that this process promotes elongation of complex glycans, thereby eliminating the retention signal. To further validate this hypothesis, we reinvestigated the relationship between the iodine content and the glycan completion of porcine Tg of luminal origin. Tg subpopulations were separated according to their iodine content on rubidium chloride centrifugation gradients, and their interactions with various plant and animal lectins were analyzed in solid phase assays. Iodine content used as an index of age ranged from 0.6-1.2%. There was no significant correlation between iodine content and either neutral sugar or oligosaccharide content, as judged by chemical methods or interaction with [125I]Solanum tuberosum and [125I]Pisum sativum agglutinins. In contrast, the number of GlcNAc-accessible residues (as judged by interaction with [125I]Bandeiraea simplificolia II) decreased as iodine content increased. These changes were concomitant with an increase in galactose (measured by interaction with [125I]R-icinus communis and [125I]galactosidase (Gal)/GalNAc rat hepatic lectin) and sialic acid content. Related experiments using a Tg subpopulation depleted in GlcNAc-exposed residues by passage through a B. simplificolia II affinity column showed that the capacity of this subpopulation to bind to membranes was lowered compared to that of the total Tg. These results support the following conclusions: 1) in normal glands, all or part of the Tg molecules are secreted in an incompletely glycosylated form; and 2) iodine organification is correlated with glycan completion. Therefore, asialoagalactothyroglobulin appears to be a physiological precursor for an efficient recycling mediated by the GlcNAc receptor to the iodination site. New insights in thyroid disorders are discussed.

Molecular cloning, cDNA analysis, and localization of a monomer of the N-acetylglucosamine-specific receptor of the thyroid, NAGR1, to chromosome 19p13.3-13.2.

We have proposed that the GlcNAc thyroid receptor triggers selective recycling of immature GlcNAc-bearing thyroglobulin molecules through the Golgi back to the apical membrane for further processing until maturation is achieved. This process, which we call "receptor-mediated exocytosis," prevents lysosomal degradation of thyroid prohormones. In the present study, we report cloning of the cDNA encoding the (or one of the) monomer(s) constituting the human GlcNAc thyroid receptor. This novel gene, called NAGR1, was assigned by in situ hybridization to subbands p13.3-p13.2 of chromosome 19. Northern blot analysis showed that the mRNA encoding NAGR1 was present as a single transcript of 2.1 kb in the thyroid, but not in the heart, brain, placenta, lung, liver, skeletal muscle, kidney, and pancreas. The deduced amino acid sequence comprised a 51-kDa type I membrane protein with a single spanning region and a short intracytoplasmic domain. Sequence analysis showed that NAGR1 is a glycine-, tryptophan-, and methionine-rich protein with no cysteine residues or glycosylation site. No sequence homology with any known cDNA or protein was noted. The extracellular domain is composed of 420 amino acids and contains a region of 204 residues showing 15 repeats of 4 amino acids, each 1 having an acidic amino acid presumably involved in calcium coordination. The intracellular domain contained what appeared to be a tyrosine internalization signal. The usefulness of this clone in glycobiology, cell biology, and thyroid pathology studies is discussed.

Intracellular routing of GLcNAc-bearing molecules in thyrocytes: selective recycling through the Golgi apparatus.

Previous experiments led us to speculate that thyrocytes contain a recycling system for GlcNAc-bearing immature thyroglobulin molecules which prevents these molecules from lysosomal degradation (Miquelis, R., C. Alquier, and M. Monsigny. 1987. J. Biol. Chem. 262:15291-15298). To confirm this hypothesis, the fate of GlcNAc-bearing proteins after internalization by thyrocytes was monitored and compared to that of fluid phase markers. Kinetic internalization studies were performed using 125I-GlcNAc-BSA and 131I-Man-BSA. We observed that the apparent intake rate as well as the amount of hydrolyzed GlcNAc-BSA are smaller than the corresponding values for Man-BSA. These differences were reduced by GlcNAc competitors (thyroglobulin and ovomucoid) or a weak base (chloroquine). Part of the internalized GlcNAc-BSA was released into the extracellular milieu at a higher rate and shorter half life (t1/2 = approximately 30 min) than the Man-BSA (t1/2 = approximately 8 h). Subcellular homing was first studied by cell fractionation after internalization using 125I-ovomucoid and 131I-BSA. During Percoll density gradient fractionation, endogenous thyroperoxidase was used to separate subsets of organelles involved in the biosynthetic exocytotic pathway. Incubation of the cell homogenate in the presence of DAB and H2O2 before cell fractionation give rise to a shift in the density of organelles containing 3.5 times more ovomucoid than BSA. Discontinuous sucrose gradient showed that: (a) thyroperoxidase was colocalized with galactosyltransferase-contraining organelles in Golgi-rich subfractions; and (b) that at every time studied from 10 to 100 min, the ovomucoid/BSA ratio was higher in these organelles than in other subfractions. Finally we also observed that: (a) ovomucoid sequestered in the Golgi-rich subfraction incorporated [3H]galactose; and (b) that part of internalized ovomucoid was localized on the Golgi stacks as well as elements of the trans-Golgi, as revealed by immunogold labeling on ultrathin cryosections. These data prove that in thyrocytes GlcNAc accessible sugar moieties on soluble internalized molecules are sufficient to trigger their recycling via the Golgi apparatus.

The N-acetylglucosamine-specific receptor of the thyroid: purification, further characterization, and expression patterns on normal and pathological glands.

The N-acetylglucosamine receptor of the thyroid has been putatively described as both a prohormonal receptor that could play a role in the intrafollicular retention of immature thyroglobulin and a vectorial conveyor of these immature molecules to the iodination site. To further characterize this receptor, we have developed a purification procedure yielding nanomolar amounts of N-acetylglucosamine receptor. This thyroid lectin appeared to have an isoelectric point near 5.2 and to be composed of 51-kilodalton monomers with no Asn-linked glycoconjugates. Recognition of the receptor by antipeptide antibodies (Ab/ROV1) raised against a preselected sequence of cation-dependent lectins indicated immunological kinship with the Gal/GalNAc-specific hepatic lectin. Affinity-purified Ab/ROV1 and polyclonal antibodies against the purified receptor (TGRD-Ab) were used to study the location and expression pattern of the receptor on animal and human thyroid tissue. On porcine slices, positive labeling was observed in various intracellular vesicular compartments with both antibodies and was particularly intense in the apical membrane and subapical compartments. The same pattern was observed in normal human thyroid. In contrast, the receptor 1) could not be found on epithelial cells from thyroid papillary carcinoma; 2) was abundant, but concentrated in the subnuclear region of the thyrocytes in adenomatous goiter; and 3) was almost exclusively located at the basolateral membrane in follicular carcinoma as well as in thyrocytes from glands treated with antithyroid drug before surgery. These observations indicate that expression of the N-acetylglucosamine receptor is characteristic of the fully differentiated phenotype, and its potential function as a thyroglobulin conveyor back to the lumen would be either impaired or abolished in some disease processes.

Preparation and partial characterization of polyclonal antibodies raised against a preselected sequence of calcium dependent lectins.

The synthetic-peptide strategy was used to generate antibodies raised against calcium-dependent lectins of vertebrates. We demonstrate that a synthetic peptide predicted from the amino acid sequence of the carbohydrate recognition domain can induce blocking antibodies which would react with, or in close vicinity of, the binding site of the parent molecule. As the preselected sequence was chosen in a consensus sequence region, we also present preliminary investigations of the use of specific antisera as a common biological probe against calcium dependent lectins. The availability of monospecific polyclonal sera opens new possibilities in biochemical and structural studies as well as immunodection of calcium dependent lectins.

Direct fluorescence localization of an endogenous N-acetyl-glucosamine-specific lectin in the thyroid gland.

A sugar-binding protein, or endogenous lectin, was localized on fixed and paraffin-embedded thyroid sections by means of fluorescein-labelled neoglycoproteins. Fluorescence microscopy showed the binding of this lectin to be dependent on calcium ions and acidic pH and indicated sugar specificity for GlcNAc moieties only. In human, porcine and murine thyrocytes, specific binding was observed mainly on subcellular organelles. Conversely, in rabbit thyrocytes, specific labelling was seen mostly at the apical cell surface facing the follicular lumen. The possibility that this novel endogenous lectin is involved in the Tg metabolism is considered.

The N-acetylglucosamine-specific receptor of the thyroid. Binding characteristics, partial characterization, and potential role.

The binding characteristics of the GlcNAc binding protein present in thyroid membranes (Consiglio, E., Shifrin, S., Yavin, Z., Ambesi-Impiombato, F.S., Rall, J.E., Salvatore, G., and Kohn, L.D. (1981) J. Biol. Chem. 256, 10592-10599) were reinvestigated using neoglycoproteins as probes. Plasma membrane preparations from porcine thyroid specifically bound 125I-GlcNAc35-bovine serum albumin. Binding was dependent on the presence of calcium. Binding of ligand to receptor was minimal at neutral pH and maximal at pH 5.0. Equilibrium binding studies indicated positive cooperativity of binding and a site capacity of about 60 pmol/mg of protein. Competition studies were compatible with a specificity hierarchy of GlcNAc much greater than Gal; no recognition of mannose, fucose, or glucose moieties was noted. The receptor was detergent-solubilized from plasma membrane preparations and on the basis of the defined binding properties, purified by chromatography on a GlcNAc-Sepharose affinity column. The purified GlcNAc thyroid receptor has a subunit molecular size of about 45 kDa and appears to be an oligomer composed of three subunits. The receptor was identified as a component of thyrocytes by in situ cytochemical localization with fluorescent neoglycoproteins. In certain cases it was mainly present on, or near, the apical cell surface. It is suggested that this GlcNAc receptor functions in thyroglobulin metabolism, possibly involved in recycling of internalized thyroglobulin molecules back into the follicular lumen.

The thyroid lysosomal system: dynamic state of the organelles in relation to iodine release.

Endocytosis and hydrolysis of thyroglobulin (Tg) by the thyroid lysosomal system were studied in vivo in normal rats. By double labelling experiments, with 125I (old label) and 131I (new label), it was found that the well known preferential utilisation of newly labelled iodine by the thyroid follicles did not take place during endocytosis: the specific radioactivity (SRA = 131I/125I) was the same for the soluble Tg, luminal in origin, and the particulate Tg, lysosomal in origin. By contrast, the SRA of the total iodine content of the lysosomes was 2-15 times lower than the SRA of the soluble Tg. When the total lysosomal fraction (LT) was fractionated by size into subpopulations, with L1 less than LII less than LIII (Miquelis et al. [14]), it was found, after kinetics experiments, that SRA(LI) greater than SRA(LII) greater than SRA(LIII) for their iodine content. As observed after ultracentrifugation analysis on a discontinuous Ficoll gradient, only a small portion of the lysosomes is responsible for the difference of the SRA between LI and LT. Moreover, the LI subpopulation, significantly enriched in organelles of 0.03-0.25 micron diameter (Simon et al. [25], exhibits a higher acid phosphatase activity/beta-galactosidase activity ration than LT. It is suggested that 1) endocytosis is not preferential for newly iodinated Tg, 2) the thyroid lysosomes hydrolyse preferentially recently iodinated Tg, 3) Tg enters the cell by micropinocytosis, 4) the micropinocytotic vesicles fuse rapidly with primary lysosomes, 5) progressive release of iodinated compounds occur during the maturation of secondary lysosomes which fuse amongst themselves.