Soluble polysialylated NCAM: a novel player of the innate immune system in the lung.

Posttranslational modification of the neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) by polysialic acid (polySia) is well studied in the nervous system and described as a dynamic modulator of plastic processes like precursor cell migration, axon fasciculation, and synaptic plasticity. Here, we describe a novel function of polysialylated NCAM (polySia-NCAM) in innate immunity of the lung. In mature lung tissue of healthy donors, polySia was exclusively attached to the transmembrane isoform NCAM-140 and located to intracellular compartments of epithelial cells. In patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, however, increased polySia levels and processing of the NCAM carrier were observed. Processing of polysialylated NCAM was reproduced in a mouse model by bleomycin administration leading to an activation of the inflammasome and secretion of interleukin (IL)-1ß. As shown in a cell culture model, polySia-NCAM-140 was kept in the late trans-Golgi apparatus of lung epithelial cells and stimulation by IL-1ß or lipopolysaccharide induced metalloprotease-mediated ectodomain shedding, resulting in the secretion of soluble polySia-NCAM. Interestingly, polySia chains of secreted NCAM neutralized the cytotoxic activity of extracellular histones as well as DNA/histone-network-containing "neutrophil extracellular traps", which are formed during invasion of microorganisms. Thus, shedding of polySia-NCAM by lung epithelial cells may provide a host-protective mechanism to reduce tissue damage during inflammatory processes.

Artificial and natural sialic acid precursors influence the angiogenic capacity of human umbilical vein endothelial cells.

N-acetylneuraminic acid (Neu5Ac) represents the most common terminal carbohydrate residue in many mammalian glycoconjugates and is directly involved in a number of different physiological as well as pathological cellular processes. Endogenous sialic acids derive from the biosynthetic precursor molecule N-acetyl-D-mannosamine (ManNAc). Interestingly, N-acyl-analogues of D-mannosamine (ManN) can also be incorporated and converted into corresponding artificial sialic acids by eukaryotic cells. Within this study, we optimized a protocol for the chemical synthesis of various peracetylated ManN derivatives resulting in yields of approximately 100%. Correct molecular structures of the obtained products ManNAc, N-propanoyl-ManN (ManNProp) and N-butyl-ManN (ManNBut) were verified by GC-, ESI-MS- and NMR-analyses. By applying these substances to human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), we could show that each derivative was metabolized to the corresponding N-acylneuraminic acid variant and subsequently incorporated into nascent glycoproteins. To investigate whether natural and/or artificial sialic acid precursors are able to modulate the angiogenic capacity of HUVECs, a spheroid assay was performed. By this means, an increase in total capillary length has been observed when cells incorporated N-butylneuraminic acid (Neu5But) into their glycoconjugates. In contrast, the natural precursor ManNAc inhibited the growth of capillaries. Thus, sialic acid precursors may represent useful agents to modulate blood vessel formation.