Galectin-9 as a Potential Modulator of Lymphocyte Adhesion to Endothelium via Binding to Blood Group H Glycan.

The recruitment of leukocytes from blood is one of the most important cellular processes in response to tissue damage and inflammation. This multi-step process includes rolling leukocytes and their adhesion to endothelial cells (EC), culminating in crossing the EC barrier to reach the inflamed tissue. Galectin-8 and galectin-9 expressed on the immune system cells are part of this process and can induce cell adhesion via binding to oligolactosamine glycans. Similarly, these galectins have an order of magnitude higher affinity towards glycans of the ABH blood group system, widely represented on ECs. However, the roles of gal-8 and gal-9 as mediators of adhesion to endothelial ABH antigens are practically unknown. In this work, we investigated whether H antigen-gal-9-mediated adhesion occurred between Jurkat cells (of lymphocytic origin and known to have gal-9) and EA.hy 926 cells (immortalized endothelial cells and known to have blood group H antigen). Baseline experiments showed that Jurkat cells adhered to EA.hy 926 cells; however when these EA.hy 926 cells were defucosylated (despite the unmasking of lactosamine chains), adherence was abolished. Restoration of fucosylation by insertion of synthetic glycolipids in the form of H (type 2) trisaccharide Fucα1-2Galß1-4GlcNAc restored adhesion. The degree of lymphocyte adhesion to native and the "H-restored" (glycolipid-loaded) EA.hy 926 cells was comparable. If this gal-9/H (type 2) interaction is similar to processes that occur in vivo, this suggests that only the short (trisaccharide) H glycan on ECs is required.

Localization of synthetic glycolipids in the cell and the dynamics of their insertion/loss.

Modification of the cell surface with synthetic glycolipids opens up a wide range of possibilities for studying the function of glycolipids. Synthetic glycolipids called Function-Spacer-Lipids (FSL; where F is a glycan or label, S is a spacer, and L is dioleoylphosphatidyl ethanolamine) easily and controllably modify the membrane of a living cells. This current study investigates the dynamics and mechanism of the FSL insertion and release/loss. FSL insert into the cell membrane (~1 million molecules per cell) within tens of minutes, almost regardless of the nature of the cells (including the thickness of their glycocalyx) and the size of the FSL glycan. FSLs do not accumulate uniformly, but instead form patches >300 nm in size either entrapped in the glycocalyx, or integrated in the plane of the plasma membrane, but always outside the cell rafts. The natural release (loss) of FSL from the modified cell was two orders of magnitude slower than attachment/insertion and occurred mainly in the form of released microvesicles with a size of 140 ± 5 nm. The accumulation of FSL as patches in the cell membrane is similar to the coalescence of natural glycosphingolipids and supports (along with their long residence time in the membrane) the use of FSL as probes for the study of glycosphingolipid-protein interactions.

Function-spacer-lipid constructs of Lewis and chimeric Lewis/ABH glycans. Synthesis and use in serological studies.

Seven lipophilic constructs containing Lewis (Lea, Leb, Ley) or chimeric Lewis/ABH (ALeb, BLeb, ALey, BLey) glycans were obtained starting from corresponding oligosaccharides in form of 3-aminopropyl glycosides. ALeb and BLeb pentasaccharides were synthesized via [3 + 1] blockwise approach. The constructs (neoglycolipids, or FSLs) were inserted in erythrocyte membrane, and obtained "kodecytes" were used to map the immunochemical specificity of historical and contemporary monoclonal and polyclonal blood group system Lewis reagents.

Block synthesis of A (type 2) and B (type 2) tetrasaccharides related to the human ABO blood group system.

Herein we report the synthesis of 3-aminopropyl glycosides of A (type 2) and B (type 2) tetrasaccharides via [3 + 1] block scheme. Peracetylated trichloroacetimidates of A and B trisaccharides were used as glycosyl donors. The well-known low reactivity of 4-OH group of N-acetyl-d-glucosamine forced us to test four glucosamine derivatives (3-Bz-1,6-anhydro-GlcNAc and 3-trifluoroacetamidopropyl ß-glycosides of 3-Ac-6-Bn-GlcNAc, 3-Ac-6-Bn-GlcN3, and 3-Ac-6-Bn-GlcNAc2) to select the best glycosyl acceptor for the synthesis of type 2 tetrasaccharides. The desired tetrasacchrides were not isolated, when 3-trifluoroacetamidopropyl glycosyde of 3-Ac-6-Bn-GlcNAcß was glycosylated. Glycosylation of 3-Bz-1,6-anhydro-GlcNAc derivative resulted in α-glycoside as a major product. High stereospecificity was achieved only in the synthesis of B (type 2) tetrasaccharide, when 3-trifluoroacetamidopropyl 3-Ac-6-Bn-GlcNAc2ß was applied as the glycosyl acceptor (ß/α 5:1), whereas glycosylation with trichloroacetimidate of A trisaccharide was not stereospecific (ß/α 1.3:1). Glycosylation of 3-trifluoroacetamidopropyl glycoside of 3-Ac-6-Bn-GlcN3ß with trichloroacetimidates of A and B trisaccharides provided the same stereochemical yield (ß/α 1.5:1).

Block synthesis of A tetrasaccharides (types 1, 3, and 4) related to the human ABO blood group system.

Blood group A tetrasaccharides of different types have the same terminal trisaccharide fragment that allows using a block scheme in their synthesis. 3-Aminopropyl glycosides of tetrasaccharides GalNAcα1-3(Fucα1-2)Galß1-3GlcNAcß (A type 1), GalNAcα1-3(Fucα1-2)Galß1-3GalNAcα (A type 3), and GalNAcα1-3(Fucα1-2)Galß1-3GalNAcß (A type 4) were synthesised using acetylated Galα1-3(Fucα1-2)Gal trichloroacetimidate as a glycosyl donor at the key stage.