Isolation, biochemical and immunological characterisation of two sea urchin glycoproteins bearing sulphated poly(sialic acid) polysaccharides rich in N-glycolyl neuraminic acid.

Two different sialoproteins were isolated from the sea urchin shell by guanidine hydrochloride extraction in the presence of Triton X-100. The sialoproteins (SP I and SP II) were purified on DEAE-Sephacel and Sepharose CL-6B and separated from each other by density gradient centrifugation. The ratio between recovered SP I and SP II was 1:4.5 and their M(r)s 650 and 600 kDa, respectively. They were degraded by neuraminidase, endoglycosidase F and peptide N-glycosidase F resulting in fragments of similar relative molecular mass (M(r)s). Although their protein cores have approximately the same relative molecular mass of 500 kDa, they differ markedly in their contents of aspartic acid/asparagine, glycine, leucine and phenylalanine, as well as in the primary amino acid sequence of their N-terminal peptides. Carbohydrate analyses showed that the sialic acid content was higher in SP I (11.4% of dry tissue weight) than in the more prominent SP II (5.3%). Two types of carbohydrates, O-glycosidically-linked polysaccharides and N-glycosidically-linked oligosaccharides are present in both sialoproteins. SP I contains 10-11 polysaccharide chains whereas SP II contains 5-6. The polysaccharides are linked to protein cores via galactosamine, have approximately the same M(r) of 12 kDa and contain 32-33 N-glycolyl neuraminic acid, 10-11 glucosamine, 6-7 sulphate and 6-8 neutral monosaccharide residues. Sialic acid residues are organized in a poly(sialic acid) unit which is present in the non-reducing terminal of the polysaccharides and degraded by neuraminidase. Hexosamines, sulphates and neutral monosaccharides are all constituents of the sialic acid free region of the chain near the reducing end. Two oligosaccharide populations were isolated from SP I, one major (70% of the total oligosaccharides) with M(r) of approximately 3 kDa and the other with M(r) of 1.5 kDa. In SP II, however, only a 3-kDa oligosaccharide population was present. The oligosaccharides from both sialoproteins are N-glycosidically linked to asparagine via the glucosamine and contain mannose, glucosamine, galactosamine and sialic acids. Antibodies against SP II were raised in rabbits and it was shown that the antigenicity of SP II was lost on either neuraminidase or trypsin digestion, indicating that both the poly(sialic acid) units of the polysaccharide and the protein core are antigenically active. As expected, SP II showed considerable cross-reactivity with SP I due to the common poly(sialic acid) structure. There were no significant reactivities of SP II and SP I with antibodies to bovine bone sialoprotein and osteopontin. The biological role of the two sea urchin sialoproteins as developmentally regulated products of the tissue remains to be elucidated.

Antibodies to three chondroitin sulfate-containing proteoglycans in squid skin recognize hexa- or longer chondroitin oligosaccharides as major antigenic determinants.

The reactivities of antibodies to three squid skin proteoglycans with (a) chondroitin-derived oligosaccharides and chondroitin sulfate-derived disaccharides, (b) the proteoglycans and their constituents, and (c) chondroitin, chondroitin sulfate, and hyaluronic acid were studied with enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay inhibition tests. Immunization of rabbits with two chondroitin proteoglycans (ChPG I and ChPG II) and an oversulfated chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan (CSSPG) gave rise to highly reactive antisera which were mainly reactive with the glycosaminoglycans, the oligosaccharides, and the core proteins obtained after digestion of proteoglycans with chondroitinase AC. Inhibition of binding of antibodies to ChPG I, ChPG II, and CSSPG with chondroitin-derived oligosaccharides revealed that the minimal antigenically active structure was the hexasaccharide of chondroitin and that the respective octasaccharide was more active. Sulfated delta-disaccharides were not reactive with antibodies to ChPG I and II, whereas some reactivities (30% maximum inhibition) were obtained with antibodies to CSSPG. Chondroitin chains (80 kDa) of ChPG I and II were responsible for most of the reactivity with proteoglycans (78-95% maximum inhibition). Chemically desulfated chondroitin sulfate (12 kDa) showed considerable cross-reactivity with all antisera tested (62-68% maximum inhibition), whereas the nonsulfated molecule of hyaluronic acid and a hyaluronic acid fraction of 16 kDa were not reactive. The reactivities of antibodies with the proteoglycans' oligosaccharides and core proteins obtained by chondroitinase AC digestion were mainly due to the presence of nonsulfated chondroitin sulfate structures. This study clearly shows that the major antigenic determinants recognized by antibodies to squid skin proteoglycans, each containing chondroitin sulfates with different sulfation patterns, involve hexa- or larger chondroitin oligosaccharides.

Determination of the HNK-1 epitope (3-sulphated glucuronic acid) in intact chondroitin sulphates by ELISA. Application to squid skin proteoglycans and their oversulphated carbohydrate structures.

The reactivity of the HNK-1 monoclonal antibody to chondroitin sulphates and derived disaccharides was studied using an ELISA inhibition test. The antibody readily reacted with its specific epitope (3-sulphated glucuronic acid) in intact chondroitin sulphates as well as with the equivalent oversulphated delta 4-disaccharides obtained by chondroitinase digestion and identified as sulphated at C-3 of the hexuronate. It is showed that by using the oversulphated delta 4-disaccharides as standards in an ELISA inhibition test, the amount of 3-sulphated glucuronic acid can be estimated also in the polymer preparations. When applying this ELISA test to the PG populations isolated from squid skin, most of the oversulphation seen in HPLC analyses of these preparations was found to be associated with 3-sulphation of the glucuronic acid.

Isolation, characterization and properties of the oversulphated chondroitin sulphate proteoglycan from squid skin with peculiar glycosaminoglycan sulphation pattern.

Oversulphated chondroitin sulphate proteoglycan from squid skin was isolated from 4 M guanidine hydrochloride extract by ion-exchange chromatography, gel chromatography and density gradient centrifugation. The proteoglycan had Mr 3.5 x 10(5), contained on average six oversulphated chondroitin sulphate chains (Mr 4 x 10(4)) bound on a polypeptide of Mr 2.8 x 10(4), and oligosaccharides consisting of both hexosamines, glucuronic acid, sulphates and fucose as the only neutral monosaccharide. The major amino acids of the proteoglycan protein core are glycine (corresponding to about one third of the total amino acids), aspartic acid/asparagine and serine, together amounting to 50% of the total. The proteoglycan was resistant to the proteolytic enzymes V8 protease, trypsin (treated with diphenylcarbamoyl chloride), alpha-chymotrypsin and pronase, while it was completely degraded by papain and to a large extent by collagenase. Pretreated proteoglycan with chondroitinase AC was degraded by pronase to a large extent and slightly by V8 protease and trypsin. The proteoglycan did not interact with hyaluronic acid and did not form self-aggregates. Oversulphated chondroitin sulphate chains were composed of unusual sulphated disaccharide units which were isolated and characterized by HPLC. In particular, it contained 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-3-O-(alpha-L-threo-4-enopyranosyluronic acid)-D-galactose 4-sulphate (delta di-4S) and disulphated disaccharides (delta di-diS) [90% 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-3-O-(alpha-L-threo-4-enopyranosyluronic acid 2/3-sulphate)-D-galactose 6-sulphate (delta di-diSD) and 10% 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-3-O-(alpha-L-threo-4-enopyranosyluronic acid 2/3-sulphate)-D-galactose 4-sulphate (delta di-diSK)] as the major disaccharides, significant amounts of trisulphated disaccharides (delta di-triS) and small amounts of 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-3-O-(alpha-L-threo-4-enopyranosyluronic acid)-D-galactose 6-sulphate (delta di-6S) and 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-3-O-(alpha-L-threo-4-enopyranosyluronic acid)-D-galactose (delta di-OS). Trisulphated disaccharides contained sulphate groups at C-4 and C-6 of the galactosamine and at C-2 or C-3 of the glucuronic acid. By HPLC analysis of a pure preparation of oversulphated chondroitin sulphate, it was found that it contains glucose, galactose, mannose and fucose most likely as branches.

Isolation and chemical study of the glycosaminoglycans from squid cornea.

1. Oversulphated chondroitin sulphate (ca 93% of tissue glycosaminoglycans) with average molecular weight 72,500, chondroitin sulphate (5%) and small amounts of lowsulphated chondroitin sulphate were isolated from squid cornea. 2. The sulphation pattern of oversulphated chondroitin sulphate was delta di-4S (52%), delta di-diSD (28%), delta di-6S (9%) and delta di-OSCS (11%) and that of chondroitin sulphate 49, 1, 20 and 30% respectively. 3. All glycosaminoglycans contained neutral monosaccharides, glucose being the predominant neutral monosaccharide in oversulphated chondroitin sulphate and chondroitin sulphate and fucose in low-sulphated chondroitin sulphate. 4. Although L-iduronic acid was not detected, the digestion of oversulphated chondroitin sulphate with chondroitinases ABC and AC gave unexpected results.

Chondroitin proteoglycans from squid skin. Isolation, characterization and immunological studies.

Two populations of proteochondroitins were isolated from 4 M guanidine hydrochloride extracts of squid skin by a combination of ion exchange, gel chromatography and density gradient centrifugation. The proteoglycans, Mr 4.8 x 10(5) and 2.8 x 10(5), contained four and two chondroitin chains respectively and unusual oligosaccharides with uronic acid and sulphate groups, and had different amino acid and neutral sugar composition. The chondroitin chains isolated after alkaline borohydride treatment contained varying amounts of glucose, galactose, mannose, fucose and xylose, most likely as branches. Both proteoglycans were antigenic to the rabbit and showed considerable cross-reactivity as assessed by competition experiments using the ELISA technique. The proteoglycans reacted neither with exogenous hyaluronic acid nor with each other to form aggregates.

Determination of iduronic acid and glucuronic acid in glycosaminoglycans after stoichiometric reduction and depolymerization using high-performance liquid chromatography and ultraviolet detection.

The reduction of uronic acids in glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) prior to depolymerization reactions is one way in which the uronic acid content of polysaccharides can be studied without major losses. The obtained monosaccharides can be recovered from the subsequent depolymerization with a yield better than 95%. Following reduction, depolymerization, and lyophilization, D-glucuronic acid is converted to D-Glc and L-iduronic acid to 1,6-anhydro-idose. Per-O-benzoyl derivatives of these monosaccharides can be separated and detected in nanogram amounts using reversed phase HPLC. A linear detector response was obtained for injections up to 22 nmol (4 micrograms) of Glc and 1,6-anhydro-idose and the detection limit was 5 and 7 pmol, respectively. Reduction, depolymerization, and derivatization with subsequent chromatography of various GAGs can be readily performed in the 1- to 30-micrograms range.

Extraction and fractionation of proteoglycans from squid skin.

The extractability of squid skin proteoglycans with solutions of varying concentrations of guanidine-HCl, urea and SDS was studied; 4 M guanidine-HCl, being the best extractant, removed 95% of the tissue proteoglycans (glycosaminoglycan uronic acid). The proteoglycans in the 4 M guanidine-HCl extract were fractionated by repeated ion exchange and gel chromatography on Sepharose CL-4B to give three main populations, all being present in about equal proportions. Two populations (Kd 0.34 and 0.56) contained only chondroitin (proteochondroitin) and the other (Kd 0.50) only oversulphated chondroitin sulphate (oversulphated proteochondroitin sulphate). Two minor populations, one containing chondroitin and chondroitin sulphate and the other chondroitin sulphate and oversulphated chondroitin sulphate, were also identified.

Analysis of dentine glycosaminoglycans using high-performance liquid chromatography.

Puppy dentine was prepared using ultracentrifugation of tooth powder in organic density gradients. The glycosaminoglycans of the obtained tissue fraction were prepared after papain digestion and beta-elimination, using preparative chromatography on DEAE-cellulose and CPC-cellulose. These polysaccharide fractions were analyzed using highly sensitive HPLC procedures. One such HPLC procedure allowed hyaluronic acid to be determined in less than microgram amounts. The glycosaminoglycans thus prepared consisted only of chondroitin-4-sulfate, chondroitin-6-sulfate, and small amounts of highly hybridized dermatan sulfate, while the experiments failed to demonstrate even trace amounts of keratan sulfate, hyaluronic acid or heparan sulfate.

Analysis of the acid polysaccharides from squid cranial cartilage and examination of a novel polysaccharide.

The polysaccharides of cranical cartilage were isolated by ethanol precipitation after papain digestion and beta-elimination procedures and were fractionated chromatographically on CPC-cellulose. In addition to the previously described, heavily oversulphated chondroitin sulphate, the tissue contained small amounts of hyaluronic acid, which, however, co-eluted with the chondroitin sulphate from the CPC-cellulose. Approx. 20% of the isolated polysaccharides consisted of an acidic polysaccharide which to our knowledge is not previously described. This polysaccharide consists mainly of glucuronic acid, galactose and mannose in a molar ratio of 1:2:1. Gel chromatography of the preparation indicated a polydisperse molecule with an apparent average molecular weight of 39 200 on weight basis (Mw) and 31 400 on number basis (Mn).

Modified procedures for the determination of hexuronic acids, hexoses and proteins using the Auto Analyzer II system.

Previous automated procedures for the determination of hexuronic acids, hexoses and proteins have been modified to suit the Technicon Auto Analyzer II system. The present methods were highly reproducable and the detection limits showed to be in the order of 10 micrograms/l (hexuronic acids and hexoses) and 60 micrograms/l (protein) when 0.13--0.34 ml of the sample was used.

Determination of sulphated disaccharides from chondroitin sulphates by high-performance liquid chromatography.

A sensitive method for the determination of chondroitin 4- and 6-sulphate is presented. After chondroitinase digestion of the chondroitin sulphate preparations, the obtained disaccharides are separated on a weak anion-exchange resin in a high-performance liquid chromatography system. The method was used to study 4-sulphate to 6-sulphate ratios in chondroitin sulphates prepared from bovine nasal cartilage and human nucleus pulposus. The results show clearly that these two preparations contain considerable amounts of both isomers.