Studies on the regulation of the biosynthesis of glucose-containing oligosaccharide-lipids. Effect of energy deprivation

Energy deprivation, induced in thyroid slices by incubation with an uncoupler of oxidative phosphorylation (carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone) or inhibitors of respiration (N2 or antimycin A), led to a disturbance in oligosaccharide-lipid metabolism which was characterized by a pronounced depletion of the glucosylated (Glc3Man9GlcNAc2) dolichyl pyrophosphoryl saccharide with an attendant accumulation of the Man9GlcNAc2 and, to a lesser extent, the Man8GlcNAc2 lipid-linked species. A concomitant decrease in the N-glycosylation of proteins was furthermore observed. The distribution of lipid-derived oligosaccharides observed by thin layer chromatographic separation was similar whether radiolabeling was achieved by a metabolic ([14C]glucose or [2-3H]mannose incubation) or chemical ([3H]NaBH4) procedure. The latter method proved useful for measuring the levels of individual oligosaccharide-lipids in unincubated tissue, and in this way it was found that unless thyroid was rapidly frozen or immediately immersed in oxygenated medium a marked decrease of glucose-containing oligosaccharide-lipids occurred which could, however, be reversed by a short incubation. The addition of glucose to the slice incubations did not prevent the Man8-9GlcNAc2 accumulation brought about by the inhibitors of energy production, nor did it alter the oligosaccharide-lipid pattern of uninhibited slices. The effect of the inhibitors on metabolically labeled liver slices was similar to that observed in thyroid. The size of the total chloroform/methanol/water (10:10:3)-extractable oligosaccharide-lipid pool (Glc3-Man9GlcNAc2 to Man5GlcNAc2) of thyroid remained quite constant (about 2 nmol/g) regardless of the energy state, and no substantial change in the level of smaller oligosaccharide-lipids, primarily represented by Man2GlcNAc2 (0.5 nmol/g) was evident. Moreover, no change in the total pool sizes was observed in puromycin-treated slices. The possible mechanisms by which energy deprivation leads to an accumulation of the glucose-free oligosaccharide-lipids are evaluated. While it is likely that a selective impairment of glucosylation of newly formed molecules occurs, it is also possible that an imbalance occurs in a postulated glucosyltransferase-glucosidase shuttle with a trapping of the oligosaccharide-lipid in its unglucosylated form.

Studies on the synthesis and processing of the asparagine-linked carbohydrate units of glycoproteins

It has become apparent in recent years from the work of a number of laboratories that the N-glycosylation of both membrane and secretory glycoproteins is effected by the transfer en bloc to nascent polypeptides of a glucose-containing oligosaccharide (Glc3Man9GlcNAc2) from a dolichyl pyrophosphoryl carrier; this is followed by a series of modifying reactions to yield the mature polymannose and complex asparagine-linked carbohydrate units. The enzymic steps involved in the assembly of the precursor oligosaccharide, its transfer to protein and its subsequent processing represent potential sites for the regulation of glycoprotein synthesis. Studies performed in our laboratory have dealt primarily with thyroid slices and particulate enzymes with special regard to the role of glucose in these events. Thyroglobulin, the major secretory glycoprotein of this tissue, has well defined complex and polymannose saccharide units, and indeed the most complete form of the latter (Man9GlcNAc2) has the same structure as the lipid-linked oligosaccharide without the glucose. Our studies indicate that effective N-glycosylation requires a complete glucose chain (Glc3) and that the glucose sequence is assembled from dolichol-P-glucose in a stepwise manner through the concerted action of at least two transferases in a fashion complementary to the subsequent excision of this sugar by glucosidases. Pulse-chase studies indicate that, after the transfer to protein, the removal of all three glucose residues as well as of the first mannose takes place in the endoplasmic reticulum and three additional mannoses are excised in the Golgi complex, because in the presence of an inhibitor of intracellular transport, carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone (CCCP), there is a pronounced accumulation of protein-linked Man8GlcNAc2. Studies with metabolic inhibitors (CCCP, antimycin, N2) indicate that, under conditions of energy depletion, glucosylation of oligosaccharide-lipid is selectively impaired, resulting in an accumulation, as measured chemically or metabolically, of high-mannose-containing (Man9GlcNAc2 and Man8GlcNAc2) lipid-linked saccharides. Further evidence that the glucosylation reaction is very sensitive to the metabolic state is suggested by the observation that tissues not rapidly frozen after removal from the animal show a similar depletion of the glucose-containing oligosaccharide lipids. Another important aspect for the regulation of N-glycosylation of proteins is the availability of dolichyl phosphate for the formation of the lipid-linked mono- and oligosaccharides. Our studies with puromycin suggest that there is a limited supply of the lipid carrier, because in the presence of this inhibitor there is no accumulation of any of the oligosaccharide-lipid species.

Lens epithelial cell adhesion to lens capsule: a model system for cell-basement membrane interaction

Adhesion of calf lens epithelial cells to lens capsule, their natural basement membrane was found to be considerably more rapid than either to plastic or to type I or type IV collagen coated surfaces. No polarity of the basement membrane was observed as the cells were able to attach to either side of the anterior or posterior lens capsule; a prerequisite for adhesion to the lenticular side of the anterior capsule was the prior removal of its epithelial cell layer. The attachment was energy-dependent and required calcium and magnesium ions, but was not enhanced by the presence of serum. Neither exogenous fibronectin nor laminin was able to stimulate attachment or spreading of lens cells to the capsule even when the cells had been treated with cycloheximide. Since rapid adhesion and spreading takes place in this lens cell-lens capsule system without requirement of exogenous macromolecules, it provides a favorable model for investigating the determinants in epithelial cell-basement membrane interactions.

Effect of diabetes on the glycosaminoglycan component of the human glomerular basement membrane

The glycosaminoglycan (heparan sulfate) component of glomerular basement membranes from human kidneys of diabetic and nondiabetic subjects has been quantitated after isolation from protease digests of the membranes on DEAE-cellulose microcolumns. A significant decrease (P less than 0.005) in the glycosaminoglycan content of diabetic membranes was observed. Heparan sulfate was identified as the predominant glycosaminoglycan in both diabetic and control subjects and the extent of its sulfation appeared to be similar. The reduced level of glycosaminoglycan in the diabetic glomerular basement membrane was accompanied by a significant elevation of hexoses, which are primarily associated with the collagen component, suggesting that a redistribution of basement membrane macromolecules occurs in the diabetic state. Since heparan sulfate has been implicated as a major component of the glomerular anionic filtration barrier, its decreased content in diabetic basement membranes may contribute to the proteinuria observed in this disease.

Comparative studies on amniotic fluid and plasma fibronectins

Human fibronectin was isolated from second-trimester amniotic fluid, from amniotic fluid obtained at term and from adult plasma. The amniotic-fluid fibronectins had a slightly higher apparent molecular weight on sodium dodecyl sulphate/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis than the plasma fibronectin. Early- and late-amniotic-fluid fibronectin had 9.5 and 9.6% carbohydrate respectively, whereas plasma fibronectin had 5.8%. The amniotic-fluid fibronectins had similar mannose and sialic acid contents to plasma fibronectin, but greater amounts of glucosamine, galactosamine, galactose and fucose. There were no detectable differences in the amino-acid composition of amniotic-fluid and plasma fibronectins, and the patterns of peptides obtained after tryptic digestion of fibronectin from the two sources showed extensive similarities. Fibronectins from plasma and amniotic fluid were equally active in promoting cell attachment and were immunologically indistinguishable. These results show that fibronectin from amniotic fluid is more heavily glycosylated than plasma fibronectin or previously analysed fibronectins from cultured fibroblasts. The observed differences in glycosylation may be related to cell type and/or stage of development.

Isolation and characterization of three major glycoproteins from thyroid plasma membranes

Three major glycoproteins of calf thyroid plasma membranes were preferentially solubilized by chloroform/methanol extraction and recovered along with glycolipids in the aqueous phase. After removal of lipid from this extract, a fraction was obtained which accounted for about 20% of the carbohydrate of the membrane but only 2% of its peptide weight. Partial resolution of the components could be achieved by filtration on Bio-Gel A-5m, while preparative polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis resulted in the isolation in homogeneous form of approximately equal amounts of the three glycoproteins which were designated as GP-1, GP-2, and GP-3, in order of their increasing mobility. These purified glycoproteins appeared on electrophoresis as single components by periodic acid-Schiff staining as well as by distribution of radioactivity following 3H or 14C labeling. Molecular weights of 100,000, 59,000, and 20,000 were estimated for the three components on the basis of their retardation coefficients. The total carbohydrate content by weight determined for GP-1, GP-2, and GP-3 was 56, 57, and 79%, respectively. The sugar constituents were mannose, galactose, fucose, glucosamine, galactosamine, and sialic acid, which were present in the following mol per cents: GP-1, 13:32:5:24:13:12; GP-2, 20:28:3:32:5:11; GP-3, 12:36:2:34:6:10. Studies performed with various lectins (Bandeiraea simplicifolia I and I (B4), wheat germ, Ricinus communis, and soybean) on the gycoproteins, either native or after treatment with glycosidases (alpha- or beta-galactosidase, neuraminidase), indicated that sialic acid and alpha-linked galactose were in terminal positions, beta-galactosyl residues were internally located, and chains containing the sequence sialic acid-N-acetylgalactosamine were present.

Glomerular basement membrane metabolism in the diabetic rat. In vivo studies

The effect of diabetes on the metabolism of the renal glomerular basement membrane has been studied in the rat with the aid of injected tracer doses of tritiated proline. At various times after administration of the labeled amino acid, the specific radioactivities of the proline and hydroxyproline of the basement membranes from alloxan diabetic rats were determined and compared with those of age-matched normal rats. In both normal and diabetic animals the incorporation of radioactivity into the basement membrane was slow and, after a maximum was reached, an extended period of almost constant specific activity of proline and hydroxyproline was observed. The diabetic basement membrane, however, differed from the normal by attaining specific activities of the amino acids which were about twice as high as normal (P less than 0.001 at 42 h after injection of radioisotope). Although the proline concentration of serum and renal cortical fluid was the same in normal and diabetic rats, there were substantial differences in the specific activity of this precursor amino acid in these pools that had to be taken into account to compare the two types of animals. The results of the present study are consistent with an accelerated rate of glomerular basement membrane polypeptide synthesis and proline hydroxylation in diabetes.

Studies on the metabolism of the renal glomerular basement membrane. Turnover measurements in the rat with the use of radiolabeled amino acids

The synthesis and degradation of the renal glomerular basement membrane have been investigated in the rat with the aid of injected tracer doses of various tritiated amino acids including L-proline, L-lysine, L-phenylalanine, L-leucine, and glycine. After incorporation into the basement membrane the turnover times of these amino acid constituents, as well as of hydroxyproline and hydroxylysine, were determined from the decay in their specific radioactivities. The loss of radioactivity from the proline and hydroxyproline of the glomerular basement membrane was as slow as that from tail tendon collagen in the same animals (turnover time of more than 100 days) and contrasted with the radiodecay of the proline in other glomerular proteins (turnover time of 9 days). The glycine of the membrane similarly turned over at this very slow rate. The total replacement times of the leucine, hydroxylysine, lysine, and phenylalanine constituents of the basement membrane were determined to be somewhat shorter with a range of 65 to 23 days. The nonuniform turnover of these membrane components may be a function of the polydispersity of the peptide subunits of the basement membrane observed by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and may reflect a subtle morphological and functional heterogeneity. The amino acid and saccharide composition of the rat glomerular basement membrane used in these studies are also reported.