New synthetic cluster ligands for galactose/N-acetylgalactosamine-specific lectin of mammalian liver

Synthetic ligands containing up to six residues of nonreducing terminal galactose were prepared. The synthesis involved coupling of carboxyl groups of N-benzyloxy-carbonylaspartic acid or of N-benzyloxycarbonyltyrosyl-gamma-glutamylglutamic acid to the omega-amino group of the aglycon of a glycoside that contained up to three lactosyl residues. The benzyloxycarbonyl group was removed by hydrogenolysis before these ligands were tested as inhibitors to the binding of 125I-asialoorosomucoid to the galactose/N-acetylgalactosamine lectin, both soluble and on the surface of freshly isolated mammalian hepatocytes. Each addition of a galactosyl residue to an existing ligand structure invariably increased the binding affinity of such a ligand. However, at each level of galactose valency, the binding constant varied as much as 1000-fold depending on the structure of the ligand. At a given level of valency, the binding strength of a cluster ligand depended mainly on two factors: (1) the maximum spatial inter-galactose distances and (2) the flexibility of the arm connecting galactosyl residues and the branch points. It has been postulated that the three galactose-combining sites of the lectin are arranged in space at the vertexes of a triangle whose sides are 15, 22, and 25 A [Lee, Y. C., Townsend, R. R., Hardy, M. R., Lönngren, J., & Bock, K. (1984) in Biochemical and Biophysical Studies of Proteins and Nucleic Acids (Lo, T. B., Liu, T. Y., & Li, C. H., Eds.) pp 349-360, Elsevier, New York]. Ligands having inter-galactose distances shorter than these lengths were invariably poor ligands at their respective level of valency.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Immobilization of proteins on partially hydrolyzed agarose beads

Treatment of agarose beads with mild acid (0.2 M HCl, 55 degrees C, several hours) hydrolyzes some of the glycosidic bonds between D-galactosyl residues and 3,6-anhydro-L-galactosyl residues, and thus produces aldehydo-groups useful for immobilization of amino compounds by reductive amination with NaCNBH3. More than 20 mg (0.3 mumol) of bovine serum albumin could be coupled per gram of partially hydrolyzed agarose beads. Arthrobacter neuraminidase immobilized by this method was useful for desialylation of sialyl glycoconjugates, and was found not to leach from the gel and to be much more thermostable than the free enzyme.

Recent research on the etiology of esophageal cancer in China

China could be expected to offer good opportunities for the investigation of esophageal cancer since it has both high and low incidence areas. However, it seems impossible to attribute the induction of esophageal cancer to one particular substance--it rather seems to be caused by a variety of factors. To the authors' opinion, esophageal cancer may originate from exposure to N-nitroso compounds or mycotoxins. Lack of certain trace elements or essential vitamins may also play a role. Contrary to France, which also has high incidence areas of esophageal cancer, excessive alcohol consumption is of no importance in China. It is not clear whether genetic factors can be discussed.