Enzymatic amplification involving glycosyltransferases forms the basis for the increased size of asparagine-linked glycans at the surface of NIH 3T3 cells expressing the N-ras proto-oncogene

Acute myeloid leukaemia blast cells bind to human endothelium in vitro utilizing E-selectin and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1)

The adhesion of acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) blast cells to human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) was investigated in vitro. Adhesion of blast cells from 10 cases of AML to unstimulated and interleukin-1 beta (IL-1) stimulated HUVECs was similar to or greater than that of control neutrophils. The extent to which endothelial E-selectin and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) were involved in this adhesive process was investigated using blocking monoclonal antibodies to these proteins. In the majority of cases studied (7/8), anti-E-selectin significantly inhibited adhesion to IL-1 stimulated endothelium (26-65% inhibition) and in 5/8 cases so did anti-VCAM-1 (maximum of 31% inhibition). All cases were found to express the sialylated Lewis x antigen and very late activation antigen-4, ligands for E-selectin and VCAM-1 respectively. Our results indicate that leukaemic blast cells adhere to human endothelium and that there are E-selectin and, to a lesser extent, VCAM-1-dependent components to this process. Such adhesive interactions are likely to confer on AML blast cells the ability to migrate across the vascular wall and so to establish extravascular disease.

Induction of N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase V by elevated expression of activated or proto-Ha-ras oncogenes

Viral infection of cultured cells with transforming viruses causes an increase in cell-surface N-linked beta 1-6 (GlcNAc beta 1-6Man) branching of complex-type oligosaccharides. Similar observations have been made after transfection of cells with activated oncogenes, which is associated with an induction of tumorigenic and metastatic properties. In this study, the effects of transfection of both activated and proto-Ha-ras oncogenes into NIH3T3 cells were analyzed. The results showed that, in comparison with NIH3T3 cells, both ras transfectants have increased sensitivity to the cytotoxic action of L-PHA. An increase in beta 1-6 branching and an increased level of N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase V (GlcNAc-T V), the enzyme which initiates the beta 1-6 branching were also observed. The levels of GlcNAc-T I and beta 1-4 Gal-T remained unchanged in activated Ha-ras transfected NIH3T3 cells. These data suggest that a specific induction of GlcNAc-T V occurs after transfection with either the proto- or activated Ha-ras oncogenes, which is responsible for the increased beta 1-6 branching previously observed.

Sialyltransferase activity in FR3T3 cells transformed with ras oncogene: decreased CMP-Neu5Ac:Gal beta 1-3GalNAc alpha-2,3-sialyltransferase

We have investigated the activity of CMP-Neu5Ac:Gal beta 1-3GalNAc alpha-2,3-sialyltransferase (EC 2.4.99.4) in FR3T3 cells transformed by the Ha-ras oncogene in which we have previously demonstrated the higher expression of the beta-galactosidase alpha-2,6-sialyltransferase (EC 2.4.99.1) [21]. We demonstrate that the presence of the activated ras gene decreases the activity of this specific alpha-2,3-sialyltransferase fourfold. According to the kinetic parameters and to mixing experiments, we can assume that this decreased enzymatic activity reflects a decrease in the number of active O-glycan alpha-2,3-sialyltransferase polypeptides in ras-transformed cells. However, no change in the binding of Peanut agglutinin was observed on the cell surface of ras-transformed FR3T3 suggesting that no change in the sialylation of O-glycan core 1 appeared in these cells, although the activity of the alpha-2,3-sialyltransferase was decreased.

Enzymatic characterization of CMP-NeuAc:Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc-R alpha(2-3)-sialyltransferase from human placenta

In this report we present the enzymatic characterization of CMP-NeuAc:Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc-R alpha(2-3)-sialyltransferase from human placenta using placenta membranes as an enzyme preparation. This sialyltransferase is highly sensitive to detergents and prefers type 2 chain (Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc) over type 1 chain (Gal beta 1-3GlcNAc) acceptors. Oligosaccharides and glycopeptides were better acceptor substrates than glycoproteins. Of the branched oligosaccharides, those with a bisected N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) structure appeared to be poorer substrates, while triantennary structures containing a Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc beta 1-4Man alpha 1-3Man branch were preferred. Product characterization, using 400 MHz 1H-NMR spectroscopy, confirmed that sialic acid was introduced into the Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc-R units of the acceptor substrates in an alpha (2-3) linkage, and revealed that this sialyltransferase does not prefer either of the two branches of a complex type di-antennary glycopeptide acceptor for sialic acid attachment. These properties distinguish this enzyme from all other sialyltransferases characterized to date.

Transcriptional induction of beta-galactoside alpha-2,6-sialyltransferase in rat fibroblast by dexamethasone

The beta-galactoside alpha-2,6-sialyltransferase activity of Fisher rat fibroblasts is enhanced by dexamethasone while the activity of the beta-galactoside alpha-2,3-sialyltransferase remains unchanged. This glucocorticoid-dependent activation can be inhibited by the antagonist RU 38,486 and results from an elevated transcription rate of the 4.7-kb mRNA previously characterized in rat fibroblasts, distinct from the 4.3-kb liver-restricted mRNA. As shown by the binding of radiolabelled Sambucus nigra agglutinin, this activation leads to an increase of NeuNAc(alpha 2-6)Gal sequences on glycoproteins isolated from the dexamethasone-treated cells.

The metastatic potential of rat prostate tumor variant R3327-MatLyLu is correlated with an increased activity of N-acetylglucosaminyl transferase III and V

Enzyme activities of N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase (GlcNAc-Tase) I-V involved in N-linked complex-type carbohydrate synthesis were determined in a non-metastatic hormone-dependent rat prostate tumor (R3327-H) and a related, hormone-independent variant metastasizing to lymph nodes and lungs (R3327-MatLyLu). In the metastasizing variant a significantly increased activity of both GlcNAc-Tase III and GlcNAc-Tase V was observed, whereas the activities of GlcNAc-Tase I and II were essentially unchanged. The increase in activity of GlcNAc-Tase III is particularly noteworthy since it indicates that elevated expression of this enzyme cannot be considered as an exclusive marker of hepatic malignancy.

Comparison of sialyl- and alpha-1,3-galactosyltransferase activity in NIH3T3 cells transformed with ras oncogene: increased beta-galactoside alpha-2,6-sialyltransferase

Previous studies have indicated that transfection of NIH3T3 cells with the ras oncogene induced modifications of the terminal glycosylation of N-linked glycans which appeared in the early stage after transfection. These changes affected especially the terminal part of N-linked glycans which is substituted with alpha-1,3-Gal residues in NIH3T3 and with Neu5Ac residues in the ras-transformed counterpart. We have transformed NIH3T3 cells with the human c-Ha-ras oncogene, evaluated tumorigenicity and metastatic capacity in vivo and compared alpha-1,3-galactosyltransferase, alpha-2,3- and alpha-2,6-sialyltransferases activities. By using different specific acceptors, we detected the enhancement of sialic acid transfer in transformed cells while the activity of alpha-1,3-galactosyltransferase remained unchanged. We showed that the higher sialyltransferase activity was due to the increase of beta-galactoside alpha-2,6-sialyltransferase in ras-transfectant although alpha-2,3-sialyltransferase was weakly expressed in these cells. On the basis of binding of different lectins, we correlated these observations with changes of protein glycosylation. We concluded that altered glycosylation of ras-transformed NIH3T3 is the result of a competitive effect of the enzymes acting for terminal glycosylation of N-linked glycans and the reflection of the higher expression of alpha-2,6-sialyltransferase.