Profiling heparin-chemokine interactions using synthetic tools

Harnessing glycomics technologies: integrating structure with function for glycan characterization

Glycans, or complex carbohydrates, are a ubiquitous class of biological molecule which impinge on a variety of physiological processes ranging from signal transduction to tissue development and microbial pathogenesis. In comparison to DNA and proteins, glycans present unique challenges to the study of their structure and function owing to their complex and heterogeneous structures and the dominant role played by multivalency in their sequence-specific biological interactions. Arising from these challenges, there is a need to integrate information from multiple complementary methods to decode structure-function relationships. Focusing on acidic glycans, we describe here key glycomics technologies for characterizing their structural attributes, including linkage, modifications, and topology, as well as for elucidating their role in biological processes. Two cases studies, one involving sialylated branched glycans and the other sulfated glycosaminoglycans, are used to highlight how integration of orthogonal information from diverse datasets enables rapid convergence of glycan characterization for development of robust structure-function relationships.

Polysaccharide microarrays: application to the identification of heparan sulphate mimetics

The interaction of polysaccharides with proteins modulates or triggers many biological effects. In particular, heparan sulphate proteoglycans (HSPGs) have multiple regulatory interactions with growth factors, enzymes, enzyme inhibitors, and some components of the extracellular matrix. The important role played by HSPGs has motivated the synthesis and selection of HSPG mimetics for modulating the biological activity of HS-binding proteins. We present hereinafter an efficient polysaccharide microarray method that allows the screening of HS-mimetic libraries towards HS-binding growth factors, a major class of polypeptides whose inhibition or potentiation is of high medical interest.

Glycosaminoglycan and chemokine/growth factor interactions

Heparin and glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) related structurally to heparin, notably heparan sulphate, bind to most, if not all, chemokines and many growth factors. The chemokine and growth factor interactions with GAGs localise the peptide mediators to specific sites in tissues and influence their stability and function. This chapter discusses the nature of these interactions and the effect on the function of a number of chemokines (PF-4, interleukin-8, RANTES and SDF-1) and growth factors (FGF, HGF, VEGF) in normal physiology and the disease setting. Novel therapeutic interventions that target chemokine and growth factor interactions with GAGs are also discussed.

Recent advances and future challenges in glycan microarray technology

Glycan microarrays, carrying hundreds of different sugars on chip surfaces, have become a standard tool for the study of interactions of biomolecules with carbohydrates. The chip-based format offers important advantages, including the ability to screen in parallel several thousand binding events on a single slide, the minimal amount of sample required for one experiment, and the multivalent display of sugars on the chip that mimics the presentation of carbohydrates in nature. This chapter presents recent advances and future challenges in glycan microarray technology. We describe different immobilization and detection methods as well as applications in glycomics, drug discovery, and biomedicine.

Expression of duck CCL19 and CCL21 and CCR7 receptor in lymphoid and influenza-infected tissues

Ducks are the natural host and reservoir of influenza viruses. We are interested in their immune responses to these viruses, to understand host-pathogen interactions and to develop effective agricultural vaccines. We identified duck homologues of the chemokines CCL19 and CCL21 and cloned their cognate receptor, CCR7. Conservation of key features, and expression in lymphoid tissues suggests that these chemokines are the direct orthologues of their mammalian counterparts. Mammalian CCL19 and CCL21 are responsible for the homing of dendritic cells and naïve lymphocytes to secondary lymphoid tissues. The contribution of local tertiary lymphoid tissues may be important during influenza infection in ducks. Consistent with leukocyte recruitment, CCL19 and CCL21 transcripts are abundant in lung tissues at 1 day post-infection with highly pathogenic avian influenza A/Vietnam/1203/04 (H5N1) (VN1203). In contrast, expression in lung or intestine tissues infected with low pathogenic A/mallard/BC/500/05 (H5N2) (BC500) is not significant. Recruitment and aggregation of leukocytes is visible in the vicinity of major airways 3 days after infection with VN1203. Chemokine gene expression may serve as a useful marker to evaluate duck immune responses to natural infections and vaccine strains.

CXCL13/CXCR5 signaling enhances BCR-triggered B-cell activation by shaping cell dynamics

Continuous migration of B cells at the follicle contrasts with their stable arrest after encounter with antigen. Two main ligand/receptor pairs are involved in these cell behaviors: the chemokine CXCL13/chemokine receptor CXCR5 and antigen/BCR. Little is known regarding the interplay between CXCR5 and BCR signaling in the modulation of B-cell dynamics and its effect on B-cell activation. We used a 2-dimensional model to study B-cell migration and antigen recognition in real time, and found that BCR signaling strength alters CXCL13-mediated migration, leading to a heterogeneous B-cell behavior pattern. In addition, we demonstrate that CXCL13/CXCR5 signaling does not impair BCR-triggered immune synapse formation and that CXCR5 is excluded from the central antigen cluster. CXCL13/CXCR5 signaling enhances BCR-mediated B-cell activation in at least 2 ways: (1) it assists antigen gathering at the synapse by promoting membrane ruffling and lymphocyte function-associated antigen 1 (LFA-1)-supported adhesion, and (2) it allows BCR signaling integration in motile B cells through establishment of LFA-1-supported migratory junctions. Both processes require functional actin cytoskeleton and non-muscle myosin II motor protein. Therefore, the CXCL13/CXCR5 signaling effect on shaping B-cell dynamics is an effective mechanism that enhances antigen encounter and BCR-triggered B-cell activation.

Characterization of annexin A1 glycan binding reveals binding to highly sulfated glycans with preference for highly sulfated heparan sulfate and heparin

Annexin A1 is a multifunctional, calcium-dependent phospholipid binding protein involved in a host of processes including inflammation, regulation of neuroendocrine signaling, apoptosis, and membrane trafficking. Binding of annexin A1 to glycans has been implicated in cell attachment and modulation of annexin A1 function. A detailed characterization of the glycan binding preferences of annexin A1 using carbohydrate microarrays and surface plasmon resonance served as a starting point to understand the role of glycan binding in annexin A1 function. Glycan array analysis identified annexin A1 binding to a series of sulfated oligosaccharides and revealed for the first time that annexin A1 binds to sulfated non-glycosaminoglycan carbohydrates. Using heparin/heparan sulfate microarrays, highly sulfated heparan sulfate/heparin were identified as preferred ligands of annexin A1. Binding of annexin A1 to heparin/heparan sulfate is calcium- but not magnesium-dependent. An in-depth structure-activity relationship of annexin A1-heparan sulfate interactions was established using chemically defined sugars. For the first time, a calcium-dependent heparin binding protein was characterized with such an approach. N-Sulfation and 2-O-sulfation were identified as particularly important for binding.

A critical role for lymphatic endothelial heparan sulfate in lymph node metastasis

BACKGROUND

Lymph node metastasis constitutes a key event in tumor progression. The molecular control of this process is poorly understood. Heparan sulfate is a linear polysaccharide consisting of unique sulfate-modified disaccharide repeats that allow the glycan to bind a variety of proteins, including chemokines. While some chemokines may drive lymphatic trafficking of tumor cells, the functional and genetic importance of heparan sulfate as a possible mediator of chemokine actions in lymphatic metastasis has not been reported.

RESULTS

We applied a loss-of-function genetic approach employing lymphatic endothelial conditional mutations in heparan sulfate biosynthesis to study the effects on tumor-lymphatic trafficking and lymph node metastasis. Lymphatic endothelial deficiency in N-deacetylase/N-sulfotransferase-1 (Ndst1), a key enzyme involved in sulfating nascent heparan sulfate chains, resulted in altered lymph node metastasis in tumor-bearing gene targeted mice. This occurred in mice harboring either a pan-endothelial Ndst1 mutation or an inducible lymphatic-endothelial specific mutation in Ndst1. In addition to a marked reduction in tumor metastases to the regional lymph nodes in mutant mice, specific immuno-localization of CCL21, a heparin-binding chemokine known to regulate leukocyte and possibly tumor-cell traffic, showed a marked reduction in its ability to associate with tumor cells in mutant lymph nodes. In vitro modified chemotaxis studies targeting heparan sulfate biosynthesis in lymphatic endothelial cells revealed that heparan sulfate secreted by lymphatic endothelium is required for CCL21-dependent directional migration of murine as well as human lung carcinoma cells toward the targeted lymphatic endothelium. Lymphatic heparan sulfate was also required for binding of CCL21 to its receptor CCR7 on tumor cells as well as the activation of migration signaling pathways in tumor cells exposed to lymphatic conditioned medium. Finally, lymphatic cell-surface heparan sulfate facilitated receptor-dependent binding and concentration of CCL21 on the lymphatic endothelium, thereby serving as a mechanism to generate lymphatic chemokine gradients.

CONCLUSIONS

This work demonstrates the genetic importance of host lymphatic heparan sulfate in mediating chemokine dependent tumor-cell traffic in the lymphatic microenvironment. The impact on chemokine dependent lymphatic metastasis may guide novel therapeutic strategies.

Endothelial heparan sulfate controls chemokine presentation in recruitment of lymphocytes and dendritic cells to lymph nodes

Heparan sulfate can bind several adhesion molecules involved in lymphocyte trafficking. However, the in vivo function of endothelial heparan sulfate in lymphocyte homing and stimulation of the immune response has not been elucidated. Here, we generated mutant mice deficient in the enzyme Ext1, which is required for heparan sulfate synthesis, in a Tek-dependent and inducible manner. Chemokine presentation was diminished in the mutant mice, causing the lack of appropriate integrin-mediated adhesion, and resulted in a marked decrease in lymphocyte sticking to high endothelial venules and in recruitment of resident dendritic cells through lymphatic vessels to the lymph nodes. As a consequence, mutant mice displayed a severe impairment in lymphocyte homing and a compromised contact hypersensitivity response. By contrast, lymphocyte rolling was increased because of loss of electrostatic repulsion by heparan sulfate. These results demonstrate critical roles of endothelial heparan sulfate in immune surveillance and immune response generation.

Role of the atypical chemoattractant receptor CRAM in regulating CCL19 induced CCR7 responses in B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia

Background

The non-signalling chemokine receptors, including receptors DARC, D6 and CCX-CKR, have recently been shown to be involved in chemokine clearance and activity regulation. The human chemokine receptor CRAM (also known as HCR or CCRL2) is the most recently identified member of this atypical group. CRAM is expressed on B cells in a maturation-stage dependent manner and absent on T cells. We have recently shown that it competitively binds CCL19. CCL19 and its signalling receptor CCR7 are critical components involved in cell recruitment to secondary lymphoid organs and in maturation. B cell Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (B-CLL) is a low-grade lymphoma characterized by proliferative centres (or pseudofollicles). Proliferative centres develop due to abnormal cellular localisation and they are involved in the development of malignant cells. CCR7 is highly expressed on B cells from CLL patients and mediates migration towards its ligands CCL19 and CCL21, while CRAM expression and potential interferences with CCR7 are yet to be characterized.

Results

In this study, we show that B cells from patients with B-CLL present highly variable degrees of CRAM expression in contrast to more consistently high levels of CCR7. We investigated the hypothesis that, similar to the atypical receptor DARC, CRAM can modulate chemokine availability and/or efficacy, resulting in the regulation of cellular activation. We found that a high level of CRAM expression was detrimental to efficient chemotaxis with CCL19. MAP-kinase phosphorylation and intracellular calcium release induced by CCL19 were also altered by CRAM expression. In addition, we demonstrate that CRAM-induced regulation of CCL19 signalling is maintained over time.

Conclusions

We postulate that CRAM is a factor involved in the fine tuning/control of CCR7/CCL19 mediated responses. This regulation could be critical to the pivotal role of CCL19 induced formation of proliferation centres supporting the T/B cells encounter as well as disease progression in B-CLL.

B cell follicles and antigen encounters of the third kind

Defining where and in what form lymphocytes encounter antigen is fundamental to understanding how immune responses occur. Although knowledge of the recognition of antigen by CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells has advanced greatly, understanding of the dynamics of B cell-antigen encounters has lagged. With the application of advanced imaging approaches, encounters of this third kind are now being brought into focus. Multiple processes facilitate these encounters, from the filtering functions of lymphoid tissues and migration paths of B cells to the antigen-presenting properties of macrophages and follicular dendritic cells. This Review will discuss how these factors work together in the lymph node to ensure efficient and persistent exposure of B cells to diverse forms of antigen and thus effective triggering of the humoral response.

Chemical approaches to glycobiology

Glycans are ubiquitous components of all organisms. Efforts to elucidate glycan function and to understand how they are assembled and disassembled can reap benefits in fields ranging from bioenergy to human medicine. Significant advances in our knowledge of glycan biosynthesis and function are emerging, and chemical biology approaches are accelerating the pace of discovery. Novel strategies for assembling oligosaccharides, glycoproteins, and other glycoconjugates are providing access to critical materials for interrogating glycan function. Chemoselective reactions that facilitate the synthesis of glycan-substituted imaging agents, arrays, and materials are yielding compounds to interrogate and perturb glycan function and dysfunction. To complement these advances, small molecules are being generated that inhibit key glycan-binding proteins or biosynthetic enzymes. These examples illustrate how chemical glycobiology is providing new insight into the functional roles of glycans and new opportunities to interfere with or exploit these roles.

Towards the assembly of heparin and heparan sulfate oligosaccharide libraries: efficient synthesis of uronic acid and disaccharide building blocks

The monosaccharide moieties found in heparin (HP) and heparan sulfate (HS), glucosamine and two kinds of uronic acids, glucuronic and iduronic acids, were efficiently synthesized by use of glucosamine hydrochloride and glucurono-6,3-lactone as starting compounds. In the synthesis of the disaccharide building block, the key issues of preparation of uronic acids (glucuronic acid and iduronic acid moieties) were achieved in 12 steps and 15 steps, respectively, without cumbersome C-6 oxidation. The resulting monosaccharide moieties were utilized to the syntheses of HP/HS disaccharide building blocks possessing glucosamine-glucuronic acid (GlcN-GlcA) or iduronic acid (GlcN-IdoA) sequences. The disaccharide building blocks were also suitable for further modification such as glycosylation, selective deprotection, and sulfation.

Immobilized chemokine fields and soluble chemokine gradients cooperatively shape migration patterns of dendritic cells

Chemokines orchestrate immune cell trafficking by eliciting either directed or random migration and by activating integrins in order to induce cell adhesion. Analyzing dendritic cell (DC) migration, we showed that these distinct cellular responses depended on the mode of chemokine presentation within tissues. The surface-immobilized form of the chemokine CCL21, the heparan sulfate-anchoring ligand of the CC-chemokine receptor 7 (CCR7), caused random movement of DCs that was confined to the chemokine-presenting surface because it triggered integrin-mediated adhesion. Upon direct contact with CCL21, DCs truncated the anchoring residues of CCL21, thereby releasing it from the solid phase. Soluble CCL21 functionally resembles the second CCR7 ligand, CCL19, which lacks anchoring residues and forms soluble gradients. Both soluble CCR7 ligands triggered chemotactic movement, but not surface adhesion. Adhesive random migration and directional steering cooperate to produce dynamic but spatially restricted locomotion patterns closely resembling the cellular dynamics observed in secondary lymphoid organs.

Evidence of positive selection at codon sites localized in extracellular domains of mammalian CC motif chemokine receptor proteins

Background

CC chemokine receptor proteins (CCR1 through CCR10) are seven-transmembrane G-protein coupled receptors whose signaling pathways are known for their important roles coordinating immune system responses through targeted trafficking of white blood cells. In addition, some of these receptors have been identified as fusion proteins for viral pathogens: for example, HIV-1 strains utilize CCR5, CCR2 and CCR3 proteins to obtain cellular entry in humans. The extracellular domains of these receptor proteins are involved in ligand-binding specificity as well as pathogen recognition interactions.

In mammals, the majority of chemokine receptor genes are clustered together; in humans, seven of the ten genes are clustered in the 3p21-24 chromosome region. Gene conversion events, or exchange of DNA sequence between genes, have been reported in chemokine receptor paralogs in various mammalian lineages, especially between the cytogenetically closely located pairs CCR2/5 and CCR1/3. Datasets of mammalian orthologs for each gene were analyzed separately to minimize the potential confounding impact of analyzing highly similar sequences resulting from gene conversion events.

Molecular evolution approaches and the software package Phylogenetic Analyses by Maximum Likelihood (PAML) were utilized to investigate the signature of selection that has acted on the mammalian CC chemokine receptor (CCR) gene family. The results of neutral vs. adaptive evolution (positive selection) hypothesis testing using Site Models are reported. In general, positive selection is defined by a ratio of nonsynonymous/synonymous nucleotide changes (dN/dS, or ω) >1.

Results

Of the ten mammalian CC motif chemokine receptor sequence datasets analyzed, only CCR2 and CCR3 contain amino acid codon sites that exhibit evidence of positive selection using site based hypothesis testing in PAML. Nineteen of the twenty codon sites putatively indentified as likely to be under positive selection code for amino acid residues located in extracellular domains of the receptor protein products.

Conclusions

These results suggest that amino acid residues present in intracellular and membrane-bound domains are more selectively constrained for functional signal transduction and homo- or heterodimerization, whereas amino acid residues in extracellular domains of these receptor proteins evolve more quickly, perhaps due to heightened selective pressure resulting from ligand-binding and pathogen interactions of extracellular domains.

Heparin-derived heparan sulfate mimics to modulate heparan sulfate-protein interaction in inflammation and cancer

The heparan sulfate (HS) chains of heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPG) are "ubiquitous" components of the cell surface and the extracellular matrix (EC) and play important roles in the physiopathology of developmental and homeostatic processes. Most biological properties of HS are mediated by interactions with "heparin-binding proteins" and can be modulated by exogenous heparin species (unmodified heparin, low molecular weight heparins, shorter heparin oligosaccharides and various non-anticoagulant derivatives of different sizes). Heparin species can promote or inhibit HS activities to different extents depending, among other factors, on how closely their structure mimics the biologically active HS sequences. Heparin shares structural similarities with HS, but is richer in "fully sulfated" sequences (S domains) that are usually the strongest binders to heparin/HS-binding proteins. On the other hand, HS is usually richer in less sulfated, N-acetylated sequences (NA domains). Some of the functions of HS chains, such as that of activating proteins by favoring their dimerization, often require short S sequences separated by rather long NA sequences. The biological activities of these species cannot be simulated by heparin, unless this polysaccharide is appropriately chemically/enzymatically modified or biotechnologically engineered. This mini review covers some information and concepts concerning the interactions of HS chains with heparin-binding proteins and some of the approaches for modulating HS interactions relevant to inflammation and cancer. This is approached through a few illustrative examples, including the interaction of HS and heparin-derived species with the chemokine IL-8, the growth factors FGF1 and FGF2, and the modulation of the activity of the enzyme heparanase by these species. Progresses in sequencing HS chains and reproducing them either by chemical synthesis or semi-synthesis, and in the elucidation of the 3D structure of oligosaccharide-protein complexes, are paving the way for rational approaches to the development of HS-inspired drugs in the field of inflammation and cancer, as well in other therapeutic fields.

Impaired lymphoid organ development in mice lacking the heparan sulfate modifying enzyme glucuronyl C5-epimerase

The development of lymphoid organs depends on cross talk between hematopoietic cells and mesenchymal stromal cells and on vascularization of the lymphoid primordia. These processes are orchestrated by cytokines, chemokines, and angiogenic factors that require tight spatiotemporal regulation. Heparan sulfate (HS) proteoglycans are molecules designed to specifically bind and regulate the bioactivity of soluble protein ligands. Their binding capacity and specificity are controlled by modification of the HS side chain by HS-modifying enzymes. Although HS proteoglycans have been implicated in the morphogenesis of several organ systems, their role in controlling lymphoid organ development has thus far remained unexplored. In this study, we report that modification of HS by the HS-modifying enzyme glucuronyl C5-epimerase (Glce), which controls HS chain flexibility, is required for proper lymphoid organ development. Glce(-/-) mice show a strongly reduced size of the fetal spleen as well as a spectrum of defects in thymus and lymph node development, ranging from dislocation to complete absence of the organ anlage. Once established, however, the Glce(-/-) primordia recruited lymphocytes and developed normal architectural features. Furthermore, Glce(-/-) lymph node anlagen transplanted into wild-type recipient mice allowed undisturbed lymphocyte maturation. Our results indicate that modification of HS by Glce is required for controlling the activity of molecules that are instructive for early lymphoid tissue morphogenesis but may be dispensable at later developmental stages and for lymphocyte maturation and differentiation.

Therapeutic targeting of chemokine interactions in atherosclerosis

Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease of the arterial wall that is characterized by a disturbed equilibrium of immune responses and lipid accumulation, leading to the development of plaques. The atherogenic influx of mononuclear cells is orchestrated by chemokines and their receptors. Studies using gene-deficient mice and antagonists based on peptides and small molecules have generated insight into targeting chemokine-receptor axes for treating atherosclerosis, which might complement lipid-lowering strategies and risk factor modulation. Combined inhibition of multiple chemokine axes could interfere with the contributions of chemokines to disease progression at specific cells, stages or sites. In addition, the recently characterized heterophilic interactions of chemokines might present a novel target for the treatment and prevention of inflammatory diseases such as atherosclerosis.

Applications of heparin and heparan sulfate microarrays

Carbohydrate microarrays have become crucial tools for revealing the biological interactions and functions of glycans, primarily because the microarray format enables the investigation of large numbers of carbohydrates at a time. Heparan sulfate (HS) and heparin are the most structurally complex glycosaminoglycans (GAGs). In this chapter, we describe the preparation of a small library of HS/heparin oligosaccharides, and the fabrication of HS/heparin microarrays that have been used to establish HS/heparin-binding profiles. Fibroblast growth factors (FGFs), natural cytotoxicity receptors (NCRs), and chemokines were screened to illuminate the very important biological functions of these glycans.

Carbohydrate microarrays: key developments in glycobiology

Carbohydrate chains of glycoproteins, glycolipids, proteoglycans, and polysaccharides mediate processes of biological and medical importance through their interactions with complementary proteins. The unraveling of these interactions is therefore a priority in biomedical sciences. Carbohydrate microarray technology is a new development at the frontier of glycomics that is revolutionizing the study of carbohydrate-protein interactions and the elucidation of their specificities in endogenous biological processes, microbe-host interactions, and immune defense mechanisms. In this review, we briefly refer to the principles of numerous platforms since the introduction of carbohydrate microarrays in 2002, and we highlight platforms that are beyond proof-of-concept and have provided new biological information.

New development of glycan arrays

The development of glycan arrays has enabled the high-sensitivity and high-throughput analysis of carbohydrate-protein interactions and contributed to significant advances in glycomics. A number of new array platforms that allow for qualitative and quantitative analysis of mono- and multivalent interactions on surfaces have been developed recently. Glycan arrays are not only a powerful tool for basic research, but also a promising technique for medical diagnosis, and detection of pathogens and cancers. These studies also have led to the design of efficient carbohydrate-based antimicrobial or anticancer vaccines.

Therapeutically targeting protein-glycan interactions

Glycosylation is the most common form of post-translational modifications by which oligosaccharide side chains are covalently attached to specific residues of the core protein. Especially O-linked glycan structures like the glycosaminoglycans were found to contribute significantly to many (patho-)biological processes like inflammation, coagulation, cancer and viral infections. Glycans exert their function by interacting with proteins thereby changing the structure of the interacting proteins and consequently modulating their function. Given the complex nature of cell-surface and extracellular matrix glycan structures, this therapeutic site has been neglected for a long time, the only exception being the antithrombin III-glycan interaction which has been successfully targeted by unfractionated and low-molecular weight heparins for many decades. Due to the recent breakthrough in the '-ome' sciences, among them proteomics and glycomics, protein-glycan interactions became more amenable for therapeutic approaches so that novel inhibitors of this interaction are currently in preclinical and clinical studies. An overview of current approaches, their advantages and disadvantages, is given and the promising potential of pharmacologically interfering with protein-glycan interactions is highlighted here.

Signal amplification of target protein on heparin glycan microarray

A heparin glycan chip (HepGlyChip) with a 4800-fold enhanced signal-to-noise ratio as compared with the control without heparin was developed for high-throughput analysis of heparin-protein interactions for new drug development and for screening biological samples in diagnostic applications. As a proof of concept, a heparin glycan microarray was prepared on a poly(styrene-co-maleic anhydride) (PS-MA)-coated glass slide. Heparin was covalently immobilized on poly-l-lysine (PLL) layer with multiple binding sites by sulfo-ethylene glycol bis(succinimidylsuccinate) (sulfo-EGS), increasing the signal-to-noise ratio, minimizing nonspecific binding of target proteins, and resulting in a three-dimensional (3D) structure on the HepGlyChip. This on-chip signal amplification platform was successfully demonstrated by probing the heparin microarray with the highly specific heparin-binding protein antithrombin III (AT III).

Danaparoid sodium attenuates the increase in inflammatory cytokines and preserves organ function in endotoxemic rats

Introduction

Anticoagulant therapy attracts much attention for the treatment of severe sepsis since recent studies have revealed that some anticoagulants have the ability to regulate the inflammatory response. The purpose of this study was to examine whether danaparoid sodium (DA) is effective for the treatment of organ dysfunction in sepsis.

Methods

Sixty-four Wistar rats were intravenously injected with 5.0 mg/kg of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and then divided into two groups: the DA group and the control group (n = 32 each). The DA group was injected intravenously with 400 U/kg of DA immediately after LPS injection, whereas the control group received saline. Blood samples were drawn at 1, 6, 12, and 24 hours after LPS injection, and organ damage markers and coagulation markers were measured. In the other series, 10 rats treated with LPS were divided into DA and control groups (n = 5 each). Blood samples were collected at 1, 3, and 6 hours after LPS injection and served for the cytokine measurements.

Results

The elevation of the organ damage markers, such as alanine aminotransferase and lactate dehydrogenase, was significantly suppressed in the DA group. Coagulation markers, such as AT activity and fibrinogen levels, were maintained better in the DA group at 6 hours. The elevation of proinflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin (IL)-1, and IL-6 was significantly suppressed in the DA group. On the other hand, there was no significant difference in anti-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-4 and IL-10.

Conclusion

DA preserves the organ dysfunction in LPS-challenged rats. Although the mechanism is not fully elucidated, not only the improvement of coagulation disorder but also the regulation of circulating levels of proinflammatory cytokines may play a role in the mechanism.

Carbohydrate arrays as tools for research and diagnostics

In a very short time, carbohydrate microarrays have become important tools to investigate binding events that involve sugars. High throughput analysis of carbohydrate interactions with a wide range of binding partners, including proteins, RNA, whole cells and viruses, can be performed. Questions ranging from simple binding events to in-depth kinetic analysis can be addressed. This tutorial review summarizes methods to produce carbohydrate microarrays as well as their use. Some selected examples illustrate applications and the potential that these tools hold.

Deciphering the glycosaminoglycan code with the help of microarrays

Carbohydrate microarrays have become a powerful tool to elucidate the biological role of complex sugars. Microarrays are particularly useful for the study of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), a key class of carbohydrates. The high-throughput chip format enables rapid screening of large numbers of potential GAG sequences produced via a complex biosynthesis while consuming very little sample. Here, we briefly highlight the most recent advances involving GAG microarrays built with synthetic or naturally derived oligosaccharides. These chips are powerful tools for characterizing GAG-protein interactions and determining structure-activity relationships for specific sequences. Thereby, they contribute to decoding the information contained in specific GAG sequences.

Heparin and structurally related polymers attenuate eotaxin-1 (CCL11) release from human airway smooth muscle

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The glycosaminoglycan heparin has anti-inflammatory activity and is exclusively found in mast cells, which are localized within airway smooth muscle (ASM) bundles of asthmatic airways. Interleukin (IL)-13 induces the production of multiple inflammatory mediators from ASM including the eosinophil chemoattractant chemokine, eotaxin-1. Heparin and related glycosaminoglycan polymers having structurally heterogeneous polysaccharide side chains that varied in molecular weight, sulphation and anionic charge were used to identify features of the heparin molecule linked to anti-inflammatory activity.

EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH

Cultured human ASM cells were stimulated with interleukin (IL)-13 in the absence or presence of heparin and related polymers. Eotaxin-1 was quantified using chemokine antibody arrays and ELISA.

KEY RESULTS

Unfractionated heparin attenuated IL-13-dependent eotaxin-1 production and this effect was reproduced with low molecular weight heparins (3 and 6 kDa), demonstrating a minimum activity fragment of at least 3 kDa. N-desulphated, 20% re-N-acetylated heparin (anticoagulant) was ineffective against IL-13-dependent eotaxin-1 production compared with 90% re-N-acetylated (anticoagulant) or O-desulphated (non-anticoagulant) heparin, suggesting a requirement for N-sulphation independent of anticoagulant activity. Other sulphated molecules with variable anionic charge and molecular weight exceeding 3 kDa (dextran sulphate, fucoidan, chondroitin sulphate B) inhibited IL-13-stimulated eotaxin-1 release to varying degrees. However, non-sulphated dextran had no effect.

CONCLUSIONS

Inhibition of IL-13-dependent eotaxin-1 release by heparin involved but did not depend upon sulphation, though loss of N-sulphation reduced the attenuating activity, which could be restored by N-acetylation. This anti-inflammatory effect was also partially dependent on anionic charge, but independent of molecular size above 3 kDa and the anticoagulant action of heparin.