Lotus tetragonolobus fucolectin as a potential model for "MIF-like" modulation of macrophage function: comparison of the interaction of Lotus fucose binding protein (FBP) and migration inhibitory factor (MIF) with macrophages in the migration inhibition assay

Alpha-D-galactosylation of surface fucoglycoconjugate(s) upon stimulation/activation of murine peritoneal macrophages

Murine resident macrophages express, on their surface, carbohydrate epitopes which undergo changes during their stimulation/activation as monitored by binding of 125I labelled Evonymus europaea and Griffonia simplicifolia I-B4 lectins. Treatment of the stimulated macrophages with coffee bean alpha-galactosidase abolished binding of the GS I-B4 isolectin and changed the binding pattern of the Evonymus lectin. The affinity (Ka) of Evonymus lectin for alpha-galactosidase-treated macrophages decreased approximately 23-fold, from 1.25 x 10(8) M-1 to 5.5 x 10(6) M-1. Subsequent digestion of alpha-galactosidase-treated macrophages with alpha-L-fucosidase from Trichomonas foetus, further reduced binding of Evonymus lectin. Resident macrophages showed the same pattern of Evonymus lectin binding, with the same affinity, as alpha-galactosidase-treated, stimulated macrophages. These results, together with a consideration of the carbohydrate binding specificity of the Evonymus lectin which, in the absence of alpha-D-galactosyl groups, requires alpha-L-fucosyl groups for binding, indicate the presence, on resident macrophages, of glycoconjugates with terminal alpha-L-fucosyl residues. It is also concluded that during macrophage stimulation/activation alpha-D-galactosyl residues are added to this glycoconjugate and that they form part of the receptor for Evonymus lectin. The same glycoconjugate(s) is/are also expressed on the activated macrophage IC-21 cell line which exhibits the same characteristics as that of stimulated peritoneal macrophages, i.e., it contains alpha-D-galactosyl end groups and is resistant to the action of trypsin. Both lectins were also specifically bound to Corynaebacterium parvum activated macrophages.

L-fucose blocks MIF/MAF priming of rabbit alveolar macrophages for a PMA-induced oxidative response

The effect of L-fucose on the priming of AM from normal adult rabbits and their subsequent chemiluminescent (CL) responses to phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) was investigated. It was observed that 12.5 mM L-fucose, but not D-fucose, blocked the "spontaneous" priming of normal AM during an 18-hr incubation period in serum-free RPMI 1640 medium by about 40% (P less than 0.01) as detected by their CL responses to a PMA challenge. In addition, the optimal concentration of L-fucose (12.5 mM) blocked MIF/MAF priming during the 3- or 18-hr incubation period by 71 or 93% (P less than 0.05), respectively, as determined by their CL responses following PMA challenge. It is of particular significance that D-fucose was inactive. These results, together with previously published data, indicate that L-fucose (a) blocks priming of AM for an oxidative response, (b) stimulates random migration of AM, and (c) reverses migration inhibition produced by migration inhibition factor.

The in vitro activity of lectin I from mistletoe (ML I) and its isolated A and B chains on functions of macrophages and polymorphonuclear cells

We investigated the effects of ML I and its isolated chains, A and B, in regard to selected functions of phagocytes (human granulocytes, paraffin-oil stimulated M phi from guinea pigs). On these cells, ML I has no cytotoxic effect between 10(-14) and 10(-8) (trypan blue exclusion and ethidium bromide exclusion). Over the same concentration range, ML I and B chain diminish the negative surface charge of M phi and agglutinate M phi at concentrations greater than or equal to 2 X 10(-8) M (ML I) and greater than or equal to 3 X 10(-7) M (B chain), respectively. The diminishing of the negative surface charge shows two peaks, indicating the existence of two types of receptors on the M phi surface with different affinities for sugar-binding sites. Moreover, the B chain shows a third peak at higher concentrations (3 X 10(-8) M) that could be inhibited by D-galactose (greater than or equal to 10(-4) M). In comparison, the A chain reduces the surface charge at concentrations over 3 X 10(-7) M, but D-galactose has no effect on this. By means of the agarose droplet test, the spontaneous migration of M phi is inhibited in the sequence ML I much greater than B chain greater than A chain. The phagocytic activity of human leukocytes tested with a radiometric phagocytosis technique reveals an increasing effect only for the B chain; ML I and the A chain have no effect. Perhaps the mechanism of the described activities of ML I and its B chain are comparable with the action of lymphokines activating M phi.

Characterization of Lotus tetragonolobus fucolectin components for differences in hemagglutinating and macrophage activating activities

The fucose binding proteins (FBP) extracted from Lotus tetragonolobus seeds were isolated by affinity chromatography and compared with affinity purified commercial preparations for physical, antigenic, and biological properties. All preparations contained three protein components as determined by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, each with a subunit molecular weight of approximately 27 Kd. FBP preparations were also found to be antigenically identical by immunodiffusion analysis and possessed similar biological activities for hemagglutination of group 0 erythrocytes and macrophage activation in the migration inhibition assay. A reversible temperature dependent hemagglutination characteristic was found; FBP agglutinated erythrocytes at 4 degrees and 22 degrees C but not at 37 degrees C, which was reversed by decreasing the incubation temperature from 37 degrees C to 22 degrees C. Temperature dependent binding of FBP for macrophages was also demonstrated. Adsorption of crude FBP by group 0 erythrocytes preferentially removed hemagglutinin without loss of macrophage activating properties. Similarly adsorption of FBP with macrophages preferentially removed macrophage activating component. Separation of the lectin components by DEAE cellulose chromatography yielded two major fractions: a potent hemagglutinin with weak macrophage activating properties and a potent macrophage activator with weak hemagglutinating activity. Separation of the crude lectin by ultrafiltration indicated that the macrophage activating component exists in a highly aggregated form which may determine its macrophage activating properties. Our results indicate that L. tetragonolobus consists of two distinct classes of components which correspond to tetrameric glycoproteins of 118-120 Kd with potent temperature dependent hemagglutinating activity and a highly aggregated dimeric component of 58 Kd with macrophage activating properties.

Binding characteristics of fluoresceinated Lotus tetragonolobus fucolectin to macrophage populations which are either responsive or refractory to activation by lymphokine

Fucose binding protein (FBP) from Lotus tetragonolobus seed was studied by fluorescence microscopy for its binding characteristics to various guinea pig peritoneal macrophage populations. Fluoresceinated FBP (FITC-FBP) was bound optimally at 22 degrees C in a punctate distribution and was internalized at 37 degrees C. Binding of FBP to macrophages was reversed specifically by the competitive sugar L-fucose, and not by D-fucose, L-rhamnose, or D-galactose. FBP was bound with greater frequency and intensity to 3-day oil-elicited peritoneal macrophages which are responsive to migration inhibition by FBP and migration inhibitory factor (MIF) than to resident or 7-day inflammatory macrophages which are unresponsive to activation by the same effectors. Competition for visual binding of FITC-FBP to macrophages was demonstrated by preincubation of cells with unlabeled FBP or MIF. Competition of FITC-FBP binding by MIF was reversed by L-fucose. These results indicate that FBP binds preferentially, with greater frequency and intensity, to macrophage subpopulations which are responsive to MIF than to MIF-refractory macrophages. The data further supports the existence of a common receptor site for MIF and FBP on the macrophage membrane which involves fucosyl determinants.

Glycolipid receptor for human migration inhibitory factor: fucose and sialic acid are important for the human monocyte response to migration inhibitory factor

The role of carbohydrate in the interaction of human migration inhibitory factor (MIF) with human peripheral blood monocytes was investigated by studying the effects of different exoglycosidases on the cellular response to MIF. When monocytes were pretreated with neuraminidase, an exoglycosidase specific for sialic acid, they became unresponsive to MIF. Other glycosidases, such as beta-galactosidase and alpha-mannosidase, were inactive in this respect. The effect of neuraminidase was reversible since the response to MIF was restored to normal levels after 24 hr. In parallel studies, a glycolipid-enriched extract from U937 cells, a human macrophage-like cell line, known to enhance the monocyte response to MIF, lost this activity when treated with neuraminidase and alpha-L-fucosidase, but not with beta-galactosidase. This suggests the importance of terminal sialic acid and fucose residues for the interaction between monocyte membrane glycolipids and MIF.

Decreased Fc and C3 receptor function in macrophage populations which are refractory to migration inhibitory factor, C3 activators, and immune complex

Guinea pig macrophage populations previously established to be either responsive or refractory to activation by migration inhibitory factor (MIF) and Lotus fucolectin in the macrophage migration inhibition (MMI) assay were further characterized for their MMI response to diverse effectors as correlated with their Fc and C3b receptor function. MIF-refractory populations were found to be uniformly unresponsive to the complement activators: bacterial lipopolysaccharide, cobra venom factor, zymosan, and immune complex. MIF-responsive macrophages were responsive to the same activators. Fc-mediated binding and phagocytosis of IgG-coated sheep erythrocytes (EA) were markedly depressed in freshly harvested refractory macrophages as compared to responsive cells. Fc phagocytosis by refractory populations increased rapidly during 24-28 hr in vitro culture to levels equal to that of responsive cells which corresponded with an increase in their MMI response to MIF. Refractory macrophages also had decreased C3b receptor function as shown by reduced binding and phagocytosis of EAC or serum-coated zymosan and displayed a greater loss in C3b binding capacity than responsive cells during 48 hr in vitro culture. Trypsinization of responsive macrophages rendered them refractory in their MMI response to the various activators and selectively reversed C3b-dependent binding without effect on Fc binding. The plasmin esterase inhibitors, epsilon-amino-n-caproic acid, tranexamic acid, and L-lysine, previously established to reverse the MMI response to MIF, FBP, and C3 activators were found to inhibit both Fc- and C3-dependent phagocytosis. These results indicate that macrophage populations which are refractory to migration inhibition by MIF and C3 activators also have reduced Fc- and C3b-mediated phagocytic functions as compared to more mature responsive populations.

The binding of different lectins on peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with chronic inflammatory and malignant diseases

Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with multiple myeloma, gastrointestinal tumors, and inflammatory bowel disease were analyzed for binding of various lectins. The results demonstrated that in most of the patients with multiple myeloma a significantly increased percentage of cells positive for Lotus tetragonolobus agglutinin (LTA), peanut agglutinin (PNA), soybean agglutinin (SBA), and wheat germ agglutinin (WGA), and a decreased number of Agaricus bisporus agglutinin (ABA) positive cells were present as compared to a normal control group. This could not be shown in malignant or inflammatory disorders of the gastrointestinal tract where only some patients exhibited an increased PNA and LTA binding, respectively. Patients with the systemic malignant disease differed from patients with solid localized tumors by a significantly altered number of ABA, LTA and SBA-positive peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Double fluorescence studies using monoclonal antibodies and lectins revealed that most of the cells expressing receptors for ABA had also receptors for OKT3, whereas most of the cells with receptors for LTA, PNA, SBA, and WGA were found to be positive for OKM.

Two different anti-galactan lectins in eel serum

Two different anti-galactan lectins from eel serum (Anguilla anguilla) were isolated by affinity chromatography on fucogel and on 1-acyl-2-(9-carboxy)nonyl-glycero-3-phosphocholine coupled to Aminohexyl-Sepharose. The fucolectin and the CRP-analogue protein thus purified directly from the eel serum were characterized by SDS-gradient gel electrophoresis, immunoelectrophoresis, and by agar gel diffusion tests. The CRP-analogue protein with a molecular weight of 24.800 Daltons was present in a high concentration. Carbohydrates are absent in both the proteins, showing that the fucolectin and the CRP analogue do not belong to the immunoglobulin/antibody group of serum proteins.

Interaction of Lotus-tetragonolobus Lectin (LTL) and an MIF-like factor with guinea-pig macrophages. I. Effects on macrophage migration inhibition and receptor-binding studies

Purified Lotus-tetragonolobus lectin (LTL) was studied for its interaction with guinea-pig peritoneal macrophages in the migration-inhibition and spreading-inhibition assay. LTL was found capable of inhibiting macrophage migration in a dose-response relationship similar to that of an MIF-life factor present in rat Zajdela-hepatoma ascites, whereas macrophage spreading was less affected. Mitogenic activity of the fucolectin could be excluded. Both the LTL and MIF-like factor seem to come into action by means of alpha-L-fucopyranosyl residues-containing macrophage surface receptors. Both substances act synergistically in inhibiting migration of macrophages. Since binding studies with 125I-LTL demonstrated competition with the MIF-like factor, it is suggested that the latter and LTL share a common surface receptor, and that optimal occupation densities are required for the realization of the inhibitory effect. Possibly, LTL acts in a monomeric form in the migration inhibition assay.

Suppression of the elicitation phase of contact allergy by epicutaneous application of alpha-L-fucose

Local application of alpha-L-fucose on the ear before elicitation of contact allergy to dinitrofluorobenzene (DNFB) in BALB/c mice results in a suppression of the contact allergic response. However, local application of alpha-L-fucose at the sensitization site on the abdominal wall before sensitizing the animals with DNFB had no inhibitory effect on contact allergy. Alpha-L-fucose has been demonstrated to inhibit lymphokine activity in vitro and manifestation of cellular immunity in vivo. Our results suggest that alpha-L-fucose suppresses contact allergy by locally inhibiting the efferent phase of the cellular immune response.

[Lectins, toxins and immunotoxins]

A definition and classification of lectins (carbohydrate-binding (glyco)proteins) is given on the basis of new data and experimental results. Especially the biological role of bacterial, vertebrate and sponge lectins is discussed. The lectin-toxin combination offers an excellent model not only for studying adhesion to and penetration through the cell membrane, but also for hybridization with antibody fragments showing anti-tumor specificity.