An animal cell mutant defective in heparan sulfate hexuronic acid 2-O-sulfation

Differential heparan sulfate dependency of the Drosophila glypicans

Heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) are composed of a core protein and glycosaminoglycan (GAG) chains and serve as coreceptors for many growth factors and morphogens. To understand the molecular mechanisms by which HSPGs regulate morphogen gradient formation and signaling, it is important to determine the relative contributions of the carbohydrate and protein moieties to the proteoglycan function. To address this question, we generated ΔGAG alleles for dally and dally-like protein (dlp), two Drosophila HSPGs of the glypican family, in which all GAG-attachment serine residues are substituted to alanine residues using CRISPR/Cas9 mutagenesis. In these alleles, the glypican core proteins are expressed from the endogenous loci with no GAG modification. Analyses of the dallyΔGAG allele defined Dally functions that do not require heparan sulfate (HS) chains and that need both core protein and HS chains. We found a new, dallyΔGAG-specific phenotype, the formation of a posterior ectopic vein, which we have never seen in the null mutants. Unlike dallyΔGAG, dlpΔGAG mutants do not show most of the dlp null mutant phenotypes, suggesting that HS chains are dispensable for these dlp functions. As an exception, HS is essentially required for Dlp's activity at the neuromuscular junction. Thus, Drosophila glypicans show strikingly different levels of HS dependency. The ΔGAG mutant alleles of the glypicans serve as new molecular genetic toolsets highly useful to address important biological questions, such as molecular mechanisms of morphogen gradient formation.

A Comparison of Di- and Trinuclear Platinum Complexes Interacting with Glycosaminoglycans for Targeted Chemotherapy

Heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) and their associated proteins aid in tumor progression through modulation of biological events such as cell invasion, angiogenesis, metastasis, and immunological responses. Metalloshielding of the anionic heparan sulfate (HS) chains by cationic polynuclear platinum complexes (PPCs) prevents the HS from interacting with HS-associated proteins and thus diminishes the critical functions of HSPG. Studies herein exploring the PPC-HS interactions demonstrated that a series of PPCs varying in charge, nuclearity, distance between Pt centers, and hydrogen-bonding ability influence HS affinity. We report that the polyamine-linked complexes have high HS affinity and display excellent in vivo activity against breast cancer metastases and those arising in the bone and liver compared to carboplatin. Overall, the PPC-HS niche offers an attractive approach for targeting HSPG-expressing tumor cells.

Targeting heparan sulfate-protein interactions with oligosaccharides and monoclonal antibodies

Heparan sulfate-binding proteins (HSBPs) are structurally diverse extracellular and membrane attached proteins that interact with HS under normal physiological conditions. Interactions with HS offer an additional level of control over the localization and function of HSBPs, which enables them to behave in a more refined manner. Because all cell signaling events start at the cell membrane, and cell-cell communication relies on translocation of soluble factors across the extracellular matrix, HS occupies an apical position in cellular signal transduction by interacting with hundreds of growth factors, cytokines, chemokines, enzymes, enzyme inhibitors, receptors and adhesion molecules. These extracellular and membrane proteins can play important roles in physiological and pathological conditions. For most HS-binding proteins, the interaction with HS represents an essential element in regulating their normal physiological functions. Such dependence on HS suggests that manipulating HS-protein interactions could be explored as a therapeutic strategy to selectively antagonize/activate HS-binding proteins. In this review, we will discuss current understanding of the diverse nature of HS-HSBP interactions, and the latest advancements in targeting the HS-binding site of HSBPs using structurally-defined HS oligosaccharides and monoclonal antibodies.

Selective Inhibition of Heparan Sulphate and Not Chondroitin Sulphate Biosynthesis by a Small, Soluble Competitive Inhibitor

The glycosaminoglycan, heparan sulphate (HS), orchestrates many developmental processes. Yet its biological role has not yet fully been elucidated. Small molecule chemical inhibitors can be used to perturb HS function and these compounds provide cheap alternatives to genetic manipulation methods. However, existing chemical inhibition methods for HS also interfere with chondroitin sulphate (CS), complicating data interpretation of HS function. Herein, a simple method for the selective inhibition of HS biosynthesis is described. Using endogenous metabolic sugar pathways, Ac₄GalNAz produces UDP-GlcNAz, which can target HS synthesis. Cell treatment with Ac₄GalNAz resulted in defective chain elongation of the polymer and decreased HS expression. Conversely, no adverse effect on CS production was observed. The inhibition was transient and dose-dependent, affording rescue of HS expression after removal of the unnatural azido sugar. The utility of inhibition is demonstrated in cell culture and in whole organisms, demonstrating that this small molecule can be used as a tool for HS inhibition in biological systems.

Arylsulfatase K inactivation causes mucopolysaccharidosis due to deficient glucuronate desulfation of heparan and chondroitin sulfate

Mucopolysaccharidoses comprise a group of rare metabolic diseases, in which the lysosomal degradation of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) is impaired due to genetically inherited defects of lysosomal enzymes involved in GAG catabolism. The resulting intralysosomal accumulation of GAG-derived metabolites consequently manifests in neurological symptoms and also peripheral abnormalities in various tissues like liver, kidney, spleen and bone. As each GAG consists of differently sulfated disaccharide units, it needs a specific, but also partly overlapping set of lysosomal enzymes to accomplish their complete degradation. Recently, we identified and characterized the lysosomal enzyme arylsulfatase K (Arsk) exhibiting glucuronate-2-sulfatase activity as needed for the degradation of heparan sulfate (HS), chondroitin sulfate (CS) and dermatan sulfate (DS). In the present study, we investigated the physiological relevance of Arsk by means of a constitutive Arsk knockout mouse model. A complete lack of glucuronate desulfation was demonstrated by a specific enzyme activity assay. Arsk-deficient mice show, in an organ-specific manner, a moderate accumulation of HS and CS metabolites characterized by 2-O-sulfated glucuronate moieties at their non-reducing ends. Pathophysiological studies reflect a rather mild phenotype including behavioral changes. Interestingly, no prominent lysosomal storage pathology like bone abnormalities were detected. Our results from the Arsk mouse model suggest a new although mild form of mucopolysacharidose (MPS), which we designate MPS type IIB.

pH-dependent and dynamic interactions of cystatin C with heparan sulfate

Cystatin C (Cst-3) is a potent inhibitor of cysteine proteases with diverse biological functions. As a secreted protein, the potential interaction between Cst-3 and extracellular matrix components has not been well studied. Here we investigated the interaction between Cst-3 and heparan sulfate (HS), a major component of extracellular matrix. We discovered that Cst-3 is a HS-binding protein only at acidic pH. By NMR and site-directed mutagenesis, we identified two HS binding regions in Cst-3: the highly dynamic N-terminal segment and a flexible region located between residue 70-94. The composition of the HS-binding site by two highly dynamic halves is unique in known HS-binding proteins. We further discovered that HS-binding severely impairs the inhibitory activity of Cst-3 towards papain, suggesting the interaction could actively regulate Cst-3 activity. Using murine bone tissues, we showed that Cst-3 interacts with bone matrix HS at low pH, again highlighting the physiological relevance of our discovery.

Bi-allelic Pathogenic Variants in HS2ST1 Cause a Syndrome Characterized by Developmental Delay and Corpus Callosum, Skeletal, and Renal Abnormalities

Heparan sulfate belongs to the group of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), highly sulfated linear polysaccharides. Heparan sulfate 2-O-sulfotransferase 1 (HS2ST1) is one of several specialized enzymes required for heparan sulfate synthesis and catalyzes the transfer of the sulfate groups to the sugar moiety of heparan sulfate. We report bi-allelic pathogenic variants in HS2ST1 in four individuals from three unrelated families. Affected individuals showed facial dysmorphism with coarse face, upslanted palpebral fissures, broad nasal tip, and wide mouth, developmental delay and/or intellectual disability, corpus callosum agenesis or hypoplasia, flexion contractures, brachydactyly of hands and feet with broad fingertips and toes, and uni- or bilateral renal agenesis in three individuals. HS2ST1 variants cause a reduction in HS2ST1 mRNA and decreased or absent heparan sulfate 2-O-sulfotransferase 1 in two of three fibroblast cell lines derived from affected individuals. The heparan sulfate synthesized by the individual 1 cell line lacks 2-O-sulfated domains but had an increase in N- and 6-O-sulfated domains demonstrating functional impairment of the HS2ST1. As heparan sulfate modulates FGF-mediated signaling, we found a significantly decreased activation of the MAP kinases ERK1/2 in FGF-2-stimulated cell lines of affected individuals that could be restored by addition of heparin, a GAG similar to heparan sulfate. Focal adhesions in FGF-2-stimulated fibroblasts of affected individuals concentrated at the cell periphery. Our data demonstrate that a heparan sulfate synthesis deficit causes a recognizable syndrome and emphasize a role for 2-O-sulfated heparan sulfate in human neuronal, skeletal, and renal development.

Antiresorptive activity of osteoprotegerin requires an intact heparan sulfate-binding site

Osteoprotegerin (OPG), a secreted decoy receptor for receptor activator of nuclear factor B ligand (RANKL), plays an essential role in regulating bone resorption. While much is known about the function of the N-terminal domains of OPG, which is responsible for binding to RANKL, the exact biological functions of the three C-terminal domains of OPG remain uncertain. We have previously shown that one likely function of the C-terminal domains of OPG is to bind cell surface heparan sulfate (HS), but the in vivo evidence was lacking. To investigate the biological significance of OPG-HS interaction in bone remodeling, we created OPG knock-in mice (opg ^AAA ). The mutated OPG is incapable of binding to HS but binds RANKL normally. Surprisingly, opg ^AAA/AAA mice displayed a severe osteoporotic phenotype that is very similar to opg-null mice, suggesting that the antiresorption activity of OPG requires HS. Mechanistically, we propose that the HS immobilizes secreted OPG at the surface of osteoblasts lineage cells, which facilitates binding of OPG to membrane-anchored RANKL. To further support this model, we altered the structure of osteoblast HS genetically to make it incapable of binding to OPG. Interestingly, osteocalcin-Cre;Hs2st ^f/f mice also displayed osteoporotic phenotype with similar severity to opg ^AAA/AAA mice. Combined, our data provide strong genetic evidence that OPG-HS interaction is indispensable for normal bone homeostasis.

Triglyceride-rich lipoprotein binding and uptake by heparan sulfate proteoglycan receptors in a CRISPR/Cas9 library of Hep3B mutants

Binding and uptake of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins (TRLs) in mice depend on heparan sulfate and the hepatic proteoglycan, syndecan-1 (SDC1). Alteration of glucosamine N-sulfation by deletion of glucosamine N-deacetylase-N-sulfotransferase 1 (Ndst1) and 2-O-sulfation of uronic acids by deletion of uronyl 2-O-sulfotransferase (Hs2st) led to diminished lipoprotein metabolism, whereas inactivation of glucosaminyl 6-O-sulfotransferase 1 (Hs6st1), which encodes one of the three 6-O-sulfotransferases, had little effect on lipoprotein binding. However, other studies have suggested that 6-O-sulfation may be important for TRL binding and uptake. In order to explain these discrepant findings, we used CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing to create a library of mutants in the human hepatoma cell line, Hep3B. Inactivation of EXT1 encoding the heparan sulfate copolymerase, NDST1 and HS2ST dramatically reduced binding of TRLs. Inactivation of HS6ST1 had no effect, but deletion of HS6ST2 reduced TRL binding. Compounding mutations in HS6ST1 and HS6ST2 did not exacerbate this effect indicating that HS6ST2 is the dominant 6-O-sulfotransferase and that binding of TRLs indeed depends on 6-O-sulfation of glucosamine residues. Uptake studies showed that TRL internalization was also affected in 6-O-sulfation deficient cells. Interestingly, genetic deletion of SDC1 only marginally impacted binding of TRLs but reduced TRL uptake to the same extent as treating the cells with heparin lyases. These findings confirm that SDC1 is the dominant endocytic proteoglycan receptor for TRLs in human Hep3B cells and that binding and uptake of TRLs depend on SDC1 and N- and 2-O-sulfation as well as 6-O-sulfation of heparan sulfate chains catalyzed by HS6ST2.

Establishment and characterization of Drosophila cell lines mutant for heparan sulfate modifying enzymes

A class of carbohydrate-modified proteins, heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs), play critical roles both in normal development and during disease. Genetic studies using a model organism, Drosophila, have been contributing to understanding the in vivo functions of HSPGs. Despite the many strengths of the Drosophila model for in vivo studies, biochemical analysis of Drosophila HS is somewhat limited, mainly due to the insufficient amount of the material obtained from the animal. To overcome this obstacle, we generated mutant cell lines for four HS modifying enzymes that are critical for the formation of ligand binding sites on HS, Hsepi, Hs2st, Hs6st and Sulf1, using a recently established method. Morphological and immunological analyses of the established lines suggest that they are spindle-shaped cells of mesodermal origin. The disaccharide profiles of HS from these cell lines showed characteristics of lack of each enzyme as well as compensatory modifications by other enzymes. Metabolic radiolabeling of HS allowed us to assess chain length and net charge of the total population of HS in wild-type and Hsepi mutant cell lines. We found that Drosophila HS chains are significantly shorter than those from mammalian cells. BMP signaling assay using Hs6st cells indicates that molecular phenotypes of these cell lines are consistent with previously known in vivo phenomena. The established cell lines will provide us with a direct link between detailed structural information of Drosophila HS and a wealth of knowledge on biological phenotypic data obtained over the last two decades using this animal model.

A mutant-cell library for systematic analysis of heparan sulfate structure-function relationships

Heparan sulfate (HS) is a complex linear polysaccharide that modulates a wide range of biological functions. Elucidating the structure-function relationship of HS has been challenging. Here we report the generation of an HS-mutant mouse lung endothelial cell library by systematic deletion of HS genes expressed in the cell. We used this library to (1) determine that the strictly defined fine structure of HS, not its overall degree of sulfation, is more important for FGF2-FGFR1 signaling; (2) define the epitope features of commonly used anti-HS phage display antibodies; and (3) delineate the fine inter-regulation networks by which HS genes modify HS and chain length in mammalian cells at a cell-type-specific level. Our mutant-cell library will allow robust and systematic interrogation of the roles and related structures of HS in a cellular context.

Metabolic engineering of mammalian cells to produce heparan sulfates

Heparan sulfate (HS) is a glycosaminoglycan produced by all mammalian cells that plays important roles in physiology and various pathologies. Heparin is a highly sulfated form of HS that is used clinically as an anticoagulant. Heparin and HSs may also have therapeutic benefits for a wide variety of other indications. Cultured mammalian cells produce HS and, through genetic modification, have been used to elucidate the biosynthetic pathway. Recently, metabolic engineering has been used to produce HS from cultured mammalian cells for clinical purposes. This review describes the HS biosynthetic pathway and its manipulation through metabolic engineering to produce bioengineered HSs. We also discuss current challenges and opportunities to advance the field of HS metabolic engineering.

FGF8 morphogen gradients are differentially regulated by heparan sulphotransferases Hs2st and Hs6st1 in the developing brain

Fibroblast growth factor (FGF) morphogen signalling through the evolutionarily ancient extracellular signalling-regulated kinase/mitogen activated protein kinase (ERK/MAPK) pathway recurs in many neural and non-neural developmental contexts, and understanding the mechanisms that regulate FGF/ERK function are correspondingly important. The glycosaminoglycan heparan sulphate (HS) binds to FGFs and exists in an enormous number of differentially sulphated forms produced by the action of HS modifying enzymes, and so has the potential to present an extremely large amount of information in FGF/ERK signalling. Although there have been many studies demonstrating that HS is an important regulator of FGF function, experimental evidence on the role of the different HS modifying enzymes on FGF gradient formation has been lacking until now. We challenged ex vivo developing mouse neural tissue, in which HS had either been enzymatically removed by heparanase treatment or lacking either the HS modifying enzymes Hs2st (Hs2st-/- tissue) or Hs6st1 (Hs6st1-/- tissue), with exogenous Fgf8 to gain insight on how HS and the function of these two HS modifying enzymes impacts on Fgf8 gradient formation from an exogenously supplied source of Fgf8 protein. We discover that two different HS modifying enzymes, Hs2st and Hs6st1, indeed differentially modulate the properties of emerging Fgf8 protein concentration gradients and the Erk signalling output in response to Fgf8 in living tissue in ex vivo cultures. Both Hs2st and Hs6st1 are required for stable Fgf8 gradients to form as rapidly as they do in wild-type tissue while only Hs6st1 has a significant effect on suppressing the levels of Fgf8 protein in the gradient compared to wild type. Next we show that Hs2st and Hs6st1 act to antagonise and agonise the Erk signalling in response to Fgf8 protein, respectively, in ex vivo cultures of living tissue. Examination of endogenous Fgf8 protein and Erk signalling outputs in Hs2st-/- and Hs6st1-/- embryos suggests that our ex vivo findings have physiological relevance in vivo Our discovery identifies a new class of mechanism to tune Fgf8 function by regulated expression of Hs2st and Hs6st1 that is likely to have broader application to the >200 other signalling proteins that interact with HS and their function in neural development and disease.

Cellular internalization of alpha-synuclein aggregates by cell surface heparan sulfate depends on aggregate conformation and cell type

Amyloid aggregates found in the brain of patients with neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease, are thought to spread to increasingly larger areas of the brain through a prion-like seeding mechanism. Not much is known about which cell surface receptors may be involved in the cell-to-cell transfer, but proteoglycans are of interest due to their well-known propensity to interact with amyloid aggregates. In this study, we investigated the involvement of plasma membrane-bound heparan and chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans in cellular uptake of aggregates consisting of α-synuclein, a protein forming amyloid aggregates in Parkinson's disease. We show, using a pH-sensitive probe, that internalization of α-synuclein amyloid fibrils in neuroblastoma cells is dependent on heparan sulfate, whereas internalization of smaller non-amyloid oligomers is not. We also show that α-synuclein fibril uptake in an oligodendrocyte-like cell line is equally dependent on heparan sulfate, while astrocyte- and microglia-like cell lines have other means to internalize the fibrils. In addition, we analyzed the interaction between the α-synuclein amyloid fibrils and heparan sulfate and show that overall sulfation of the heparan sulfate chains is more important than sulfation at particular sites along the chains.

Heparan Sulfate Regulates the Structure and Function of Osteoprotegerin in Osteoclastogenesis

Osteoprotegerin (OPG), a decoy receptor secreted by osteoblasts, is a major negative regulator of bone resorption. It functions by neutralizing the receptor activator of nuclear factor κB ligand (RANKL), which plays a central role in promoting osteoclastogenesis. OPG is known to be a high-affinity heparan sulfate (HS)-binding protein. Presumably, HS could regulate the function of OPG and affect how it inhibits RANKL. However, the molecular detail of HS-OPG interaction remains poorly understood, which hinders our understanding of how HS functions in osteoclastogenesis. Here we report mapping of the HS-binding site of OPG. The HS-binding site, identified by mutagenesis study, consists of eight basic residues that are located mostly at the junction of the second death domain and the C-terminal domain. We further show that heparin-derived dodecasaccharide is able to induce dimerization of OPG monomers with a stoichiometry of 1:1. Small-angle X-ray scattering analysis revealed that upon binding of HS, OPG undergoes a dramatic conformational change, resulting in a more compact and less flexible structure. Importantly, we present here three lines of evidence that HS, OPG, and RANKL form a stable ternary complex. Using a HS binding-deficient OPG mutant, we further show that in an osteoblast/bone marrow macrophage co-culture system, immobilization of OPG by HS at the osteoblast cell surface substantially lowers the inhibitory threshold of OPG toward RANKL. These discoveries strongly suggest that HS plays an active role in regulating OPG-RANKL interaction and osteoclastogenesis.

Metastasis Stimulation by Hypoxia and Acidosis-Induced Extracellular Lipid Uptake Is Mediated by Proteoglycan-Dependent Endocytosis

Hypoxia and acidosis are inherent stress factors of the tumor microenvironment and have been linked to increased tumor aggressiveness and treatment resistance. Molecules involved in the adaptive mechanisms that drive stress-induced disease progression constitute interesting candidates of therapeutic intervention. Here, we provide evidence of a novel role of heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPG) in the adaptive response of tumor cells to hypoxia and acidosis through increased internalization of lipoproteins, resulting in a lipid-storing phenotype and enhanced tumor-forming capacity. Patient glioblastoma tumors and cells under hypoxic and acidic stress acquired a lipid droplet (LD)-loaded phenotype, and showed an increased recruitment of all major lipoproteins, HDL, LDL, and VLDL. Stress-induced LD accumulation was associated with increased spheroid-forming capacity during reoxygenation in vitro and lung metastatic potential in vivo On a mechanistic level, we found no apparent effect of hypoxia on HSPGs, whereas lipoprotein receptors (VLDLR and SR-B1) were transiently upregulated by hypoxia. Importantly, however, using pharmacologic and genetic approaches, we show that stress-mediated lipoprotein uptake is highly dependent on intact HSPG expression. The functional relevance of HSPG in the context of tumor cell stress was evidenced by HSPG-dependent lipoprotein cell signaling activation through the ERK/MAPK pathway and by reversal of the LD-loaded phenotype by targeting of HSPGs. We conclude that HSPGs may have an important role in the adaptive response to major stress factors of the tumor microenvironment, with functional consequences on tumor cell signaling and metastatic potential. Cancer Res; 76(16); 4828-40. ©2016 AACR.

Structural Features and Anti-coagulant Activity of the Sulphated Polysaccharide SPS-CF from a Green Alga Capsosiphon fulvescens

Previously, we reported that the sulphated polysaccharides (SPS)-CF, a water-soluble polysaccharide isolated and purified from Korean green alga Maesaengi (Capsosiphon fulvescens, Chlorophyta), is a glucuronogalactomannan based mainly on the monosaccharide composition determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis after 1-phenyl-3-methyl-5-pyrazolone (PMP) labelling of sugars in the acid (trifluoroacetic acid (TFA)) hydrolyzates of SPS-CF, which showed mannose (55.4 mol %), galactose (25.3 mol %) and glucuronic acid (16.3 mol %) as major sugars (Na et al., Int Immunopharmacol 10:364-370, 2010). However, the results of the present study re-performed for monosaccharide composition of this polysaccharide using, in addition to HPLC of PMP-labelled sugars, other separation methods, i.e. high-performance anion-exchange chromatography with pulsed amperometric detection (HPAEC-PAD), gas chromatography with flame ionising detection (GC-FID) and thin-layer chromatography (TLC), clearly demonstrated that the most prominent neutral monosaccharides of SPS-CF are xylose (38.6-49.4 mol %) and rhamnose (39.6-45 mol %), while mannose and galactose are present at a much lesser extent or in negligible amount. These extensive monosaccharide analyses, correlation nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) measurements confirmed the sulphated glucuronorhamnoxylan (ulvan) type of SPS-CF polysaccharide, whose backbone is composed of alternating sequence of 4-linked L-rhamnose-3-sulphate and D-xylose residues (ulvobiose U3s) carrying monomeric D-glucuronic acid or D-glucuronic acid-3-sulphate on O-2 of some L-rhamnose-3-sulphate units as the side chains. The SPS-CF exhibited significant in vitro anti-coagulant activity by which the activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) and thrombin time (TT) were significantly prolonged. The results of this study demonstrated that the ulvan SPS-CF isolated from Korean Maesaengi C. fulvescens can be considered a potential anti-coagulant agent.

2-O Heparan Sulfate Sulfation by Hs2st Is Required for Erk/Mapk Signalling Activation at the Mid-Gestational Mouse Telencephalic Midline

Heparan sulfate (HS) is a linear carbohydrate composed of polymerized uronate-glucosamine disaccharide units that decorates cell surface and secreted glycoproteins in the extracellular matrix. In mammals HS is subjected to differential sulfation by fifteen different heparan sulfotransferase (HST) enzymes of which Hs2st uniquely catalyzes the sulfation of the 2-O position of the uronate in HS. HS sulfation is postulated to be important for regulation of signaling pathways by facilitating the interaction of HS with signaling proteins including those of the Fibroblast Growth Factor (Fgf) family which signal through phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinases Erk1/2. In the developing mouse telencephalon Fgf2 signaling regulates proliferation and neurogenesis. Loss of Hs2st function phenocopies the thinned cerebral cortex of mutant mice in which Fgf2 or Erk1/2 function are abrogated, suggesting the hypothesis that 2-O-sulfated HS structures play a specific role in Fgf2/Erk signaling pathway in this context in vivo. This study investigated the molecular role of 2-O sulfation in Fgf2/Erk signaling in the developing telencephalic midline midway through mouse embryogenesis at E12.5. We examined the expression of Hs2st, Fgf2, and Erk1/2 activity in wild-type and Hs2st-/- mice. We found that Hs2st is expressed at high levels at the midline correlating with high levels of Erk1/2 activation and Erk1/2 activation was drastically reduced in the Hs2st-/- mutant at the rostral telencephalic midline. We also found that 2-O sulfation is specifically required for the binding of Fgf2 protein to Fgfr1, its major cell-surface receptor at the rostral telencephalic midline. We conclude that 2-O sulfated HS structures generated by Hs2st are needed to form productive signaling complexes between HS, Fgf2 and Fgfr1 that activate Erk1/2 at the midline. Overall, our data suggest the interesting possibility that differential expression of Hs2st targets the rostral telencephalic midline for high levels of Erk signaling by increasing the sensitivity of cells to an Fgf2 signal that is rather more widespread.

Sonic hedgehog processing and release are regulated by glypican heparan sulfate proteoglycans

All Hedgehog morphogens are released from producing cells, despite being synthesized as N- and C-terminally lipidated molecules, a modification that firmly tethers them to the cell membrane. We have previously shown that proteolytic removal of both lipidated peptides, called shedding, releases bioactive Sonic hedgehog (Shh) morphogens from the surface of transfected Bosc23 cells. Using in vivo knockdown together with in vitro cell culture studies, we now show that glypican heparan sulfate proteoglycans regulate this process, through their heparan sulfate chains, in a cell autonomous manner. Heparan sulfate specifically modifies Shh processing at the cell surface, and purified glycosaminoglycans enhance the proteolytic removal of N- and C-terminal Shh peptides under cell-free conditions. The most likely explanation for these observations is direct Shh processing in the extracellular compartment, suggesting that heparan sulfate acts as a scaffold or activator for Shh ligands and the factors required for their turnover. We also show that purified heparan sulfate isolated from specific cell types and tissues mediates the release of bioactive Shh from pancreatic cancer cells, revealing a previously unknown regulatory role for these versatile molecules in a pathological context.

Core functional sequence of C-terminal GAG-binding domain directs cellular uptake of IGFBP-3-derived peptides

The current study clarifies the role of the Glycosaminoglycan (GAG)-binding domain of insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) in cell penetration. The cell penetration function of IGFBP-3 has been mapped to an 18-residue GAG-binding domain in the C-terminal region that mobilizes cellular uptake and nuclear localization of unrelated proteins. Uptake of KW-22, a 22-residue peptide that encompasses the 18-residue GAG-binding domain, and another IGFBP-3 peptide carrying a streptavidin protein cargo was investigated in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells defective at several steps of biosynthesis of cell surface GAGs. The severity of GAG truncation was highly correlated to the impairment of uptake ranging from complete abrogation to only a partial reduction, suggesting that GAG-binding is required for uptake. The 18-residue GAG-binding domain consists of an 8-residue KK-8 basic sequence devoid of Arg and an adjacent 10-residue QR-10 sequence rich in Arg. Peptide mapping of uptake and GAG-binding activities within the KW-22 peptide showed that the 8-residue KK-8 basic peptide retained 80% of GAG-binding activity with no uptake activity while the 10-residue QR-10 peptide retained 53% of uptake activity and 18% of GAG-binding activity. This suggests that KK-8 carries out the majority of GAG-binding function while QR-10 carries out the majority of the cell entry function. To our knowledge, this is the first report of physical separation of the uptake and GAG-binding functions within a short cell penetrating peptide and may shed light on the general mechanism of uptake of Arg-rich CPPs and guide new design of Arg-rich CPP-assisted drug/gene delivery systems.

Glycan-based biomarkers for mucopolysaccharidoses

The mucopolysaccharidoses (MPS) result from attenuation or loss of enzyme activities required for lysosomal degradation of the glycosaminoglycans, hyaluronan, heparan sulfate, chondroitin/dermatan sulfate, and keratan sulfate. This review provides a summary of glycan biomarkers that have been used to characterize animal models of MPS, for diagnosis of patients, and for monitoring therapy based on hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and enzyme replacement therapy. Recent advances have focused on the non-reducing terminus of the glycosaminoglycans that accumulate as biomarkers, using a combination of enzymatic digestion with bacterial enzymes followed by quantitative liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry. These new methods provide a simple, rapid diagnostic strategy that can be applied to samples of urine, blood, cerebrospinal fluid, cultured cells and dried blood spots from newborn infants. Analysis of the non-reducing end glycans provides a method for monitoring enzyme replacement and substrate reduction therapies and serves as a discovery tool for uncovering novel biomarkers and new forms of mucopolysaccharidoses.

Cancer cell exosomes depend on cell-surface heparan sulfate proteoglycans for their internalization and functional activity

Extracellular vesicle (EV)-mediated intercellular transfer of signaling proteins and nucleic acids has recently been implicated in the development of cancer and other pathological conditions; however, the mechanism of EV uptake and how this may be targeted remain as important questions. Here, we provide evidence that heparan sulfate (HS) proteoglycans (PGs; HSPGs) function as internalizing receptors of cancer cell-derived EVs with exosome-like characteristics. Internalized exosomes colocalized with cell-surface HSPGs of the syndecan and glypican type, and exosome uptake was specifically inhibited by free HS chains, whereas closely related chondroitin sulfate had no effect. By using several cell mutants, we provide genetic evidence of a receptor function of HSPG in exosome uptake, which was dependent on intact HS, specifically on the 2-O and N-sulfation groups. Further, enzymatic depletion of cell-surface HSPG or pharmacological inhibition of endogenous PG biosynthesis by xyloside significantly attenuated exosome uptake. We provide biochemical evidence that HSPGs are sorted to and associate with exosomes; however, exosome-associated HSPGs appear to have no direct role in exosome internalization. On a functional level, exosome-induced ERK1/2 signaling activation was attenuated in PG-deficient mutant cells as well as in WT cells treated with xyloside. Importantly, exosome-mediated stimulation of cancer cell migration was significantly reduced in PG-deficient mutant cells, or by treatment of WT cells with heparin or xyloside. We conclude that cancer cell-derived exosomes use HSPGs for their internalization and functional activity, which significantly extends the emerging role of HSPGs as key receptors of macromolecular cargo.

Proteoglycans in the central nervous system: role in development, neural repair, and Alzheimer's disease

Proteoglycans (PGs) are major components of the cell surface and extracellular matrix and play critical roles in development and maintenance of the central nervous system (CNS). PGs are a family of proteins, all of which contain a core protein to which glycosaminoglycan side chains are covalently attached. PGs possess diverse physiological roles, particularly in neural development, and are also implicated in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). The main functions of PGs in the CNS are reviewed as are the roles of PGs in brain injury and in the development or treatment of AD.

Inactivation of heparan sulfate 2-O-sulfotransferase accentuates neutrophil infiltration during acute inflammation in mice

Neutrophil recruitment and extravasation at sites of inflammation provide a mechanism for host defense. We showed previously that heparan sulfate, a type of sulfated glycosaminoglycan, facilitates neutrophil recruitment based on the reduction of neutrophil infiltration in mice in which the overall sulfation of the chains was reduced by selective inactivation of N-acetylglucosamine N-deacetylase-N-sulfotransferase (Ndst1) in endothelial cells. Here we show that inactivation of uronyl 2-O-sulfotransferase in endothelial cells (Hs2st), an enzyme that acts downstream from Ndst1, results in enhanced neutrophil recruitment in several models of acute inflammation. Enhanced neutrophil infiltration resulted in part from reduced rolling velocity under flow both in vivo and in vitro, which correlated with stronger binding of neutrophil L-selectin to mutant endothelial cells. Hs2st-deficient endothelial cells also displayed a striking increase in binding of IL-8 and macrophage inflammatory protein-2. The enhanced binding of these mediators of neutrophil recruitment resulted from a change in heparan sulfate structure caused by increased N-sulfation and 6-O-sulfation of glucosamine units in response to the decrease in 2-O-sulfation of uronic acid residues. This gain-of-function phenotype provides formidable evidence demonstrating the importance of endothelial heparan sulfate in inflammation and suggests a novel enzyme target for enhancing the innate immune response.

Metabolic engineering of Chinese hamster ovary cells: towards a bioengineered heparin

Heparin is the most widely used pharmaceutical to control blood coagulation in modern medicine. A health crisis that took place in 2008 led to a demand for production of heparin from non-animal sources. Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells, commonly used mammalian host cells for production of foreign pharmaceutical proteins in the biopharmaceutical industry, are capable of producing heparan sulfate (HS), a related polysaccharide naturally. Since heparin and HS share the same biosynthetic pathway, we hypothesized that heparin could be produced in CHO cells by metabolic engineering. Based on the expression of endogenous enzymes in the HS/heparin pathways of CHO-S cells, human N-deacetylase/N-sulfotransferase (NDST2) and mouse heparan sulfate 3-O-sulfotransferase 1 (Hs3st1) genes were transfected sequentially into CHO host cells growing in suspension culture. Transfectants were screened using quantitative RT-PCR and Western blotting. Out of 120 clones expressing NDST2 and Hs3st1, 2 clones, Dual-3 and Dual-29, were selected for further analysis. An antithrombin III (ATIII) binding assay using flow cytometry, designed to recognize a key sugar structure characteristic of heparin, indicated that Hs3st1 transfection was capable of increasing ATIII binding. An anti-factor Xa assay, which affords a measure of anticoagulant activity, showed a significant increase in activity in the dual-expressing cell lines. Disaccharide analysis of the engineered HS showed a substantial increase in N-sulfo groups, but did not show a pattern consistent with pharmacological heparin, suggesting that further balancing the expression of transgenes with the expression levels of endogenous enzymes involved in HS/heparin biosynthesis might be necessary.

Heparan sulfate proteoglycans as multifunctional cell regulators: cell surface receptors

Proteoglycans are macromolecules expressed on the cell surfaces and in the extracellular matrix of most animal tissues (Annu Rev Biochem 68:729-777, 1999; Int Rev Cell Mol Biol 276:105-159, 2009). Heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) are essential for animal development and homeostasis, and are involved in various pathological processes. The functions of HSPGs are largely exerted through interaction of the heparan sulfate (HS) side chains with different types of ligands, including diverse molecules such as cytokines, enzymes, and pathogens. One of the important roles of cell surface HSPGs is to mediate cytokine-induced cell signaling through interaction with growth factors (GFs) and their cognate receptors. A selective dependence of GFs for different structural features of HS has been demonstrated by applying cell models that are mutated variously in HS structure due to deficiency in enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of HS chains.

Directing the biological activities of heparan sulfate oligosaccharides using a chemoenzymatic approach

Heparan sulfate (HS) and heparin are highly sulfated polysaccharides exhibiting essential physiological functions. The sulfation patterns determine the functional selectivity for HS and heparin. Chemical synthesis of HS, especially those larger than a hexasaccharide, remains challenging. Enzymatic synthesis of HS has recently gained momentum. Here we describe the divergent assembly of HS heptasaccharides and nonasaccharides from a common hexasaccharide precursor. The hexasaccharide precursor was synthesized via a chemical method. The subsequent elongation, sulfation and epimerization were completed by glycosyltransferases, HS sulfotransferases and epimerase. Using the synthesized heptasaccharides, we discovered that the iduronic acid is critical for binding to fibroblast growth factor-2. We also designed a synthetic path to prepare a nonasaccharide with an antithrombin-binding affinity of 3 nM. Our method demonstrated the feasibility of combining chemical and enzymatic synthesis to prepare structurally defined HS oligosaccharides with desired biological activities.

Glycosaminoglycans and sialylated glycans sequentially facilitate Merkel cell polyomavirus infectious entry

Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCV or MCPyV) appears to be a causal factor in the development of Merkel cell carcinoma, a rare but highly lethal form of skin cancer. Although recent reports indicate that MCV virions are commonly shed from apparently healthy human skin, the precise cellular tropism of the virus in healthy subjects remains unclear. To begin to explore this question, we set out to identify the cellular receptors or co-receptors required for the infectious entry of MCV. Although several previously studied polyomavirus species have been shown to bind to cell surface sialic acid residues associated with glycolipids or glycoproteins, we found that sialylated glycans are not required for initial attachment of MCV virions to cultured human cell lines. Instead, glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), such as heparan sulfate (HS) and chondroitin sulfate (CS), serve as initial attachment receptors during the MCV infectious entry process. Using cell lines deficient in GAG biosynthesis, we found that N-sulfated and/or 6-O-sulfated forms of HS mediate infectious entry of MCV reporter vectors, while CS appears to be dispensable. Intriguingly, although cell lines deficient in sialylated glycans readily bind MCV capsids, the cells are highly resistant to MCV reporter vector-mediated gene transduction. This suggests that sialylated glycans play a post-attachment role in the infectious entry process. Results observed using MCV reporter vectors were confirmed using a novel system for infectious propagation of native MCV virions. Taken together, the findings suggest a model in which MCV infectious entry occurs via initial cell binding mediated primarily by HS, followed by secondary interactions with a sialylated entry co-factor. The study should facilitate the development of inhibitors of MCV infection and help shed light on the infectious entry pathways and cellular tropism of the virus.

Strong evidence suggests that Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCV or MCPyV) is a causative factor in the development of a large proportion of cancers arising from epidermal Merkel cells. While Merkel cell carcinoma is rare, it appears that infection with MCV is common, and many healthy people chronically shed MCV virions from the surface of their skin. In an effort to better understand the factors controlling MCV tissue tropism, we sought to characterize the cellular receptors that mediate MCV attachment to cultured cells. Several previously-examined polyomaviruses utilize sialic acid-containing glycolipids and glycoproteins to mediate cell binding and infectious entry. Our results show that, in contrast to other polyomaviruses, MCV does not require sialic acid-bearing glycans for attachment to cells, but instead uses a different group of carbohydrates called glycosaminoglycans for the initial attachment step of the infectious entry process. Interestingly, although sialic acid-bearing glycans are dispensable for initial attachment to cells, data using cells deficient in sialylated glycans suggest that sialic acids may form an essential element of a possible co-receptor that is engaged after the initial attachment of MCV to the cell via glycosaminoglycans.

Differential effects of murine and human factor X on adenovirus transduction via cell-surface heparan sulfate

Serum coagulation factor X (FX) is proposed to play a major role in adenovirus tropism, promoting transduction by bridging the virus to cell-surface heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs). Both murine FX and human FX increased transduction by Ad.CMVfLuc, an adenovirus vector, in murine hepatocyte-like cells and human hepatocarcinoma cells. In contrast, only hFX increased transduction of several non-hepatic cancer cell lines and Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. Not only was mFX unable to promote transduction in these cells, it competitively blocked hFX-enhanced transduction. Competition and HSPG digestion experiments suggested mFX- and hFX-enhanced transduction in hepatocyte-derived cells, and hFX-enhanced transduction in epithelial cancer cells were dependent on HSPGs. Ad·hFX-mediated transduction of CHO mutants unable to produce HSPGs was also curtailed. Hepatocyte-derived cells expressed substantially more HSPGs than the cancer cell lines. Dose-response curves and heparin-Sepharose binding suggested Ad·hFX has greater affinity for HSPGs than does Ad·mFX. In coagulation factor-depleted mice hFX also had enhanced ability, compared with mFX, to reconstitute hepatic adenovirus transduction. The results suggest that differences in Ad·hFX and Ad·mFX affinity to HSPGs may result in differences in their ability to enhance adenovirus transduction of many cells. These findings may have implications for murine models of adenovirus vector targeting.

Stage-dependent regulation of mammary ductal branching by heparan sulfate and HGF-cMet signaling

Specific interactions of growth factors with heparan sulfate may function as "switches" to regulate stages of branching morphogenesis in developing mammalian organs, such as breast, lung, salivary gland and kidney, but the evidence derives mostly from studies of explanted tissues or cell culture (Shah et al., 2004). We recently provided in vivo evidence that inactivation of Ndst1, the predominant N-deacetylase/N-sulfotransferase gene essential for the formation of mature heparan sulfate, results in a highly specific defect in murine lobuloalveolar development (Crawford et al., 2010). Here, we demonstrate a highly penetrant dramatic defect in primary branching by mammary epithelial-specific inactivation of Ext1, a subunit of the copolymerase complex that catalyzes the formation of the heparan sulfate chain. In contrast to Ext1 deletion, inactivation of Hs2st (which encodes an enzyme required for 2-O-sulfation of uronic acids in heparan sulfate) did not inhibit ductal formation but displayed markedly decreased secondary and ductal side-branches as well as fewer bifurcated terminal end buds. Targeted conditional deletion of c-Met, the receptor for HGF, in mammary epithelial cells showed similar defects in secondary and ductal side-branching, but did not result in any apparent defect in bifurcation of terminal end buds. Although there is published evidence indicating a role for 2-O sulfation in HGF binding, primary epithelial cells isolated from Hs2st conditional deletions were able to activate Erk in the presence of HGF and there appeared to be only a slight reduction in HGF-mediated c-Met phosphorylation in these cells compared to control. Thus, both c-Met and Hs2st play important, but partly independent, roles in secondary and ductal side-branching. When considered together with previous studies of Ndst1-deficient glands, the data presented here raise the possibility of partially-independent regulation by heparan sulfate-dependent pathways of primary ductal branching, terminal end bud bifurcation, secondary branching, ductal side-branching and lobuloalveolar formation.

Genetic analysis of the heparan modification network in Caenorhabditis elegans

Heparan sulfates (HS) are highly modified sugar polymers in multicellular organisms that function in cell adhesion and cellular responses to protein signaling. Functionally distinct, cell type-dependent HS modification patterns arise as the result of a conserved network of enzymes that catalyze deacetylations, sulfations, and epimerizations in specific positions of the sugar residues. To understand the genetic interactions of the enzymes during the HS modification process, we have measured the composition of HS purified from mutant strains of Caenorhabditis elegans. From these measurements we have developed a genetic network model of HS modification. We find the interactions to be highly recursive positive feed-forward and negative feedback loops. Our genetic analyses show that the HS C-5 epimerase hse-5, the HS 2-O-sulfotransferase hst-2, or the HS 6-O-sulfotransferase hst-6 inhibit N-sulfation. In contrast, hse-5 stimulates both 2-O- and 6-O-sulfation and, hst-2 and hst-6 inhibit 6-O- and 2-O-sulfation, respectively. The effects of hst-2 and hst-6 on N-sulfation, 6-O-sulfation, and 2-O-sulfation appear largely dependent on hse-5 function. This core of regulatory interactions is further modulated by 6-O-endosulfatase activity (sul-1). 47% of all 6-O-sulfates get removed from HS and this editing process is dependent on hst-2, thereby providing additional negative feedback between 2-O- and 6-O-sulfation. These findings suggest that the modification patterns are highly sensitive to the relative composition of the HS modification enzymes. Our comprehensive genetic analysis forms the basis of understanding the HS modification network in metazoans.

Cooperative, heparan sulfate-dependent cellular uptake of dimeric guanidinoglycosides

Oligoarginine and guanidinium-rich molecular transporters have been shown to facilitate the intracellular delivery of a diverse range of biologically relevant cargos. Several such transporters have been suggested to interact with cell-surface heparan sulfate proteoglycans as part of their cell-entry pathway. Unlike for other guanidinium-rich transporters, the cellular uptake of guanidinoglycosides at nanomolar concentrations is exclusively heparan sulfate dependent. As distinct cells differ in their expression levels and/or the composition of cell-surface heparan sulfate proteoglycans, one might be able to exploit such differences to selectively target certain cell types. To systematically investigate the nature of their cell-surface interactions, monomeric and dimeric guanidinoglycosides were synthesized by using neomycin, paromomycin, and tobramycin as scaffolds. These transporters differ in the number and 3D arrangement of their guanidinium groups. Their cellular uptake was measured by flow cytometry in wild-type and mutant Chinese hamster ovary cells after the corresponding fluorescent streptavidin-phycoerythrin-Cy5 conjugates had been generated. All derivatives showed negligible uptake in mutant cells lacking heparan sulfate. Decreasing the number of guanidinium groups diminished uptake, but the three dimensional arrangement of these groups was less important for cellular delivery. Whereas conjugates prepared with the monomeric carriers showed significantly reduced uptake in mutant cells expressing heparan sulfate chains with altered patterns of sulfation, conjugates prepared with the dimeric guanidinoglycosides could overcome this deficiency and maintain high levels of uptake in such deficient cells. This finding suggests that cellular uptake depends on the valency of the transporter and both the content and arrangement of the sulfate groups on the cell-surface receptors. Competition studies with chemically desulfated or carboxy-reduced heparin derivatives corroborated these observations. Taken together, these findings show that increasing the valency of the transporters retains heparan sulfate specificity and provides reagents that could distinguish different cell types based on the specific composition of their cell-surface heparan sulfate proteoglycans.

Requirements for receptor engagement during infection by adenovirus complexed with blood coagulation factor X

Human adenoviruses from multiple species bind to coagulation factor X (FX), yet the importance of this interaction in adenovirus dissemination is unknown. Upon contact with blood, vectors based on adenovirus serotype 5 (Ad5) binds to FX via the hexon protein with nanomolar affinity, leading to selective uptake of the complex into the liver and spleen. The Ad5:FX complex putatively targets heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs). The aim of this study was to elucidate the specific requirements for Ad5:FX-mediated cellular uptake in this high-affinity pathway, specifically the HSPG receptor requirements as well as the role of penton base-mediated integrin engagement in subsequent internalisation. Removal of HS sidechains by enzymatic digestion or competition with highly-sulfated heparins/heparan sulfates significantly decreased FX-mediated Ad5 cell binding in vitro and ex vivo. Removal of N-linked and, in particular, O-linked sulfate groups significantly attenuated the inhibitory capabilities of heparin, while the chemical inhibition of endogenous HSPG sulfation dose-dependently reduced FX-mediated Ad5 cellular uptake. Unlike native heparin, modified heparins lacking O- or N-linked sulfate groups were unable to inhibit Ad5 accumulation in the liver 1h after intravascular administration of adenovirus. Similar results were observed in vitro using Ad5 vectors possessing mutations ablating CAR- and/or α(v) integrin binding, demonstrating that attachment of the Ad5:FX complex to the cell surface involves HSPG sulfation. Interestingly, Ad5 vectors ablated for α(v) integrin binding showed markedly delayed cell entry, highlighting the need for an efficient post-attachment internalisation signal for optimal Ad5 uptake and transport following surface binding mediated through FX. This study therefore integrates the established model of α(v) integrin-dependent adenoviral infection with the high-affinity FX-mediated pathway. This has important implications for mechanisms that define organ targeting following contact of human adenoviruses with blood.

Heparan sulfate 2-O-sulfotransferase is required for triglyceride-rich lipoprotein clearance

Hepatic clearance of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins depends on heparan sulfate and low density lipoprotein receptors expressed on the basal membrane of hepatocytes. Binding and uptake of the lipoproteins by way of heparan sulfate depends on the degree of sulfation of the chains based on accumulation of plasma triglycerides and delayed clearance of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins in mice bearing a hepatocyte-specific alteration of N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) N-deacetylase-N-sulfotransferase 1 (Ndst1) (MacArthur, J. M., Bishop, J. R., Stanford, K. I., Wang, L., Bensadoun, A., Witztum, J. L., and Esko, J. D. (2007) J. Clin. Invest. 117, 153-164). Inactivation of Ndst1 led to decreased overall sulfation of heparan sulfate due to coupling of uronyl 2-O-sulfation and glucosaminyl 6-O-sulfation to initial N-deacetylation and N-sulfation of GlcNAc residues. To determine whether lipoprotein clearance depends on 2-O-and 6-O-sulfation, we evaluated plasma triglyceride levels in mice containing loxP-flanked conditional alleles of uronyl 2-O-sulfotransferase (Hs2st(f/f)) and glucosaminyl 6-O-sulfotransferase-1 (Hs6st1(f/f)) and the bacterial Cre recombinase expressed in hepatocytes from the rat albumin (Alb) promoter. We show that Hs2st(f/f)AlbCre(+) mice accumulated plasma triglycerides and exhibited delayed clearance of intestinally derived chylomicrons and injected human very low density lipoproteins to the same extent as observed in Ndst1(f/f)AlbCre(+) mice. In contrast, Hs6st1(f/f)AlbCre(+) mice did not exhibit any changes in plasma triglycerides. Chemically modified heparins lacking N-sulfate and 2-O-sulfate groups did not block very low density lipoprotein binding and uptake in isolated hepatocytes, whereas heparin lacking 6-O-sulfate groups was as active as unaltered heparin. Our findings show that plasma lipoprotein clearance depends on specific subclasses of sulfate groups and not on overall charge of the chains.

ScFv antibody-induced translocation of cell-surface heparan sulfate proteoglycan to endocytic vesicles: evidence for heparan sulfate epitope specificity and role of both syndecan and glypican

Cellular uptake of several viruses and polybasic macromolecules requires the expression of cell-surface heparan sulfate proteoglycan (HSPG) through as yet ill defined mechanisms. We unexpectedly found that among several cell-surface-binding single chain variable fragment (scFv) anti-HS antibody (alphaHS) clones, only one, AO4B08, efficiently translocated macromolecular cargo to intracellular vesicles through induction of HSPG endocytosis. Interestingly, AO4B08-induced PG internalization was strictly dependent on HS 2-O-sulfation and appeared independent of intact N-sulfation. AO4B08 and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-Tat, i.e. a well known cell-penetrating peptide, were shown to compete for the internalizing PG population. To obtain a more detailed characterization of this pathway, we have developed a procedure for the isolation of endocytic vesicles by conjugating AO4B08 with superparamagnetic nanoparticles. [(35)S]sulfate-labeled HSPG was found to accumulate in isolated, AO4B08-containing vesicles, providing the first biochemical evidence for intact HSPG co-internalization with its ligand. Further analysis revealed the existence of both syndecan, i.e. a transmembrane HSPG, and glycosyl-phosphatidyl-inositol-anchored glypican in purified vesicles. Importantly, internalized syndecan and glypican were found to co-localize in AO4B08-containing vesicles. Our data establish HSPGs as true internalizing receptors of macromolecular cargo and indicate that the sorting of cell-surface HSPG to endocytic vesicles is determined by a specific HS epitope that can be carried by both syndecan and glypican core protein.

Heparan sulfate-modulated, metalloprotease-mediated sonic hedgehog release from producing cells

The ectodomains of numerous proteins are released from cells by matrix metalloproteases to yield soluble intercellular regulators. A disintegrin and metalloprotease (ADAM) family members have often been found to be the responsible "sheddases," ADAM17/tumor necrosis factor-alpha-converting enzyme being its best characterized member. In this work, we show that ShhNp (lipidated and membrane-tethered Sonic hedgehog) is released from Bosc23 cells by metalloprotease-mediated ectodomain shedding, resulting in a soluble and biologically active morphogen. ShhNp shedding is increased by ADAM17 coexpression and cholesterol depletion of cells with methyl-beta-cyclodextrin and is reduced by metalloprotease inhibitors as well as ADAM17 RNA interference. We also show that the amount of shed ShhNp is modulated by extracellular heparan sulfate (HS) and that ShhNp shedding depends on specific HS sulfations. Based on those data, we suggest new roles for metalloproteases, including but not restricted to ADAM17, and for HS-proteoglycans in Hedgehog signaling.

Functional UDP-xylose transport across the endoplasmic reticulum/Golgi membrane in a Chinese hamster ovary cell mutant defective in UDP-xylose Synthase

In mammals, xylose is found as the first sugar residue of the tetrasaccharide GlcAbeta1-3Galbeta1-3Galbeta1-4Xylbeta1-O-Ser, initiating the formation of the glycosaminoglycans heparin/heparan sulfate and chondroitin/dermatan sulfate. It is also found in the trisaccharide Xylalpha1-3Xylalpha1-3Glcbeta1-O-Ser on epidermal growth factor repeats of proteins, such as Notch. UDP-xylose synthase (UXS), which catalyzes the formation of the UDP-xylose substrate for the different xylosyltransferases through decarboxylation of UDP-glucuronic acid, resides in the endoplasmic reticulum and/or Golgi lumen. Since xylosylation takes place in these organelles, no obvious requirement exists for membrane transport of UDP-xylose. However, UDP-xylose transport across isolated Golgi membranes has been documented, and we recently succeeded with the cloning of a human UDP-xylose transporter (SLC25B4). Here we provide new evidence for a functional role of UDP-xylose transport by characterization of a new Chinese hamster ovary cell mutant, designated pgsI-208, that lacks UXS activity. The mutant fails to initiate glycosaminoglycan synthesis and is not capable of xylosylating Notch. Complementation was achieved by expression of a cytoplasmic variant of UXS, which proves the existence of a functional Golgi UDP-xylose transporter. A approximately 200 fold increase of UDP-glucuronic acid occurred in pgsI-208 cells, demonstrating a lack of UDP-xylose-mediated control of the cytoplasmically localized UDP-glucose dehydrogenase in the mutant. The data presented in this study suggest the bidirectional transport of UDP-xylose across endoplasmic reticulum/Golgi membranes and its role in controlling homeostasis of UDP-glucuronic acid and UDP-xylose production.

Evolutionary differences in glycosaminoglycan fine structure detected by quantitative glycan reductive isotope labeling

To facilitate qualitative and quantitative analysis of glycosaminoglycans, we tagged the reducing end of lyase-generated disaccharides with aniline-containing stable isotopes (12C6 and 13C6). Because different isotope tags have no effect on chromatographic retention times but can be discriminated by a mass detector, differentially isotope-tagged samples can be compared simultaneously by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry and quantified by admixture with known amounts of standards. The technique is adaptable to all types of glycosaminoglycans, and its sensitivity is only limited by the type of mass spectrometer available. We validated the method using commercial heparin and keratan sulfate as well as heparan sulfate isolated from mutant and wild-type Chinese hamster ovary cells, and select tissues from mutant and wild-type mice. This new method provides more robust, reliable, and sensitive means of quantitative evaluation of glycosaminoglycan disaccharide compositions than existing techniques allowing us to compare the chondroitin and heparan sulfate compositions of Hydra vulgaris, Drosophila melanogaster, Caenorhabditis elegans, and mammalian cells. Our results demonstrate significant differences in glycosaminoglycan structure among these organisms that might represent evolutionarily distinct functional motifs.

Surfen, a small molecule antagonist of heparan sulfate

In a search for small molecule antagonists of heparan sulfate, we examined the activity of bis-2-methyl-4-amino-quinolyl-6-carbamide, also known as surfen. Fluorescence-based titrations indicated that surfen bound to glycosaminoglycans, and the extent of binding increased according to charge density in the order heparin > dermatan sulfate > heparan sulfate > chondroitin sulfate. All charged groups in heparin (N-sulfates, O-sulfates, and carboxyl groups) contributed to binding, consistent with the idea that surfen interacted electrostatically. Surfen neutralized the anticoagulant activity of both unfractionated and low molecular weight heparins and inhibited enzymatic sulfation and degradation reactions in vitro. Addition of surfen to cultured cells blocked FGF2-binding and signaling that depended on cell surface heparan sulfate and prevented both FGF2- and VEGF(165)-mediated sprouting of endothelial cells in Matrigel. Surfen also blocked heparan sulfate-mediated cell adhesion to the Hep-II domain of fibronectin and prevented infection by HSV-1 that depended on glycoprotein D interaction with heparan sulfate. These findings demonstrate the feasibility of identifying small molecule antagonists of heparan sulfate and raise the possibility of developing pharmacological agents to treat disorders that involve glycosaminoglycan-protein interactions.

NDST-1 modulates BMPR and PTHrP signaling during endochondral bone formation in a gene knockout model

GlcNAc N-deacetylase/N-sulfotransferase-1 (NDST-1), a member of the enzyme family catalyzing the first modification step in the biosynthesis of heparan sulfate (HS), was knocked out in mice to investigate its role in embryonic development. NDST-1 null mice exhibited delayed endochondral bone formation including shortened calcified zones in limbs, delayed chondrocyte and osteogenetic differentiation, and increased chondrocyte proliferation. In situ HS binding assay revealed that the binding ability of bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) -2, -4, and -6 to endogenous HS was decreased in mutant phalanges, while that of fibroblast growth factor-1 (FGF-1) was not affected. Up-regulation of BMPR-IA, Phospho-Smad1 (P-Smad1) and parathyroid-hormone related protein (PTHrP), but not the Indian hedgehog, Gli1, Gli3, Patched, and FGFR-3, was observed. Furthermore, block of BMPR signaling with noggin rescued the delayed chondrocyte hypertrophic differentiation in NDST-1 (-/-) mice and recovered the expression of both P-Smad1 and PTHrP proteins. These results suggested that NDST-1-dependent heparan sulfate might negatively modulate BMP and its downstream PTHrP signaling, and thus affect endochondral bone development.

N- and 6-O-sulfated heparan sulfates mediate internalization of coxsackievirus B3 variant PD into CHO-K1 cells

Recently, it was demonstrated that the coxsackievirus B3 variant PD (CVB3 PD) is able to infect coxsackievirus-adenovirus receptor (CAR)-lacking cells by using heparan sulfates (HS) as additional receptors (A. E. Zautner, U. Korner, A. Henke, C. Badorff, and M. Schmidtke, J. Virol. 77:10071-10077, 2003). For this study, competition experiments with growth factors binding to known HS sequences as well as with specifically desulfated heparins were performed with Chinese hamster ovary cells (CHO-K1) to determine the structural requirements of HS for interaction with CVB3. Hepatocyte growth factor interacting with HS sequences containing [IdUA-GlcNSO(3)(6OSO(3))](n), but not basic fibroblast growth factor binding to [HexUA-GlcNSO(3)-HexUA-GlcNSO(3)-IdUA(2OSO(3))](n), was shown to compete effectively with CVB3 PD for cell surface HS. Whereas unmodified heparin and 2-O-desulfated heparin strongly inhibited the CVB3 PD-induced cytopathic effect, the antiviral activity was markedly reduced after N-, O- and 6-O-desulfation of heparin. Taken together, these results indicate that 6-O- and N-sulfation of GlcNAc of HS is crucial for HS interaction with CVB3 PD and that the disaccharide [IdUA-GlcNSO(3)(6OSO(3))](n) is involved in viral binding. Results from experiments with various inhibitors of endocytic pathways suggest that HS-mediated virus internalization is pH dependent. Despite the fact that CVB3 PD initiates infection about four times slower by making use of HS as a receptor than by using CAR, the time required for a complete viral life cycle in Chinese hamster ovary cells was independent of the utilized receptor.

Aberrant heparan sulfate profile in the human diabetic kidney offers new clues for therapeutic glycomimetics

BACKGROUND

Diabetic nephropathy poses an increasing health problem in the Western world, and research to new leads for diagnosis and therapy therefore is warranted. In this respect, heparan sulfates (HSs) offer new possibilities because crude mixtures of these polysaccharides are capable of ameliorating proteinuria. The aim of this study is to immuno(histo)chemically profile HSs from microalbuminuric kidneys from patients with type 1 diabetes and identify specific structural HS alterations associated with early diabetic nephropathy.

METHODS

Renal cryosections of control subjects and patients with type 1 diabetes were analyzed immunohistochemically by using a set of 10 unique phage display-derived anti-HS antibodies. HS structures defined by relevant antibodies were characterized chemically by means of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and probed for growth factor binding and presence in HS/heparin-containing drugs.

RESULTS

In all patients, HS structure defined by the antibody LKIV69 consistently increased in basement membranes of proximal tubules. This structure contained N- and 2-O-sulfates and was involved in fibroblast growth factor 2 binding. It was present in HS/heparin-containing drugs shown to decrease albuminuria in patients with diabetes. The HS structure defined by the antibody HS4C3 increased in the renal mesangium of some patients, especially those who developed macroalbuminuria within 8 to 10 years. This structure contained N- and 6-O-sulfates. For 8 other antibodies, no major differences were observed.

CONCLUSION

Specific structural alterations in HSs are associated with early diabetic nephropathy and may offer new leads for early diagnosis and the rational design of therapeutic glycomimetics.

The Morphogenic Properties of Oligomeric Endostatin Are Dependent on Cell Surface Heparan Sulfate

Endostatin has attracted considerable attention because of its ability to inhibit angiogenesis. This property of monomeric endostatin contrasts with that of the trimeric endostatin moiety generated from the intact C-terminal domain of collagen XVIII that induces a promigratory phenotype in endothelial cells. This activity is inhibited by monomeric endostatin. In this study we demonstrate that the effect of oligomeric endostatin can also be inhibited by exogenous glycosaminoglycans in a size-dependent manner, with heparin oligosaccharides containing more than 20 monosaccharide residues having optimal inhibitory activity. Oligomeric endostatin was also found to induce morphological changes in Chinese hamster ovary cells, an epithelial cell line. This novel observation allowed the utilization of a panel of Chinese hamster ovary cell mutants with defined glycosaminoglycan biosynthetic defects. The action of oligomeric endostatin on these cells was shown to be dependent on cell surface glycosaminoglycans, principally heparan sulfate with N- and 6-O-sulfation of glucosamine residues rather than iduronate 2-O-sulfation being important for bioactivity. The responsiveness of a cell line (pgsE-606) with globally reduced heparan sulfate sulfation and shortened S domains, however, indicates that overall heparan sulfate domain patterning is the key determinant of the bioactivity of oligomeric endostatin. Purified heparin-monomeric endostatin constructs generated by zero-length cross-linking techniques were found to be unable to inhibit the action of oligomeric endostatin. This indicates a mechanism for the perturbation of oligomeric endostatin action by its monomeric counterpart via competition for glycosaminoglycan attachment sites at the cell surface.

CHO glycosylation mutants: proteoglycans

Most glycosaminoglycan (GAG)-defective mutants have been isolated and characterized from Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. Wild-type and GAG-defective CHO cells have been used by several hundreds of laboratories to study how altering the GAG structure of proteoglycans affects fundamental properties of cells, such as bacterial/viral infection, signaling, protein degradation, and cell adhesion. This chapter describes methods used to construct and characterize new CHO cell lines with gain-of-function GAG structures. These novel CHO cell lines allow herpes simplex virus (HSV) entry or have anticoagulant properties that are not possessed by wild-type CHO cells. The method used to study GAG biosynthetic mechanisms that control specific GAG sequence assembly is also described.

Synthesis and biological evaluation of gem-diamine 1-N-iminosugars related to L-iduronic acid as inhibitors of heparan sulfate 2-O-sulfotransferase

A variety of gem-diamine 1-N-iminosugars related to L-iduronic acid were synthesized and evaluated as inhibitors of heparan sulfate uronyl 2-O-sulfotransferase using an in vitro enzyme assay. Two iminosugars containing guanidino groups acted as potent in vitro inhibitors of the enzyme.

Cell surface heparan sulfate promotes replication of Toxoplasma gondii

Previous work suggests that cell surface heparan sulfate acts as a receptor for the Apicomplexan parasite Toxoplasma gondii. Using Chinese hamster ovary cell mutants defective in heparan sulfate biosynthesis, we show that heparan sulfate is necessary and sufficient for infectivity. Further, we demonstrate that the parasite requires N sulfation of heparan sulfate initiated by N-deacetylase/N-sulfotransferase-1, but 2-O sulfation and 6-O sulfation appear to be dispensable. In order to study the role of heparan sulfate in other cell types, we created a conditional allele for N-deacetylase/N-sulfotransferase-1 by using Cre-loxP technology. Mammary tumor cells lacking N-deacetylase/N-sulfotransferase-1 exhibited reduced toxoplasma infectivity like Chinese hamster ovary cell mutants. Surprisingly, heparin, chemically modified heparinoids, and monoclonal antibodies to heparan sulfate had no effect on toxoplasma infection. T. gondii attachment and invasion were unchanged in N-deacetylase/N-sulfotransferase-1-inactivated cells as well, but replication was reduced. Thus, heparan sulfate does not appear to function as a receptor for T. gondii but instead facilitates parasite replication postinvasion.

Quantification of glycosaminoglycans by reversed-phase HPLC separation of fluorescent isoindole derivatives

Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) are linear polysaccharides made by all animal cells. GAGs bind to hundreds of proteins, such as growth factors, cytokines, chemokines, extracellular matrix components, protease inhibitors, proteases, and lipoprotein lipase, through carbohydrate and protein interactions. These interactions control many multicellular processes. The increased use of GAGs isolated from cells and small tissue samples in bioassays and binding experiments demands a sensitive and robust quantification method. We have developed such a method, which is based on a popular assay for amino acid analysis. We have refined it to enhance GAG quantification. It allows the quantification of glucosamine- and galactosamine-containing GAGs after the reversed-phase separation of their fluorescent isoindole derivatives. The derivatives are created by the reaction of o-phthaldialdehyde and 3-mercaptopropionic acid (3MPA) with the amino group of hexosaminitol monosaccharides generated from GAG acid hydrolysis and sodium borohydride reduction. The advantages of our method include automatic derivitization, a simple chromatograph with clean separation of glucosaminitol and galactosaminitol derivatives from contaminating amino acids, excellent sensitivity with 0.04 pmol detection, and linearity from 2.5 to 1280 pmol. A major advantage is that it can be readily implemented in any laboratory with typical reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) equipment.