Dorothy Fiete

A hepatic reticuloendothelial cell receptor specific for SO4-4GalNAcβ1, 4GlcNAcβ1,2Manα that mediates rapid clearance of lutropin

Abstract We have identified a receptor in hepatic endothelial and Kupffer cells that binds oligosaccharides terminating with the sequence SO 4 -4GalNAcβ1,4GlcNAcβ1,2-Manα (S4GGnM). This receptor can account for the rapid removal of the glycoprotein hormone lutropin, which bears unique Asn-linked oligosaccharides terminating in S4GGnM, from the circulation. Hepatic endothelial cells express 579,000 S4GGnM receptors at their surface and bind lutropin with an apparent K d of 1.63 × 10 −7 M. Bound ligand is rapidly internalized. Binding does not require divalent cations, is reversed by incubation at pH 5.0 or below, and is inhibited by fucoidin but not by hyaluronate, heparin, chondroitin sulfate, or dextran sulfate. We propose that the S4GGnM-specific receptor represents a major mechanism for clearance of certain sulfated glycoproteins from the blood, including members of the glycoprotein hormone family.

Galactose and N-acetylgalactosamine-specific endocytosis of glycopeptides by isolated rat hepatocytes

We have examined the kinetics of binding and uptake of iodinated glycoproteins and glycopeptides bearing terminal Gal or GalNAc moieties in an isolated rat hepatocyte system. Asparagine-linked, triantennary complex oligosaccharides with three terminal Gal residues are endocytosed with the same kinetics as asialo-orosomucoid, whereas biantennary, complex oligosaccharides with one or two terminal Gal residues are not endocytosed Glycopeptides bearing as few as four O-glycosidically-linked Gal beta 1, 3GalNAc or GalNAc moieties are also rapidly endocytosed, while glycopeptides with one or two more closely spaced moieties are not endocytosed. All the endocytosable glycoproteins and glycopeptides have similar apparent dissociation constants and a similar number of binding sites on the surface of the intact hepatocyte. The ligand-binding properties of the receptor in the plasma membrane of intact cells differ from those of the solubilized receptor, suggesting that interaction with other as yet undefined cellular components confers the ability to discriminate among closely related oligosaccharide structures. This is consistent with a model in which only glycopeptides bearing terminal Gal or GalNAc residues that fall within a restricted spatial relationship can induce a conformational alteration in the receptor which is required for uptake to occur. The endocytosis of a number of glycoproteins such as human asialo-ceruloplasmin can be accounted for by the presence of a single, complex oligosaccharide with the appropriate structure.

N-Linked Oligosaccharides on the Low Density Lipoprotein Receptor Homolog SorLA/LR11 Are Modified with Terminal GalNAc-4-SO4 in Kidney and Brain

Sorting protein-related receptor (SorLA/LR11) is a highly conserved mosaic receptor that is expressed by cells in a number of different tissues including principal cells of the collecting ducts in the kidney and neurons in the central and peripheral nervous systems. SorLA/LR11 has features that indicate it serves as a sorting receptor shuttling between the plasma membrane, endosomes, and the Golgi. We have found that a fraction of SorLA/LR11 that is synthesized in the kidney and the brain bears N-linked oligosaccharides that are modified with terminal β1,4-linked GalNAc-4-SO4. Oligosaccharides located in the vacuolar sorting (Vps) 10p domain (Vps10p domain) are modified with β1,4-linked GalNAc when the Vps10p domain is expressed in cells along with either of two recently cloned protein-specific β1,4GalNAc-transferases, GalNAcTIII and GalNAcTIV. Either of two sequences with basic amino acids located within the Vps10p domain is able to mediate recognition by these β1,4GalNAc-transferases. The highly specific modification of oligosaccharides in the Vps10p domain of SorLA/LR11 with terminal GalNAc-4-SO4 suggests that this unusual modification may modulate the interaction of SorLA/LR11 with proteins and influence their trafficking.

Ablation of GalNAc-4-sulfotransferase-1 enhances reproduction by altering the carbohydrate structures of luteinizing hormone in mice

Luteinizing hormone (LH), produced in the anterior lobe of the pituitary, is a member of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonad axis that is required for production of the sex hormones estradiol, progesterone, and testosterone. Perturbations in levels of hormones associated with this axis can result in defects in sexual development and maturity. LH bears unique N-linked carbohydrate units that terminate with a sulfated N-acetylgalactosamine structure (GalNAc-4-SO(4)) that mediates its clearance from the blood. To determine the significance of this terminal structure, we ablated the gene encoding the sulfotransferase responsible for sulfate addition to GalNAc on LH, GalNAc-4-sulfotransferase-1 (GalNAc-4-ST1) in mice. Mice lacking GalNAc-4-ST1 exhibited increased levels of circulating LH. In male mice, this resulted in elevated levels of testosterone and precocious maturation of testis and seminal vesicles. Female mice lacking GalNAc-4-ST1 demonstrated elevated estrogen levels and exhibited precocious sexual maturation and increased fecundity. Female mice remained in estrus for prolonged periods and produced almost 50% more litters per mouse than wild-type mice over the same period of time. Thus, sulfate modification of the terminal glycosylation of LH plays a central role in regulating the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonad axis in vivo.

A necessary and sufficient determinant for protein-selective glycosylation in vivo.

A limited number of glycoproteins including luteinizing hormone and carbonic anhydrase-VI (CA6) bear N-linked oligosaccharides that are modified with β1,4-linked N-acetylgalactosamine (GalNAc). The selective addition of GalNAc to these glycoproteins requires that the β1,4-N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase (βGT) recognize both the oligosaccharide acceptor and a peptide recognition determinant on the substrate glycoprotein. We report here that two recently cloned βGTs, βGT3 and βGT4, that are able to transfer GalNAc to GlcNAc in β1,4-linkage display the necessary glycoprotein specificity in vivo. Both βGTs transfer GalNAc to N-linked oligosaccharides on the luteinizing hormone α subunit and CA6 but not to those on transferrin (Trf). A single peptide recognition determinant encoded in the carboxyl-terminal 19-amino acid sequence of bovine CA6 mediates transfer of GalNAc to each of its two N-linked oligosaccharides. The addition of this 19-amino acid sequence to the carboxyl terminus of Trf confers full acceptor activity onto Trf for both βGT3 and βGT4 in vivo. The complete 19-amino acid sequence is required for optimal GalNAc addition in vivo, indicating that the peptide sequence is both necessary and sufficient for recognition by βGT3 and βGT4.

Modulation of Mannose and Asialoglycoprotein Receptor Expression Determines Glycoprotein Hormone Half-life at Critical Points in the Reproductive Cycle

Background: Unique glycan structures on glycoprotein hormones are recognized by glycan-specific receptors that control hormone half-life in the blood. Results: Clearance rates for recognized glycoproteins are determined by the level of receptor expression in the liver. Conclusion: Expression of glycan-specific receptors is modulated at critical points in the reproductive cycle. Significance: Glycans and glycan-specific receptors play critical roles in reproduction. The rate at which glycoproteins are cleared from the circulation has a critical impact on their biologic activity in vivo. We have shown that clearance rates for glycoproteins such as luteinizing hormone (LH) that undergo regulated release into the circulation determine their potency. Two highly abundant, carbohydrate-specific, endocytic receptors, the asialoglycoprotein receptor (ASGR) and the mannose receptor (ManR) are expressed in the liver by parenchymal and sinusoidal endothelial cells, respectively. We demonstrate that the ManR mediates the clearance of glycoproteins such as LH that bear N-linked glycans terminating with β1,4-linked GalNAc-4-SO4, as well as glycoproteins bearing glycans that terminate with Man. Steady state levels of mRNA encoding the ASGR and the ManR are regulated by progesterone in pregnant mice, reaching maximal levels on day 12.5 of pregnancy. Protein expression and glycan-specific binding activity also increase in the livers of pregnant mice. In contrast, ManR mRNA, but not ASGR mRNA, decreases in male mice at the time of sexual maturation. We show that levels of ManR and ASGR expression control the clearance rate for glycoproteins bearing recognized glycans. Thus, reduced expression of the ManR at the time of sexual maturation will increase the potency of LH in vivo, whereas increased expression during pregnancy will reduce LH potency until progesterone and receptor levels fall prior to parturition.

Molecular Basis for Protein-specific Transfer of N-Acetylgalactosamine to N-Linked Glycans by the Glycosyltransferases β1,4-N-Acetylgalactosaminyl Transferase 3 (β4GalNAc-T3) and β4GalNAc-T4

Background: Luteinizing hormone and carbonic anhydrase-6 bear unique N-linked oligosaccharides terminating with LacdiNAc (GalNAcβ1,4GlcNAc). Results: Two related β1,4-N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferases have distinct specificities for peptide motifs on luteinizing hormone and carbonic anhydrase-6. Conclusion: Affinity for the peptide motif determines the efficiency of GalNAc transfer to oligosaccharide acceptors. Significance: Kinetic parameters define the basis for protein-specific synthesis of carbohydrate structures in vivo. Two closely related β1,4-N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferases, β4GalNAc-T3 and β4GalNAc-T4, are thought to account for the protein-specific addition of β1,4-linked GalNAc to Asn-linked oligosaccharides on a number of glycoproteins including the glycoprotein hormone luteinizing hormone and carbonic anhydrase-6 (CA6). We have utilized soluble, secreted forms of β4GalNAc-T3 and β4GalNAc-T4 to define the basis for protein-specific GalNAc transfer in vitro to chimeric substrates consisting of Gaussia luciferase followed by a glycoprotein substrate. Transfer of GalNAc by β4GalNAc-T3 and β4GalNAc-T4 to terminal GlcNAc is divalent cation-dependent. Transfer of GalNAc to glycoprotein acceptors that contain a peptide recognition determinant is maximal between 0.5 and 1.0 mm MnCl2; however, transfer is increasingly inhibited by concentrations of MnCl2 above 1 mm and by anion concentrations above 15 mm. In contrast, transfer of GalNAc to the simple sugar acceptor N-acetylglucosamine-β-p-nitrophenol (GlcNAcβ-pNP) is not inhibited by concentrations of MnCl2 or anions that would inhibit transfer to glycoprotein acceptors by >90%. This finding indicates that interaction with the peptide recognition determinant in the substrate is sensitive to the anion concentration. β4GalNAc-T3 and β4GalNAc-T4 have similar but distinct specificities, resulting in a 42-fold difference in the IC50 for transfer of GalNAc to chimeric glycoprotein substrates by agalacto human chorionic gonadotropin, comprising 29 nm for β4GalNAc-T3 and 1.2 μm for β4GalNAc-T4. Our in vitro analysis indicates that enzymatic recognition of the peptide determinant and the oligosaccharide acceptor are independent events.

Peptide-specific Transfer of N-Acetylgalactosamine to O-Linked Glycans by the Glycosyltransferases β1,4-N-Acetylgalactosaminyl Transferase 3 (β4GalNAc-T3) and β4GalNAc-T4

Background: LacdiNAc (GalNAcβ1,4GlcNAc) is present on O- and N-linked carbohydrate moieties of pro-opiomelanocortin. Results: β1,4-N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferases β4GalNAc-T3 and β4GalNAc-T4 mediate peptide-specific transfer of GalNAc to O-linked structures in vivo and in vitro. Conclusion: β4GalNAc-T3 and β4GalNAc-T4 can account for LacdiNAc sequences on O-linked structures on specific glycoproteins. Significance: The protein-specific addition of LacdiNAc to O-linked carbohydrates generates a family of unique structures recognized by carbohydrate-specific receptors. N- and O-linked oligosaccharides on pro-opiomelanocortin both bear the unique terminal sequence SO4-4-GalNAcβ1,4GlcNAcβ. We previously demonstrated that protein-specific transfer of GalNAc to N-linked oligosaccharides on glycoprotein substrates is dependent on the presence of both an oligosaccharide acceptor and a peptide recognition motif consisting of a cluster of basic amino acids. We characterized how two β1,4-N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferases, β4GalNAc-T3 and β4GalNAc-T4, require the presence of both the peptide recognition motif and the N-linked oligosaccharide acceptors to transfer GalNAc in β1,4-linkage to GlcNAc in vivo and in vitro. We now show that β4GalNAc-T3 and β4GalNAc-T4 are able to utilize the same peptide motif to selectively add GalNAc to β1,6-linked GlcNAc in core 2 O-linked oligosaccharide structures to form Galβ1,3(GalNAcβ1,4GlcNAcβ1,6)GalNAcαSer/Thr. The β1,4-linked GalNAc can be further modified with 4-linked sulfate by either GalNAc-4-sulfotransferase 1 (GalNAc-4-ST1) (CHST8) or GalNAc-4-ST2 (CHST9) or with α2,6-linked N-acetylneuraminic acid by α2,6-sialyltransferase 1 (ST6Gal1), thus generating a family of unique GalNAcβ1,4GlcNAcβ (LacdiNAc)-containing structures on specific glycoproteins.

Functional consequences of mannose and asialoglycoprotein receptor ablation

The mannose receptor (ManR, Mrc1) and asialoglycoprotein receptor (ASGR, Asgr1 and Asgr2) are highly abundant endocytic receptors expressed by sinusoidal endothelial cells and parenchymal cells in the liver, respectively. We genetically manipulated either receptor individually or in combination, revealing phenotypic changes in female and male mice associated with changes in circulating levels of many glycoproteins. Both receptors rise and fall in response to progesterone during pregnancy. Thirty percent of Asgr2−/− and 65% of Mrc1−/−Asgr2−/− mice are unable to initiate parturition at the end of pregnancy, whereas Mrc1−/− mice initiate normally. Twenty five percent of Mrc1−/−Asgr2−/− male mice develop priapism when mating due to thrombosis of the penile vein, but neither Mrc1−/− nor Asgr2−/− mice do so. The half-life for luteinizing hormone (LH) clearance increases in Mrc1−/− and Mrc1−/−Asgr2−/− mice but not in Asgr2−/− mice; however, LH and testosterone are elevated in all three knockouts. The ManR clears LH thus regulating testosterone production, whereas the ASGR appears to mediate clearance of an unidentified glycoprotein that increases LH levels. More than 40 circulating glycoproteins are elevated >3.0-fold in pregnant Mrc1−/−Asgr2−/− mice. Pregnancy-specific glycoprotein 23, undetectable in WT mice (<50 ng/ml plasma), reaches levels of 1–10 mg/ml in the plasma of Mrc1−/−Asgr2−/− and Asgr2−/− mice, indicating it is cleared by the ASGR. Elevation of multiple coagulation factors in Mrc1−/−Asgr2−/− mice may account for priapism seen in males. These male and female phenotypic changes underscore the key roles of the ManR and ASGR in controlling circulating levels of numerous glycoproteins critical for regulating reproductive hormones and blood coagulation.