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Biomedical subjects

Hiroto Kawashima

Publications and source records attributed to Hiroto Kawashima.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Significant decrease in alpha1,3-linked fucose in association with increase in 6-sulfated N-acetylglucosamine in peripheral lymph node addressin of FucT-VII-deficient mice exhibiting diminished lymphocyte homing.

Lymphocyte homing is mediated by binding of L-selectin on lymphocytes with L-selectin ligands present on high-endothelial venules (HEV) of peripheral and mesenteric lymph nodes. L-selectin ligands are specific O-linked carbohydrates, 6-sulfo sialyl Lewis X, composed of sialylated, fucosylated, and sulfated glycans. Abrogation of fucosyltransferase-VII (FucT-VII) results in almost complete loss of lymphocyte homing, but structural analysis of carbohydrates has not been carried out on FucT-VII null mice. To determine whether functional losses seen in FucT-VII null mice are caused by structural changes in carbohydrates, we elucidated the carbohydrate structure of GlyCAM-1, a major L-selectin counter-receptor. Our results show that most alpha1,3-fucosylated structures in 6-sulfo sialyl Lewis X are absent and 6-sulfo N-acetyllactosamine is increased in the mutant mice. Surprisingly, the amount of 6'-sulfated galactose (Gal) that bound to Sumbucus nigra agglutinin column was also increased. We found that structures of those oligosaccharides containing 6'-sulfated Gal are almost identical to those synthesized by keratan sulfate sulfotransferase (KSST). We then showed that overexpression of KSST suppresses the expression of sialyl Lewis X on Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells engineered to express sialyl Lewis X. Moreover, KSST expression in those cells suppressed lymphocyte rolling compared with mock-transfected CHO cells expressing 6-sulfo sialyl Lewis X. 6'-Sulfo sialyl Lewis X can neither be found in GlyCAM-1 from CHO cells expressing both KSST and FucT-VII nor be found in GlyCAM-1 from HEV of mice. These results combined together suggest that KSST competes with FucT-VII for the same acceptor substrate and downregulates the synthesis of L-selectin ligand by inhibiting alpha1,3-fucosylation.

Acetylglucosamine↗

Elevation of rat plasma P-selectin in acute lung injury.

Acute lung injury in the rat caused by intravenous (i.v.) infusion of cobra venom factor (CVF) or lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is mediated by P-selectin-dependent neutrophil infiltration into the lung. In these lung injury models, P-selectin expression is induced on lung vascular endothelial cells after the CVF or LPS infusion, suggesting soluble P-selectin derived from inflamed sites might also be elevated. Here we established a sensitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to measure soluble P-selectin in plasma, a potential marker of lung injury. Nine anti-rat P-selectin monoclonal antibodies that we established previously were first classified into 5 groups based on real-time biospecific interaction analyses, and used to develop a sandwich ELISA for accurately measuring the amount of soluble P-selectin in plasma. We then used this ELISA to measure the plasma P-selectin levels in Long Evans, Wistar, and Sprague-Dawley rats after the i.v. infusion of CVF or LPS. The elevation in P-selectin levels was significantly different among the strains, but it consistently correlated with the extent of lung inflammation, measured by myeloperoxidase levels in the lung tissues. Thus, our results indicate that the soluble P-selectin in plasma could serve as a sensitive biomarker reflecting lung inflammation, which is of clinical importance for detecting and preventing severe lung injury.

Acute Disease↗

Determination of chemokine-glycosaminoglycan interaction specificity.

Chemokines are a large group of closely related cytokines that induce directed migration of leukocytes through interaction with a group of seven-transmembrane, G protein-coupled receptors. Biological properties of chemokines are influenced by their association with glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) on the cell surfaces and in the extracellular matrices. GAGs immobilize and enhance local concentration of chemokines, promoting their presentation to the receptors. This chapter describes a newly developed method to define oligosaccharide sequences in GAG chains that specifically interact with chemokines. A simple method to quantify the interaction between chemokines and GAGs based on surface plasmon resonance is also described. These methods will be useful in defining chemokine-GAG-binding specificities.

Binding Sites↗

Functions of glycans revealed by gene inactivation of L-selectin ligand sulfotransferases in mice.

Lymphocyte homing is mediated by a specific interaction between L-selectin and its sulfated glycoprotein ligands expressed on high endothelial venules (HEVs) in lymph nodes. To examine the significance of sulfation of L-selectin ligands, gene targeting mice deficient in both N-acetylglucosamine-6-O-sulfotransferase (GlcNAc6ST)-1 and GlcNAc6ST-2 (HEC-GlcNAc6ST/ LSST) have been generated. In the double-knockout mice, binding of MECA-79 antibody to lymph node HEV was completely abolished, indicating that extended core 1 O-glycans containing GlcNAc-6-O-sulfate is completely diminished in those mice. Furthermore, the mutant mice showed approximately 75% less lymphocyte homing to the peripheral lymph nodes (PLNs) and significantly less contact hypersensitivity response than wild-type mice, demonstrating that GlcNAc6ST-1 and GlcNAc6ST-2 play a major role in L-selectin ligand biosynthesis in HEVs. In this chapter, the detailed protocols that have been used for the functional assays of these sulfotransferase double-knockout mice are described.

Animals↗

Roles of sulfated glycans in lymphocyte homing.

Lymphocyte homing is mediated by a specific interaction between the lymphocyte homing receptor L-selectin and its sulfated glycoprotein ligands, which are expressed on high endothelial venules (HEV) in the lymph nodes. To examine the significance of the sulfation of L-selectin ligands, our group has generated gene-targeted mice deficient in both N-acetylglucosamine-6-O-sulfotransferase (GlcNAc6ST)-1 and GlcNAc6ST-2. The mutant mice show approximately 75% less lymphocyte homing to the peripheral lymph nodes than normal, indicating that GlcNAc6ST-1 and GlcNAc6ST-2 play a major role in the biosynthesis of L-selectin ligand in HEV. In agreement with this interpretation, an oligosaccharide analysis indicated that 6-sulfo sialyl Lewis X, a major L-selectin ligand sulfated glycan, is almost completely abrogated in the double-deficient mice. Lymphocyte homing into the parenchyma of lymph nodes is mediated by a series of interactions: rolling, activation by chemokines, integrin-mediated adhesion, and transmigration. During the rolling interaction, which is mediated by L-selectin and sulfated glycans, lymphocytes receive activation signals from chemokines presented on the surface of HEV by heparan sulfate, a sulfated glycosaminoglycan, which leads to the activation of lymphocyte beta2 integrin. Sulfated glycans are thus involved in both the rolling and the chemokine-induced activation steps between lymphocytes and HEV. In this article, recent findings on the roles of sulfated glycans in both of these lymphocyte-homing steps will be reviewed. The possible application of sulfated glycans for the prevention of inflammatory disorders will also be discussed.

Animals↗

Suppression of tumor formation in lymph nodes by L-selectin-mediated natural killer cell recruitment.

Natural killer (NK) cells are known to reject certain tumors in vivo; however, the ability of NK cells to prevent metastasis of tumors into secondary lymphoid organs has not been addressed. Here, we report that in tumor-bearing hosts, NK cells are recruited to regional lymph nodes in wild-type mice, but not in mice deficient for L-selectin or L-selectin ligands. By adoptive transfer and complete Freund's adjuvant stimulation experiments, we demonstrated that L-selectin on NK cells and L-selectin ligands on endothelial cells are essential for NK cell recruitment to lymph nodes. Furthermore, freshly isolated resident lymph node NK cells lysed tumors efficiently, and metastasis of B16 melanoma cells to draining lymph nodes was suppressed in wild-type or Rag-1-deficient mice, but not when NK cells were depleted. Although L-selectin-deficient NK cells efficiently lysed tumor cells in vitro, NK cell-dependent suppression of tumor metastasis was diminished in mice deficient for L-selectin or L-selectin ligands because of insufficient NK cell recruitment to lymph nodes. Moreover, tumor metastasis was substantially inhibited in L-selectin-deficient mice reconstituted with wild-type NK cells. These findings indicate that L-selectin-mediated NK cell recruitment plays a crucial role in the control of tumor metastasis into secondary lymphoid organs.

Adoptive Transfer↗

N-acetylglucosamine-6-O-sulfotransferases 1 and 2 cooperatively control lymphocyte homing through L-selectin ligand biosynthesis in high endothelial venules.

Lymphocyte homing is mediated by specific interactions between L-selectin on lymphocytes and sulfated carbohydrates restricted to high endothelial venules in lymph nodes. Here we generated mice deficient in both N-acetylglucosamine-6-O-sulfotransferase 1 (GlcNAc6ST-1) and GlcNAc6ST-2 and found that mutant mice had approximately 75% less homing of lymphocytes to the peripheral lymph nodes than did wild-type mice. Consequently, these mice had lower contact hypersensitivity responses than those of wild-type mice. Carbohydrate structural analysis showed that 6-sulfo sialyl Lewis X, a dominant ligand for L-selectin, was almost completely absent from the high endothelial venules of these mutant mice, whereas the amount of unsulfated sialyl Lewis X was much greater. These results demonstrate the essential function of GlcNAc6ST-1 and GlcNAc6ST-2 in L-selectin ligand biosynthesis in high endothelial venules and their importance in immune surveillance.

Animals↗

CD44-chondroitin sulfate interactions mediate leukocyte rolling under physiological flow conditions.

CD44 on leukocytes binds to its glycosaminoglycan (GAG) ligand, hyaluronic acid, and mediates the rolling of leukocytes on vascular endothelial cells. We previously reported that the recombinant CD44 protein binds to other GAGs, including chondroitin sulfates (CS), although the physiological significance of this interaction has remained unclear. Here we report that the CD44 expressed on mouse lymphoma BW5147 cells supports cell binding to immobilized CS under static conditions and mediates cell rolling in CS-coated glass capillary tubes under shear stresses ranging from 0.5 to 1.5 dyn/cm(2), which is within the physiological range of forces in venules. Both interactions were completely inhibited by pretreating the cells with an anti-CD44 antibody or by pretreating the CS with chondroitinase ABC, but not hyaluronidase. To address the role of the CD44-CS interaction in vivo, we examined the tissue localization of the CS that interacts with CD44. Interestingly, a recombinant CD44 fusion protein bound to hepatic sinuosoidal endothelial cells where CS was also expressed, as assessed by immunohistochemistry. These findings support the involvement of the CD44-CS interaction in the primary adhesion of lymphocytes to endothelial cells and raise the possibility that this interaction plays a role in the capture of CD44-positive cells, such as activated T cells and certain tumor cells, by the hepatic sinusoidal vasculature.

Animals↗

Core 2 branching beta1,6-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase and high endothelial venule-restricted sulfotransferase collaboratively control lymphocyte homing.

L-selectin mediates lymphocyte homing by facilitating lymphocyte adhesion to carbohydrate ligands expressed on high endothelial venules (HEV) of the secondary lymphoid organs. Previous studies demonstrated that L-selectin ligand sulfotransferase (LSST) forms 6-sulfo sialyl Lewis x (sLe(x)) on both core 2 branch and MECA-79-positive extended core 1 O-glycans, but the chemical nature and roles of HEV ligands elaborated by LSST and core 2 beta1,6-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase-1 (Core2GlcNAcT) have been undefined. In the present study, we have generated mutant mice with deficient LSST and show that inactivation of LSST gene alone leads to only partial impairment of lymphocyte homing to peripheral lymph nodes and moderate reduction in lymphocyte counts in the peripheral lymph nodes, despite the fact that L-selectin ligands that contain 6-sulfo sLe(x) are reduced at HEV. By contrast, LSST/Core2GlcNAcT double null mice exhibited a markedly reduced lymphocyte homing and reduced lymphocyte counts as a result of significantly decreased 6-sulfo sLe(x) on HEV L-selectin counterreceptors, relative to LSST- or Core2GlcNAcT-single null mice. Moreover, induction of LSST and Core2GlcNAcT transcripts was observed in HEV-like structure formed in the salivary gland of the non-obese diabetic mouse, which displays chronic inflammation. These results indicate that LSST and Core2GlcNAcT cooperatively synthesize HEV-specific L-selectin ligands required for lymphocyte homing and suggest that LSST and Core2GlcNAcT play a critical role in lymphocyte trafficking during chronic inflammation.

Animals↗

Cerebroside sulfotransferase deficiency ameliorates L-selectin-dependent monocyte infiltration in the kidney after ureteral obstruction.

Mononuclear cells infiltrating the interstitium are involved in renal tubulointerstitial injury. The unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) is an established experimental model of renal interstitial inflammation. In our previous study, we postulated that L-selectin on monocytes is involved in their infiltration into the interstitium by UUO and that a sulfated glycolipid, sulfatide, is the physiological L-selectin ligand in the kidney. Here we tested the above hypothesis using sulfatide- and L-selectin-deficient mice. Sulfatide-deficient mice were generated by gene targeting of the cerebroside sulfotransferase (Cst) gene. Although the L-selectin-IgG chimera protein specifically bound to sulfatide fraction in acidic lipids from wild-type kidney, it did not show such binding in fractions of Cst(-/-) mice kidney, indicating that sulfatide is the major L-selectin-binding glycolipid in the kidney. The distribution of L-selectin ligand in wild-type mice changed after UUO; sulfatide was relocated from the distal tubules to the peritubular capillaries where monocytes infiltrate, suggesting that sulfatide relocated to the endothelium after UUO interacted with L-selectin on monocytes. In contrast, L-selectin ligand was not detected in Cst(-/-) mice irrespective of UUO treatment. Compared with wild-type mice, Cst(-/-) mice showed a considerable reduction in the number of monocytes/macrophages that infiltrated the interstitium after UUO. The number of monocytes/macrophages was also reduced to a similar extent in L-selectin(-/-) mice. Our results suggest that sulfatide is a major L-selectin-binding molecule in the kidney and that the interaction between L-selectin and sulfatide plays a critical role in monocyte infiltration into the kidney interstitium.

Animals↗

Hyaluronan recognition mode of CD44 revealed by cross-saturation and chemical shift perturbation experiments.

CD44 is the main cell surface receptor for hyaluronic acid (HA) and contains a functional HA-binding domain (HABD) composed of a Link module with N- and C-terminal extensions. The contact residues of human CD44 HABD for HA have been determined by cross-saturation experiments and mapped on the topology of CD44 HABD, which we elucidated by NMR. The contact residues are distributed in both the consensus fold for the Link module superfamily and the additional structural elements consisting of the flanking regions. Interestingly, the contact residues exhibit small changes in chemical shift upon HA binding. In contrast, the residues with large chemical shift changes are localized in the C-terminal extension and the first alpha-helix and are generally inconsistent with the contact residues. These results suggest that, upon ligand binding, the C-terminal extension and the first alpha-helix undergo significant conformational changes, which may account for the broad ligand specificity of CD44 HABD.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Hyaluronan oligosaccharides induce CD44 cleavage and promote cell migration in CD44-expressing tumor cells.

CD44 is an adhesion molecule that serves as a cell surface receptor for several extracellular matrix components, including hyaluronan (HA). The proteolytic cleavage of CD44 from the cell surface plays a critical role in the migration of tumor cells. Although this cleavage can be induced by certain stimuli such as phorbol ester and anti-CD44 antibodies in vitro, the physiological inducer of CD44 cleavage in vivo is unknown. Here, we demonstrate that HA oligosaccharides of a specific size range induce CD44 cleavage from tumor cells. Fragmented HA containing 6-mers to 14-mers enhanced CD44 cleavage dose-dependently by interacting with CD44, whereas a large polymer HA failed to enhance CD44 cleavage, although it bound to CD44. Examination using uniformly sized HA oligosaccharides revealed that HAs smaller than 36 kDa significantly enhanced CD44 cleavage. In particular, the 6.9-kDa HA (36-mers) not only enhanced CD44 cleavage but also promoted tumor cell motility, which was completely inhibited by an anti-CD44 monoclonal antibody. These results raise the possibility that small HA oligosaccharides, which are known to occur in various tumor tissues, promote tumor invasion by enhancing the tumor cell motility that may be driven by CD44 cleavage.

Cell Movement↗

Impaired selectin-ligand biosynthesis and reduced inflammatory responses in beta-1,4-galactosyltransferase-I-deficient mice.

Selectins recognize ligands containing carbohydrate chains such as sialyl Lewis x (sLex) that are mainly presented at the terminus of N-acetyl lactosamine repeats on core 2 O-glycans. Several glycosyltransferases act successively to extend the N-acetyl lactosamine repeats and to synthesize sLex, and beta-1,4-galactosyltransferase (beta4GalT) plays a key role in these processes. Recently isolated 6 beta4GalT genes are candidates, but their individual roles, including those in selectin-ligand biosynthesis, remain to be elucidated. More than 80% of the core 2 O-glycans on the leukocyte membrane glycoproteins of beta4GalT-I-deficient mice lacked galactose residues in beta-1,4 linkage, and soluble P-selectin binding to neutrophils and monocytes of these mice was significantly reduced, indicating an impairment of selectin-ligand biosynthesis. beta4GalT-I-deficient mice exhibited blood leukocytosis but normal lymphocyte homing to peripheral lymph nodes. Acute and chronic inflammatory responses, including the contact hypersensitivity (CHS) and delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) responses, were suppressed, and neutrophil infiltration into inflammatory sites was largely reduced in these mice. Our results demonstrate that beta4GalT-I is a major galactosyltransferase responsible for selectin-ligand biosynthesis and that inflammatory responses of beta4GalT-I-deficient mice are impaired because of the defect in selectin-ligand biosynthesis.

Acute Disease↗

Collagen XVIII, a basement membrane heparan sulfate proteoglycan, interacts with L-selectin and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1.

Leukocyte infiltration during inflammation is mediated by the sequential actions of adhesion molecules and chemokines. By using a rat ureteral obstruction model, we showed previously that L-selectin plays an important role in leukocyte infiltration into the kidney. Here we report the purification, identification, and characterization of an L-selectin-binding heparan sulfate proteoglycan (HSPG) expressed in the rat kidney. Partial amino acid sequencing and Western blotting analyses showed that the L-selectin-binding HSPG is collagen XVIII, a basement membrane HSPG. The binding of L-selectin to isolated collagen XVIII was specifically inhibited by an anti-L-selectin monoclonal antibody, EDTA, treatment of the collagen XVIII with heparitinase or heparin but not by chemically desulfated heparin. A cell binding assay showed that the L-selectin-collagen XVIII interaction mediates cell adhesion. Interestingly, collagen XVIII also interacted with a chemokine, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, and presented it to a monocytic cell line, THP-1, which enhanced the alpha(4)beta(1) integrin-mediated binding of the THP-1 cells to vascular cell adhesion molecule-1. Thus, collagen XVIII may provide a link between selectin-mediated cell adhesion and chemokine-induced cellular activation and accelerate the progression of leukocyte infiltration in renal inflammation.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Chondroitin sulfate B exerts its inhibitory effect on secondary lymphoid tissue chemokine (SLC) by binding to the C-terminus of SLC.

We previously reported that certain glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) bind secondary lymphoid tissue chemokine (SLC, CCL21) and that the SLC-binding GAGs, including chondroitin sulfate B (CS B), negatively modulate the function of SLC, although the mechanism remains unknown [J. Biol. Chem. 276 (2001) 5228]. To gain insight into the mechanism of inhibition, we used a C-terminally truncated SLC (SLC-T) that lacked clusters of basic amino acid residues that have been implicated in GAG binding. While SLC-T failed to bind any GAGs, it induced prominent intracellular Ca(2+) mobilization in CC chemokine receptor (CCR) 7-expressing cells, as did wild-type SLC. However, the SLC-T-induced Ca(2+) influx was not inhibited by CS B, unlike the SLC-induced Ca(2+) influx. These results demonstrate the requirement of the C-terminus of SLC for the inhibition of chemokine responses by CS B; that is, CS B exerts its inhibitory effect by binding to the C-terminus of SLC, thus defining the mode of action of CS B on certain chemokines.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Oversulfated chondroitin/dermatan sulfates containing GlcAbeta1/IdoAalpha1-3GalNAc(4,6-O-disulfate) interact with L- and P-selectin and chemokines.

We previously reported that versican, a large chondroitin/dermatan sulfate (CS/DS) proteoglycan, interacts through its CS/DS chains with adhesion molecules L- and P-selectin and CD44, as well as chemokines. Here, we have characterized these interactions further. Using a metabolic inhibitor of sulfation, sodium chlorate, we show that the interactions of the CS/DS chains of versican with L- and P-selectin and chemokines are sulfation-dependent but the interaction with CD44 is sulfation-independent. Consistently, versican's binding to L- and P-selectin and chemokines is specifically inhibited by oversulfated CS/DS chains containing GlcAbeta1-3GalNAc(4,6-O-disulfate) or IdoAalpha1-3GalNAc(4,6-O-disulfate), but its binding to CD44 is inhibited by all the CS/DS chains, including low-sulfated and unsulfated ones. Affinity and kinetic analyses using surface plasmon resonance revealed that the oversulfated CS/DS chains containing GlcAbeta1/IdoAalpha1-3GalNAc(4,6-O-disulfate) bind directly to selectins and chemokines with high affinity (K(d) 21.1 to 293 nm). In addition, a tetrasaccharide fragment of repeating GlcAbeta1-3GalNAc(4,6-O-disulfate) units directly interacts with L- and P-selectin and chemokines and oversulfated CS/DS chains containing GlcAbeta1/IdoAalpha1-3GalNAc(4,6-O-disulfate) inhibit chemokine-induced Ca(2+) mobilization. Taken together, our results show that oversulfated CS/DS chains containing GlcAbeta1/IdoAalpha1-3GalNAc(4,6-O-disulfate) are recognized by L- and P-selectin and chemokines, and imply that these chains are important in selectin- and/or chemokine-mediated cellular responses.

Base Sequence↗