Accumulation of pentamannose oligosaccharides in human mononuclear leukocytes by action of swainsonine, an inhibitor of glycoprotein processing.
Swainsonine, a known inhibitor of the alpha-mannosidase II involved in processing of asparagine-linked glycoproteins, causes accumulation of hybrid-type oligosaccharide-containing glycoproteins in mammalian cells. Swainsonine augments lymphokine-activated, killer-cell induction at suboptimal doses of interleukin-2; the amount needed to increase LAK activity is 100-1000 fold higher than required to completely inhibit mannosidase II. Human mononuclear lymphocytes, when treated with these relatively high (58 microM) concentrations of swainsonine showed a 3-4 fold increase in D-[3H]mannose incorporation into the glycan as compared to glycans of untreated cells. Analysis indicated accumulation of high-mannose type, free oligosaccharides in the soluble fractions of the cell. Chromatographic analysis of glycan obtained by D-[2-3H]mannose labeling of human mononuclear lymphocytes showed synthesis of a new oligosaccharide, at 58 microM of swainsonine, that contained 36% of the total radioactivity incorporated into the glycan (oligosaccharide pool). This oligosaccharide fraction was resistant to hydrolysis by endoglycosidase H, endoglycosidase F, O and N-glycanase, but was susceptible to cleavage by Jack bean alpha-mannosidase and was bound > 90% to concanavalin A-Sepharose. A similar chromatographic elution profile was obtained from glycans labeled with D-[2-3H]mannose from mouse B16F10 melanoma and baby hamster kidney cells subsequent to swainsonine treatment. Methylation analysis of free oligosaccharides obtained from MNL revealed the presence of a pentamannose. These results indicate the accumulation of a free high-mannose oligosaccharide rather than expected hybrid-type structure on treatment of cells with relatively high concentrations of swainsonine.