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Shin-Ichiro Nishimura

Publications and source records attributed to Shin-Ichiro Nishimura.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Specific cell behavior of human fibroblast onto carbohydrate surface detected by glycoblotting films.

We synthesized an aminooxyl polymer that is reactive with the reduced end of carbohydrates using our sugar-displaying approach. The carbohydrates were easily immobilized on the polymer film (glycoblotting film) by simple immersion in a in sugar solution through stable oxime bond. The in vitro behaviors of human fibroblasts on the carbohydrate-coated surface were investigated. The adhesion of human fibroblasts on the cellobiose- and cellotriose-coated surfaces was much greater than on the other coated surfaces and the noncoated surface. This result indicated that simple structural differences in carbohydrates induced biological changes in human cells, especially cell adhesion. Our approach provides a high-throughput assay system for carbohydrate-related cell adhesion and proliferation.

Carbohydrates↗

Computational design and experimental evaluation of glycosyltransferase mutants: engineering of a blood type B galactosyltransferase with enhanced glucosyltransferase activity.

Glycosyltransferases are an enormous and diverse class of enzyme encompassing 1% of all sequenced genomes. They catalyze the transfer of a monosaccharide from an activated donor such as a sugar-nucleotide to an acceptor molecule. Though the primary sequences of glycosyltransferases have little homology, X-ray structural studies on glycosyltransferases have revealed that there are two main folds and that the orientation of the sugar donors with respect to the folds is highly conserved. It seems that glycosyltransferases have evolved diversified specificities toward donor sugars by changing the amino acids around the monosaccharide moiety without altering the orientation of the nucleotide moiety. In this study, we designed new glycosyltransferases with altered donor specificities by use of a novel empirical model called the Epimer Propensity Index (EPI). The EPI was constructed using 221 carbohydrate-protein complex structures in the Protein Data Bank with either galactose or glucose in the complex. The blood type B synthesizing glycosyltransferase GTB, a galactosyltransferase was our target enzyme. Two GTB mutants designed to exhibit enhanced glucosyltransferase activity were cloned, expressed and characterized experimentally. The predicted GTB mutants, Ser185Asn and Ser185Cys, exhibited 4.3- and 4.8-fold elevations in k(cat)/K(m) for UDP-Glc relative to that of wild-type enzyme.

Amino Acid Substitution↗

Effects of synthetic antifreeze glycoprotein analogue on islet cell survival and function during cryopreservation.

The antifreeze glycoprotein (AFGP), found in the blood of polar fish, is known to prevent ice crystal growth and to depress the freezing temperature, which may in turn protect tissues from freezing injury. The chemical synthesis of AFGP is an attractive alternative to its difficult isolation from natural sources, and this would permit quality control and mass production. In spite of recent success in islet transplantation for the treatment of type 1 diabetes mellitus, existing methods for the long-term preservation of islets are considered to be suboptimal and inadequate, which indicates the need for the development of improved methods. Rat islets were isolated from male Wistar rats, using intraductal collagenase distention, mechanical dissociation, and Ficoll-Conray gradient purification. Islets were cultured overnight and then cryopreserved in RPMI1640 in the presence of dimethyl sulfoxide (Me2SO) and 10% FCS with various concentrations of syAFGP, followed by slow cooling (0.3 degrees C/min) and rapid thawing (200 degrees C/min) as described by Rajotte. The freezing process was observed by cryomicroscopy. Islet recovery post-cryopreservation was 85.0 +/- 6.2% with syAFGP and 63.3 +/- 14.2% without syAFGP, both compared with the pre-cryopreservation counts (P < 0.05). The in vitro islet function measured by insulin release was equivalent to a static stimulation index of 3.86+/-0.43 for the islets that were frozen-and-thawed with syAFGP, compared to 2.98 +/- 0.22 without syAFGP (P < 0.05). At a concentration of around 500 microg/ml syAFGP, a strong attenuation of ice crystal growth and formation was observed by cryomicroscopy and these ice crystals did not cause cryoinjury. In conclusion, the attenuation of ice crystallization by syAFGP improves islet survival and function following cryopreservation and thawing.

Animals↗

Molecular design of glycoprotein mimetics: glycoblotting by engineered proteins with an oxylamino-functionalized amino acid residue.

The general and efficient method for the site-directed glycosylation of proteins is a key step in order to understand the biological importance of the carbohydrate chains of proteins and to control functional roles of the engineered glycoproteins in terms of the development of improved glycoprotein therapeutics. We have developed a novel method for site-directed glycosylation of proteins based on chemoselective blotting of common reducing sugars by genetically encoded proteins. The oxylamino-functionalized L-homoserine residues, 2-amino-4-O-(N-methylaminooxy) butanoic acid and 2-amino-4-aminooxy butanoic acid, were efficiently incorporated into proteins by using the four-base codon/anticodon pair strategy in Escherichia coli in vitro translation. Direct and chemoselective coupling between unmodified simple sugars and N-methylaminooxy group displayed on the engineered streptavidin allowed for the combinatorial synthesis of novel glycoprotein mimetics.

Amino Acids↗

Rational design, synthesis, and characterization of novel inhibitors for human beta1,4-galactosyltransferase.

An affinity labeling reagent, uridine 5'-(6-amino-{2-[(7-bromomethyl-2-naphthyl)methoxycarbonylmethoxy]ethoxy}acetyl-6-deoxy-alpha-D-galactopyranosyl) diphosphate (1a), was designed on the basis of 3D docking simulation and synthesized to investigate the functional role of Trp310 residue located in the small loop near the active site of human recombinant galactosyltransferase (betaGalT-1). Mass spectrometric analysis revealed that the Trp310 residue of betaGalT1 can be selectively modified with the naphthylmethyl group of compound 1a at the C-3 position of the indole ring. This result motivated us to synthesize novel uridine-5'-diphosphogalactose (UDP-Gal) analogues as candidates for mechanism-based inhibitors for betaGalT-1. We found that uridine 5'-(6-O-[10-(2-naphthyl)-3,6,9-trioxadecanyl]-alpha-d-galactopyranosyl) diphosphate (2) is the strongest inhibitor (K(i) = 1.86 microM) against UDP-Gal (Km = 4.91 microM) among compounds reported previously. A cold spray ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry study demonstrated that the complex of this inhibitor and betaGalT-1 cannot interact with an acceptor substrate in the presence of Mn2+.

Affinity Labels↗

High throughput quantitative glycomics and glycoform-focused proteomics of murine dermis and epidermis.

Despite recent advances in our understanding of the significance of the protein glycosylation, the throughput of protein glycosylation analysis is still too low to be applied to the exhaustive glycoproteomic analysis. Aiming to elucidate the N-glycosylation of murine epidermis and dermis glycoproteins, here we used a novel approach for focused proteomics. A gross N-glycan profiling (glycomics) of epidermis and dermis was first elucidated both qualitatively and quantitatively upon N-glycan derivatization with novel, stable isotope-coded derivatization reagents followed by MALDI-TOF(/TOF) analysis. This analysis revealed distinct features of the N-glycosylation profile of epidermis and dermis for the first time. A high abundance of high mannose type oligosaccharides was found to be characteristic of murine epidermis glycoproteins. Based on this observation, we performed high mannose type glycoform-focused proteomics by direct tryptic digestion of protein mixtures and affinity enrichment. We identified 15 glycoproteins with 19 N-glycosylation sites that carry high mannose type glycans by off-line LC-MALDI-TOF/TOF mass spectrometry. Moreover the relative quantity of microheterogeneity of different glycoforms present at each N-glycan binding site was determined. Glycoproteins identified were often contained in lysosomes (e.g. cathepsin L and gamma-glutamyl hydrolase), lamellar granules (e.g. glucosylceramidase and cathepsin D), and desmosomes (e.g. desmocollin 1, desmocollin 3, and desmoglein). Lamellar granules are organelles found in the terminally differentiating cells of keratinizing epithelia, and desmosomes are intercellular junctions in vertebrate epithelial cells, thus indicating that N-glycosylation of tissue-specific glycoproteins may contribute to increase the relative proportion of high mannose glycans. The striking roles of lysosomal enzymes in epidermis during lipid remodeling and desquamation may also reflect the observed high abundance of high mannose glycans.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Structural analysis of an N-glycan with "beta1-4 bisecting branch" from human serum IgG by negative-ion MSn spectral matching and exoglycosidase digestion.

A novel N-linked oligosaccharide (N-glycan) with "beta1-4 bisecting branch (galactose beta1-4 bisecting N-acetylglucosamine)" was found in human serum IgG. Its structure was efficiently analyzed by using beta-galactosidase digestion, a MSn spectral library database, and negative-ion MS2 spectral matching. For confirmation, the novel N-glycan was synthesized by using an expected standard N-glycan (acceptor), UDP-galactose (donor), and beta1-4 galactosyltransferase. This work also demonstrates that the MSn spectral library database, in particular, negative-ion MS2 spectral matching, can efficiently reduce the number of specific, sequential exoglycosidase digestions required and is useful for rapid structural analysis of unknown glycans not in the database.

Animals↗

Characterization of Vibrio cholerae neuraminidase by a novel mechanism-based fluorescent labeling reagent.

Vibrio cholerae neuraminidase (VCNA) plays a significant role in the pathogenesis of cholera by removing sialic acid residues from higher-order gangliosides to an unmasked GM1, the essential receptor for cholera toxin. Here we report that a novel mechanism-based fluorescent labeling reagent, 5-acetamido-2-(4-N-5-dimethylaminonaphthalene-1-sulfonyl-2-difluoromethylphenyl)-3,5-dideoxy-d-glycero-alpha-d-galacto-2-nonulopyranosonic acid (1), becomes a unique irreversible inhibitor of VCNA. Characterization of an inactivated VCNA by MALDI-TOF/TOFMS analysis revealed that the Asp-576 and Arg-577 residues, which are located within the (576)DRFF(579) sequence, were specifically labeled with this suicide-type fluorescent substrate. Neither Asp-576 nor Arg-577 has ever been known to contribute to a specific residue in the rigid and highly conserved active site of VCNA investigated by crystallographic analysis, suggesting that a flexible beta-turn structure containing this sequence may have a crucial role in the dynamic nature of substrate recognition and catalytic action by VCNA.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Novel chitosan-based hyaluronan hybrid polymer fibers as a scaffold in ligament tissue engineering.

To clarify the feasibility of using novel chitosan-based hyaluronan hybrid polymer fibers as a scaffold in ligament tissue engineering, their mechanical properties and ability to promote cellular adhesion, proliferation, and extracellular matrix production were studied in vitro. Chitosan fibers and chitosan-based 0.05% and 0.1% hyaluronan hybrid fibers were developed by the wet spinning method. Hyaluronan coating significantly increased mechanical properties, compared to the chitosan fibers. Rabbit fibroblasts adhesion onto hybrid fibers was significantly greater than for the control and chitosan fibers. For analysis of cell proliferation and extracellular matrix production, a three-dimensional scaffold was created by simply piling up each fiber. At 1 day after cultivation, the DNA content in the hybrid scaffolds was higher than that in the chitosan scaffold. Scanning electron microscopy showed that the fibroblasts had produced collagen fibers after 14 days of culture. Immunostaining for type I collagen was clearly predominant in the hybrid scaffolds, and the mRNA level of type I collagen in the hybrid scaffolds were significantly greater than that in the chitosan scaffold. The present study revealed that hyaluronan hybridization with chitosan fibers enhanced fiber mechanical properties and in vitro biological effects on the cultured fibroblasts.

Animals↗

Combinatorial synthesis of MUC1 glycopeptides: polymer blotting facilitates chemical and enzymatic synthesis of highly complicated mucin glycopeptides.

The chemoselective polymer blotting method allows for rapid and efficient synthesis of glycopeptides based on a "catch and release" strategy between solid-phase and water-soluble polymer supports. We have developed a heterobifunctional linker sensitive to glutamic acid specific protease (BLase). The general procedure consists of five steps, namely (i) the solid-phase synthesis of glycopeptide containing BLase sensitive linker, (ii) subsequent deprotections and the release of the glycopeptide from the resin, (iii) chemoselective blotting of the glycopeptide intermediates in the presence of water-soluble polymers with oxylamino functional groups, (iv) sugar elongations using glycosyltransferases, and (v) the release of target glycopeptides from the polymer platform by selective BLase promoted hydrolysis. The combined use of the solid-phase chemical syntheses of peptides and the enzymatic syntheses of carbohydrates on water-soluble polymers would greatly contribute to the production of complicated glycopeptide libraries, thereby enhancing applicative research. We report here a high-throughput synthetic system for the various types of MUC1 glycopeptides exhibiting a variety of sugar moieties. It is our belief that this concept will become part of the entrenched repertoire for the synthesis of biologically important glycopeptides on the basis of glycosyltransferase reactions in automated and combinatorial syntheses.

Carbohydrate Sequence↗

Versatile glycoblotting nanoparticles for high-throughput protein glycomics.

We have developed an effective and practical trap-and-release method based on chemoselective ligation of carbohydrates with reactive aminooxyl groups attached to the surface of nanoparticles (referred to as glycoblotting nanoparticles). These glycoblotting nanoparticles were synthesized by UV irradiation of diacetylene-functionalized lipids that contain the aminooxyl group. The glycoblotting nanoparticles captured carbohydrates in aqueous solution under mild conditions and were collected by simple centrifugation. The trapped carbohydrates were effectively released from the nanoparticles under acidic conditions to give pure oligosaccharides. This glycoblotting process reduced the time required for the purification process of carbohydrates to less than 6 h, compared to the several days needed for conventional chromatographic techniques. The oligosaccharides (N-glycan) were released from ovalbumin (glycoprotein) by PNGase F after tryptic digestion. MALDI-TOF mass spectra before purification did not show any significant signals corresponding to N-glycans because these signals were hidden by the large signals of the abundant peptides. However, after purification with the glycoblotting nanoparticles, only signals corresponding to oligosaccharides appeared. We also demonstrated a clear analysis of the oligosaccharides contained in the mice dermis by means of glycoblotting.

Animals↗

Carbohydrate analysis by a phenol-sulfuric acid method in microplate format.

Among many colorimetric methods for carbohydrate analysis, the phenol-sulfuric acid method is the easiest and most reliable method. It has been used for measuring neutral sugars in oligosaccharides, proteoglycans, glycoproteins, and glycolipids. This method is used widely because of its sensitivity and simplicity. In its original form, it required 50-450 nmol of monosaccharides or equivalent for analysis and thus is inadequate for precious samples. A scaled-down version requiring only 10-80 nmol of sugars was reported previously. We have now modified and optimized this method to use 96-well microplates for high throughput, to gain greater sensitivity, and to economize the reagents. This modified and optimized method allows longer linear range (1-150 nmol for Man) and excellent sensitivity. Moreover, our method is more convenient, requiring neither shaking nor covering, and takes less than 15 min to complete. The speed and simplicity of this method would make it most suitable for analyses of large numbers of samples such as chromatographic fractions.

Carbohydrates↗

Simultaneous analysis of 2-aminopyridine-derivatized neutral and sialylated oligosaccharides from human serum in the negative-ion mode by sonic spray ionization ion trap mass spectrometry.

Neutral and acidic (sialylated) 2-aminopyridine-derivatized (PA) oligosaccharides were analyzed by using reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography/ion trap mass spectrometry (RP-HPLC/IT MS) with a sonic spray ionization (SSI) source. Under the RP-HPLC separation using a buffer of 1 mM ammonium acetate (pH4.3) at a flow rate of 0.2 mL/min, both PA-oligosaccharides in the negative-ion mode showed a comparable degree of ionization efficiency, differing from that of the positive-ion mode, which exhibits a wide gap between their ionization efficiencies. In addition, the ion intensities of both PA-oligosaccharides were higher in the negative-ion mode than in the positive-ion mode. These results strongly suggest that the negative-ion mode of SSI-MS is suitable for simultaneous analysis of neutral and acidic (sialylated) oligosaccharides in RP-HPLC/MS. In the present study, RP-HPLC/SSI-IT MS in the negative-ion mode was used in the analysis of PA-oligosaccharides from human serum and its usefulness was investigated. As a result, 32 neutral and sialylated PA-oligosaccharides from human serum were identified with differentiating isomeric oligosaccharides and relatively quantified by a single HPLC/MS run. This method is useful for simple and rapid analysis of the overall distribution of neutral and sialylated oligosaccharides in a complex sample such as serum.

Aminopyridines↗

Rapid microwave-assisted solid-phase glycopeptide synthesis.

Coupling of glycosylated Fmoc-Thr or Fmoc-Ser with N-terminal amino acids on a resin proceeded smoothly under microwave irradiation for 20 min with much higher efficiency (98% yield per coupling) than found in more general conditions. Compared with a conventional protocol, the present method greatly reduces the time required for solid-phase glycopeptide synthesis from 4 days to 7 h, as is the case with the synthesis of Muc-1-related 20-residue glycopeptide carrying five core-2 trisaccharide chains. [structure: see text]

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Structural assignment of isomeric 2-aminopyridine-derivatized oligosaccharides using negative-ion MSn spectral matching.

To investigate the possibility of structural assignment based on negative-ion MS2 spectral matching, three isomeric pairs of 2-aminopyridine (PA)-derivatized non-fucosylated, fucosylated, and sialylated oligosaccharides (complex type N-glycans) were analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography/ion trap mass spectrometry (HPLC/ITMS) with a sonic-spray ionization (SSI) source. In the SSI negative-ion mode the deprotonated molecule [M-2H]2- becomes prominent. Negative-ion MS2 spectra derived from such ions contain many fragment types (B and Y, C and Z, A, and D) and therefore are more informative than the positive-ion MS2 spectra derived from [M+H+Na]2+ ions, which usually consist mainly of B and Y fragment ions. In particular the internal ions (D- and E-type ions) provided useful information about the alpha1-6 branching patterns and the bisecting GlcNAc residue. Spectral matching based on the correlation coefficients between negative-ion MS2 spectra was performed in a manner similar to the positive-ion MS2 spectral matching previously reported. It was demonstrated that negative-ion MS2 spectral matching is as useful and applicable to the structural assignment of relatively large non-fucosylated, fucosylated, and sialylated PA-oligosaccharide isomers as its positive-ion counterpart.

Aminopyridines↗