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Different forms of human vascular adhesion protein-1 (VAP-1) in blood vessels in vivo and in cultured endothelial cells: implications for lymphocyte-endothelial cell adhesion models.

Vascular endothelium plays a pivotal role in controlling leukocyte extravasation from the blood into the tissues. Vascular adhesion protein-1 (VAP-1) is a novel endothelial cell molecule which mediates lymphocyte binding to the vascular lining (Salmi, M., and Jalkanen, S., Science 1992. 257:1407). In this study, we analyzed endothelial cell type-specific differences of VAP-1. In vivo, VAP-1 is a 90/170-kDa molecule which is mainly expressed on the lumenal surface and in cytoplasmic granules of peripheral lymph node-type postcapillary venules (high endothelial venules, HEV). In tonsil HEV, VAP-1 is modified with abundant sialic acids. VAP-1 is also detectable in the cytoplasm of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) and in an endothelial cell hybrid EaHy-926, although both cell types lack detectable surface VAP-1. Cultured endothelial cells do not express MECA-79-defined peripheral lymph node addressins either. VAP-1 was not translocated onto the endothelial cell surface after stimulation with multiple cytokines, mitogens or secretagogues which induced expression of other known endothelial adhesion molecules. Biochemical analyses revealed that VAP-1 is a approximately 180-kDa protein in these endothelial cell types. Digestions with neuraminidase, O-glycanase and N-glycanase, as well as treatment of cells with tunicamycin and benzyl-N-acetylgalactosaminide, did not alter the molecular mass of VAP-1 in EaHy-926. Pulse-chase experiments showed that VAP-1 is directly synthesized as a 180-kDa molecule without any detectable precursors. Thus, in cultured endothelial cells, VAP-1 is a 180-kDa protein which is devoid of post-translational modifications, and in particular, lacks the sialic acids crucial for the function of VAP-1 in tonsil vessels. Notably, the endothelial cell types commonly used as a model in studying lymphocyte-endothelial cell interactions lack surface expression of VAP-1 and peripheral node addressins, and hence are inherently of limited use in analyses of the initial adhesion of lymphocytes.

Acetylgalactosamine↗

Caspase-dependent and -independent apoptosis of mast cells induced by withdrawal of IL-3 is prevented by Toll-like receptor 4-mediated lipopolysaccharide stimulation.

IL-3-dependent mucosal-like mast cells undergo apoptosis upon withdrawal of IL-3. Generally, the apoptosis is mediated by the activation of caspases and inhibited by addition of the pan-caspase inhibitors z-VAD-FMK or BOC-D-FMK. However, DNA fragmentation, a typical characteristic of apoptosis, is not inhibited by z-VAD-FMK or BOC-D-FMK in mast cell apoptosis. In this study, we demonstrate that the apoptosis of mast cells is mediated by both caspase-dependent and -independent mechanisms. The caspase-independent apoptosis is mediated by the translocation of endonuclease G from mitochondria into nuclei. Withdrawal of IL-3 caused down-regulation of Bcl-xL, resulting in a drop in mitochondrial membrane transition potential followed by the release of cytochrome c and endonuclease G from mitochondria. However, stimulation of mast cells through Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) by lipopolysaccharide prevented mast cell apoptosis by inducing expression of Bcl-xL. Moreover, the activation of mast cells by LPS is enhanced in the presence of IFN-gamma, which up-regulates the expression of cell surface TLR4. Taken together, these observations provide evidence that mast cells play important roles not only in allergic reactions but also in innate immunity recognizing enterobacteria through TLR4, and are regulated differently from allergic inflammation by Th1 cytokines.

Active Transport, Cell Nucleus↗

Interference with O-glycosylation in RMA lymphoma cells leads to a reduced in vivo growth of the tumor.

Carbohydrate processing in cancer cells can influence the growth, metastatic potential, vascularization and immune recognition of such cells. Interference with N-glycosylation has been shown both to reduce the membrane expression of MHC class I and to increase the in vitro sensitivity of tumor cells to NK cell killing. We investigated the effect of O-glycosylation inhibition on the in vivo growth, phenotype and NK sensitivity of RMA lymphoma cells using benzyl N-acetyl-alpha-D-galactosamide (BAG). BAG-treated cells were found to have a strongly reduced local growth potential in vivo. However, inhibition of O-glycosylation caused this effect without any significant downregulation of MHC-I and increase in sensitivity to NK killing as seen after inhibition of N-glycosylation using Castanospermine. BAG treatment of RMA cells resulted in the removal of larger O-linked glycans and a high expression of the T-antigen (GalGalNAc), a target for natural antibodies (NAs) induced by the gastrointestinal bacterial flora. Whether the loss of larger O-linked glycans, and associated functions, or of biological effects of NA contributed to the antitumor effect remains to be established. The results support the idea that inhibitors of O- as well as N-linked glycosylation may be useful for the treatment of cancer, given that they can be specifically targeted to the tumor tissue.

Acetylgalactosamine↗

E-selectin binding by pancreatic tumor cells is inhibited by cancer sera.

Tumor cells interact with endothelial cells during both intra- and extravasation. Understanding how these interactions are modulated could lead to the development of ways to alter the metastatic potential of tumor cells. Three pancreatic cancer cell lines, SW1990, CAPAN-2 and PANC-I, were examined for their ability to bind to the endothelial cell adhesion molecule E-selectin (ELAM-1). SW1990 cells exhibited highest binding, highest surface expression of the carbohydrate antigens sialylated Lewis(a) (sLe(a)) and sialylated Lewis(x) (sLe(x)) and released the most high m.w. sLe(a) and sLe(x) antigens. Expression of sLe(a) and sLe(x) antigens and binding to E-selectin were reduced by pre-treatment of SW1990 cells with the O-linked glycosylation inhibitor benzyl-alpha-GalNAc but not with the N-linked glycosylation inhibitor tunicamycin. Expression of peptide epitopes associated with MUC1 apomucins was increased by benzyl-alpha-GalNAc. Cell binding was greatly reduced by mucins purified from SW1990 xenografts and by an antibody against sLe(a). An antibody against sLe(x) had a much less marked effect. Sera from pancreatic cancer patients reduced SW1990 cell binding to E-selectin but sera from normals did not. The degree of inhibition was related to the sLe(x) level in the sample. When cancer serum was separated by column chromatography on Sephacryl S-400, the void volume fractions contained most of the sLe(a) and sLe(x) antigens and most of the inhibitory activity to E-selectin binding. Differences in the relative availability of sLe(a) and sLe(x) ligands on serum molecules and on the SW1990 cell surface may account for the differences between antibody and serum inhibition results. Thus SW1990 cell adhesion to E-selectin is mediated by ligands on mucinous glycoproteins, and adhesion can be inhibited by mucins, high blood levels of sLe(x) and reduction of cellular O-linked glycosylation.

Acetylgalactosamine↗

Oral toxicity of trichlorobenzyl chloride and its acid derivative.

The acute rat oral LD50 of 2,4,6-Trichlorobenzyl chloride (TCBC) was determined to be 3075 mg/kg. When male and female rats were administered 1500 and 3000 ppm TCBC in the diet for 3 weeks, marked retardation in weight gain was observed. Reductions in food consumption were noted in both groups of treated male, but not female, rats. All blood chemistry and urinalysis parameters including those indicative of liver injury, were within the range of normal limits. Gross necropsy revealed pale livers in all high-dose rats and the majority of low-dose animals. Gross observations correlated with observation of degenerative hepatic changes (irregularity of cell and nuclear size, cord pattern, edema and cytoplasmic alterations) following microscopic evaluation. Rats and dogs administered up to 100 ppm trichlorobenzoic acid (TCBA) in the diet for 90 days exhibited no effects considered related to treatment.

Animals↗

Enhancement in accessibility to macrophages by modification of mucin-type carbohydrate chains on a tumor cell line: role of a C-type lectin of macrophages.

We investigated the role of mucin-type (O-linked) carbohydrate chains of tumor target cells in the recognition by macrophages through a Gal/GalNAc-specific calcium-dependent lectin. Binding of a soluble form of this lectin to P815 mastocytoma cells was increased by treatment with benzyl-GalNAc, which presumably inhibited the extension of mucin-type carbohydrate chains. The levels of cell surface expression of GalNAc residues were elevated after benzyl-GalNAc treatment, as revealed by the binding of Vicia villosa agglutinin B4 and Dolichos biflorus agglutinin. Adhesion of treated P815 cells to this lectin immobilized on plastic surfaces also increased. Furthermore, the binding of P815 cells to macrophage-like RAW 264.7 cells and to peritoneal macrophages also increased after the same treatment. We concluded that elevated levels of cell surface terminal GalNAc in mucin-type carbohydrate chains increased accessibility of P815 cells to macrophages through Gal/GalNAc-specific calcium-dependent lectins.

Acetylgalactosamine↗

Soluble TNF-alpha receptors bind and neutralize over-expressed transmembrane TNF-alpha on macrophages, but do not inhibit its processing.

Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) is initially synthesized as a type II integral membrane protein (transmembrane TNF-alpha) after macrophage activation. In this study we have investigated some aspects of the regulation of expression and biological activity of transmembrane TNF-alpha by both soluble TNF-alpha receptors (sTNF-alphaR) and inhibitors of TNF-alpha processing. We show, using the technique of receptor-mediated ligand precipitation (RMLP), that a dimeric construct of the type I sTNF-alphaR binds to transmembrane TNF-alpha, expressed on the mouse macrophage cell line RAW264.7, under cell culture conditions. This interaction between sTNF-alphaR and transmembrane TNF-alpha does not prevent processing and release of soluble TNF-alpha. A specific hydroxamic acid-based inhibitor of processing, BB1101 (British Biotech), was found to increase the total cellular levels of whole-cell, 26-kDa, precursor TNF-alpha by 2.2-fold. However, the inhibitor increased the levels of precursor TNF-alpha present solely on the cell surface (i.e., transmembrane TNF-alpha) by 5.1- to 7.5-fold. This increase in the levels of transmembrane TNF-alpha on the activated human monocytoid cell line mono mac 6 was associated with a similar (6.7-fold) increase in TNF-alpha-mediated cytotoxicity toward the human adenocarcinoma cell line Colo 205, which is sensitive only to the transmembrane form of TNF-alpha. Mono mac 6 cells, expressing transmembrane TNF-alpha, were found to be killing the Colo 205 target cells through apoptosis. This cytotoxicity could be neutralized by pre-incubating the mono mac 6 cells with either sTNF-alphaR or polyclonal anti-TNF-alpha serum.

Animals↗