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PubMed2002

High-affinity binding of recombinant human galectin-4 to SO(3)(-)-->3Galbeta1-->3GalNAc pyranoside.

Galectin-4 is a member of galectin family and has two carbohydrate recognition domains. Although galectin-4 has been thought to function in cell adhesion, its precise carbohydrate binding specificity has not yet been clarified. We studied the carbohydrate binding specificity of galectin-4 comparatively with that of galectin-3, using surface plasmon resonance, galectin-3- or -4-Sepharose column chromatography and the inhibition assay of their binding to immobilized asialofetuin. Galectin-3 broadly recognized lactose, type 1, type 2, and core 1. The substitution at the C-2 and C-3 position of beta-galactose in these oligosaccharides with alpha-fucose, alpha-GalNAc, alpha-Neu5Ac, or sulfate increased the binding ability for galectin-3, whereas the substitution at the C-4 or C-6 position diminished the affinity. In contrast, galectin-4 had quite weak affinity to lactose, type 1, and type 2 (K(d) congruent with 8 x 10(-4) M). Galectin-4 showed weak binding ability to core 1 and C-2' or -3'-substituted lactose, type 1, and type 2 with alpha-fucose, alpha-GalNAc, or sulfate (K(d) : 5 x 10(-5) approximately 3 x 10(-4) M). Interestingly, the K(d) value, 3.4 x 10(-6) M, of SO(3)(-)-->3Galbeta1-->3GalNAc-O-Bn to galectin-4 at 25 degrees C was two orders of magnitude lower than that of core 1-O-Bn. 3'-Sialylated core 1 had very weak affinity to galectin-4, suggesting that 3'-O-sulfation of core 1 is critical for the recognition. These results suggest that galectin-4 has a unique carbohydrate binding specificity and interacts with O-linked sulfoglycans.

Antigens, Differentiation↗
PubMed1997

Cloning and expression of the mRNA of human galectin-4, an S-type lectin down-regulated in colorectal cancer.

We are interested in the characterization of genes whose expressions in the colon are modified during colorectal carcinogenesis. Our approach was to establish the phenotype of a colon tumor by partial sequencing of a large number of transcripts, then to select mRNAs of potential interest by differential screening with complex probes from normal or cancerous colon. In this paper, we report the cloning and sequencing of a mRNA strongly underexpressed in colorectal cancer. It corresponded to a protein comprising 323 amino acids, that appeared to be human galectin-4 on the basis of 76% and 79% amino acid identity to the rat and pig counterparts, respectively. Tissue distribution analysis showed that its expression was restricted to the small intestine, colon and rectum. Galectin-4 expression was compared in tumor and normal adjacent colon of 19 patients. In 18 patients, the mRNA concentration was 1.5-50-times lower in the tumor. No significant correlation was observed between decreased expression of galectin-4 and the degree of differentiation of the tumor or Duke's state. These results suggest that decreased galectin-4 mRNA expression may be an early event in colon carcinogenesis. Among five cell lines derived from colon carcinoma, only two (HT29 and LS174T) expressed galectin-4 mRNA.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1999

Two domains of rat galectin-4 bind to distinct structures of the intercellular borders of colorectal epithelia.

Galectin-4 (G4) is a member of a family of soluble galactoside-binding lectins found in various mammalian tissues. To determine the function of this protein in colorectal tissue, we separately produced the N- and C-terminal carbohydrate binding domains (CBD) of rat G4 as a recombinant glutathione S-transferase (GST) fusion protein (G4-N and G4-C) and examined the tissue binding site(s) of each CBD by light and electron microscopy (LM and EM). At the LM level, both fusion proteins stained the intercellular borders of the surface-lining epithelial cells of colorectal mucosa. At the EM level, two proteins recognized spatially close but distinct subcellular structures. G4-N stained electron-lucent flocculent substances freely located in the intercellular spaces, whereas G4-C bound to the lateral cell membranes demarcating the intercellular spaces. These findings suggest that colorectal G4 may be involved in crosslinking the lateral cell membranes of the surface-lining epithelial cells, thereby reinforcing epithelial integrity against mechanical stress exerted by the bowel lumen. (J Histochem Cytochem 47:75-82, 1999)

Animals↗
PubMed2006

Human galectin-1, -2, and -4 induce surface exposure of phosphatidylserine in activated human neutrophils but not in activated T cells.

Cellular turnover is associated with exposure of surface phosphatidylserine (PS) in apoptotic cells, leading to their phagocytic recognition and removal. But recent studies indicate that surface PS exposure is not always associated with apoptosis. Here we show that several members of the human galectin family of glycan binding proteins (galectins-1, -2, and -4) induce PS exposure in a carbohydrate-dependent fashion in activated, but not resting, human neutrophils and in several leukocyte cell lines. PS exposure is not associated with apoptosis in activated neutrophils. The exposure of PS in cell lines treated with these galectins is sustained and does not affect cell viability. Unexpectedly, these galectins bind well to activated T lymphocytes, but do not induce either PS exposure or apoptosis, indicating that galectin's effects are cell specific. These results suggest novel immunoregulatory contribution of galectins in regulating leukocyte turnover independently of apoptosis.

Apoptosis↗
PubMed1992

Sequence and specificity of a soluble lactose-binding lectin from Xenopus laevis skin.

A 16-kDa lactose-binding lectin comprises 5% or more of the soluble protein in Xenopus laevis skin. This lectin is mainly localized in the cytoplasm of granular gland cells. In response to stress, the lectin along with a variety of toxic and antibiotic peptides are released onto the skin surface by holocrine secretion. We have purified the lectin, sequenced tryptic peptides using tandem mass spectrometry and Edman degradation, and isolated full-length cDNA using a deduced oligonucleotide. Comparison of the cDNA and peptide sequences revealed expression of at least two isolectins, which differ in sequence at only two or three amino acids. Comparison of cDNA with complementary message by ribonuclease protection confirmed expression in approximately equal abundance of two nearly identical messages. The major soluble lactose-binding lectin expressed in Xenopus muscle is composed of these same isolectins, but at 100-fold lower levels. Similarities and distinctions in sequence and carbohydrate-binding specificity indicate that this lectin is a novel member of a family of soluble lactose-binding lectins expressed in a wide range of vertebrate tissues.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1990

Selective expression of an endogenous lactose-binding lectin gene in subsets of central and peripheral neurons.

Cellular interactions in a variety of vertebrate non-neural tissues are thought to be mediated by cell surface carbohydrate structures. The detection of cell-specific surface carbohydrates and carbohydrate-binding proteins within the embryonic nervous system has raised the possibility that carbohydrate recognition may also contribute to the interactions of developing neurons. Soluble lactose-binding lectins constitute one class of carbohydrate-binding proteins expressed in the vertebrate nervous system. We describe here the isolation of cDNAs from rat brain libraries encoding one of these lectins, RL-14.5, and demonstrate that this protein is not only homologous to other soluble lectins, but also identical in primary sequence to a lectin present in at least one non-neural tissue. RNA blot analysis and in situ hybridization reveal a restricted pattern of expression of RL-14.5 mRNA within the rat nervous system. High levels of RL-14.5 mRNA are present in primary sensory neurons and motoneurons in the spinal cord and brain stem. Moreover, expression of RL-14.5 mRNA in sensory and motoneurons is detectable soon after neuronal differentiation. These findings, together with previous studies demonstrating the selective expression of oligosaccharide ligands for RL-14.5 on the same neurons, are consistent with the idea that carbohydrate-mediated interactions contribute to the development of this subset of mammalian neurons.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1984

Isolation, purification & properties of lactose binding agglutination factor from rabbit skeletal muscle.

The lactose binding agglutination factor from rabbit skeletal muscle is isolated through the use of lactose and urea. The factor is purified with DEAE cellulose and Sepharose 4B chromatography. The molecular weight of the factor is determined with Sephadex G-75 chromatography and found to be 28,000 Daltons. The subunit's molecular weight is determined by SDS gel electrophoresis, and found to be 14,000 Daltons. It was found that this binding factor can agglutinate trypsin-treated rabbit erythrocytes. Moreover, this agglutination is inhibited by EDTA and lactose.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

An adherens junction protein is a member of the family of lactose-binding lectins.

We previously described a pig junction protein of M(r) 37,000 found in oral epithelium but not in epidermis, limited to suprabasal cells, and colocalizing by immunofluorescence with adherens junction proteins. A 1.1-kilobase pair cDNA of the 37-kDa protein yielded an open reading frame encoding a 323-amino acid protein of 35,852 Da, and Northern analysis demonstrated a band of 1.2 kilobases in tongue RNA. Secondary structure predictions indicate that the 37% identical 16-17-kDa N- and C-terminal domains from beta-sheet-rich barrels linked by a compact proline-rich segment. The protein is 72% identical in amino acid sequence and shares symmetrical two-domain structure with L-36, a lectin of unknown function from rat intestine, indicating that the 37-kDa protein is the porcine form of L-36. Of the homologous lactose binding lectins known, two others, invertebrate lectins, share this symmetrical structure. Expression of the C-terminal domain of the pig lectin in bacteria yields a lectin which binds lactosyl-Sepharose, and binding is inhibited by lactose. The expressed protein binds a glycoprotein of 120 kDa from pig tongue epithelium on Western blots, and this is also inhibited by lactose. The findings suggest that the lectin function may be involved in the assembly of adherens junctions.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1993

Soluble lactose-binding lectin from rat intestine with two different carbohydrate-binding domains in the same peptide chain.

Of the multiple soluble lactose-binding (S-Lac) lectins in rat intestine, the major one, tentatively designated RI-H, was previously isolated as a polypeptide of molecular weight approximately 17,000. We here report the sequence of RI-H, as determined both at the peptide level and at the nucleotide level. Surprisingly the cDNA encodes a protein of molecular weight approximately 36,000, and this protein contains two homologous but distinct domains each with sequence elements that are conserved among all S-Lac lectins. The C-terminal domain, designated domain II, corresponds to the lectin with M(r) of 17,000 previously isolated from intestinal extracts and shown to have lactose binding activity. By preparing recombinant protein containing only the N-terminal domain, designated domain I, we here directly demonstrate that it too binds lactose and a related range of sugars that are roughly similar to domain II, but clearly distinct. The new lectin, which we designate L-36, is highly expressed in full-length form in rat small and large intestine and stomach but was not detected in eight other tissues including lung, liver, kidney, and spleen. Each domain has approximately 35% sequence identity with the other domain and with the carbohydrate-binding domain of L-29, another S-Lac lectin, but only about 15% identity with other known S-Lac lectins.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1993

Structure of the murine Mac-2 gene. Splice variants encode proteins lacking functional signal peptides.

The murine Mac-2 gene is composed of six exons dispersed over 10.5 kilobases. S1 nuclease mapping showed multiple transcription initiation sites, clustered within a 30-base pair region. Sequence analysis revealed that a consensus initiator sequence is located in this area which lacks a TATA motif. The untranslated first exon contains an alternative splice donor site, confirming the existence of two cDNA species with the potential to encode proteins differing at their NH2 termini. In vitro expression and translocation experiments demonstrate that both of the alternatively spliced variants of Mac-2 encode proteins which lack a functional signal peptide. Subcellular fractionation studies indicate that most of the Mac-2 protein is present in the cytosol. These results support the view that Mac-2 is exported from the cell by an unusual mechanism which does not depend on the presence of a signal peptide.

Alternative Splicing↗
PubMed2004

Inhibition of N-(4-hydroxyphenyl)retinamide-induced apoptosis in breast cancer cells by galectin-3.

The synthetic retinoid N-(4-hydroxyphenyl)retinamide (4HPR) induces apoptosis in a variety of human cancer cells including breast carcinoma and this property may be important for its chemopreventive and therapeutic effects. Resistance to 4HPR has been described, however, the molecular mechanisms underlying sensitivity or resistance to this retinoid are not clear. Recently, it has been shown that the carbohydrate-binding protein galectin-3, which has been implicated in tumor progression, contains the anti-death motif NWGR present in the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2. To determine whether galectin-3 expression can abrogate the effect of 4HPR, we tested the effects of 4HPR on apoptosis of cell clones derived from the galectin-3 deficient human BT549 breast carcinoma cells after transfection with either wild type galectin-3 (BT549Gal-3Wt), galectin-3 inactivated by a point mutation in the NWGR motif (BT549Gal-3Mu), or empty vector control (BT549Vec). Both BT549Vec and BT549Gal-3Mu cells showed a marked decrease in survival after treatment with 4HPR principally due to induction of apoptosis. 4HPR-induced apoptosis in these cells was associated with stimulation of reactive oxygen species generation, decreased levels of Bcl-2 protein, release of cytochrome c into the cytosol, increased caspase-3 activity, and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase cleavage. In contrast, 4HPR failed to exert any of these effects in the BT549Gal-3Wt cells. The demonstration that galectin-3 suppresses 4HPR-induced apoptosis in human breast carcinoma cells suggests that the increased expression of galectin-3 during cancer progression may be associated with 4HPR resistance.

Antineoplastic Agents↗
PubMed1996

Galectin-1 from bovine spleen: biochemical characterization, carbohydrate specificity and tissue-specific isoform profiles.

Selected biochemical properties, including the charge heterodispersity profile and carbohydrate specificity, of bovine galectin-1 were determined in detail. The lectin was purified through an improved purification protocol that yielded 35-40 mg/kg of wet tissue with a specific activity of 1.7-2 x 10(4) mg-1.ml. The galectin is a homodimer of approximately 14.5 kDa subunits with E(280)mg/ml of 0.65 ml.mg-1.cm-1. When stored in the presence of its carbohydrate ligand, the lectin's binding activity remained stable in a non-reducing environment even at room temperature. The optimal pH for binding to the ligand was 6.5-8.0. The overall carbohydrate specificity of the bovine galectin-1 isolated from spleen is similar to that of the galectin isolated from heart and to other mammalian galectins that exhibit "conserved" (Type I) carbohydrate recognition domains (CRDs) [Ahmed, H. and Vasta, G.R. (1994) Glycobiology 4, 545-549], but differs from those from Xenopus laevis and rat intestine domain I. The fluorescence of 4-methylumbelliferyl alpha-D-galactopyranoside was quenched on binding to bovine spleen galectin-1. Scatchard plots of data obtained at 5, 15, and 30 degrees C showed that the galectin has two sugar exothermic binding sites with association constants of 3.4 x 10(5), 1.0 x 10(5), and 0.3 x 10(5), respectively. Chemical modification studies indicated that histidine, tryptophan, carboxylic acid, and arginine, but not lysine or tyrosine, are involved in the binding to the carbohydrate ligand. On isoelectric focusing, the spleen galectin-1 appeared as six isoforms ranging from pI4.56-4.88 with main components at pI 4.63 (34.0%), 4.73 (42.6%), and 4.88 (16.6%). The galectin-1 isolated from heart yielded a quali- and quantitatively different profile with four isoforms ranging from pI 4.53-4.73, those with pIs of 4.56, 4.63, and 4.73 being common to the spleen homolog. Edman degradation of selected peptides purified from the spleen galectin-1 digest revealed amino acid sequences identical to those obtained for the heart galectin-1. This suggests that although point mutations in the subunit primary structure may not be the likely source of isolectins, as observed for X. laevis, tissue-specific co- or post-translational modifications may be the possible cause of the differences in the galectin isoform profile between bovine spleen and heart.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2005

Complex N-glycans are the major ligands for galectin-1, -3, and -8 on Chinese hamster ovary cells.

Galectins are implicated in a large variety of biological functions, many of which depend on their carbohydrate-binding ability. Fifteen members of the family have been identified in vertebrates based on binding to galactose (Gal) that is mediated by one or two, evolutionarily conserved, carbohydrate-recognition domains (CRDs). Variations in glycan structures expressed on glycoconjugates at the cell surface may, therefore, affect galectin binding and functions. To identify roles for different glycans in the binding of the three types of mammalian galectins to cells, we performed fluorescence cytometry at 4 degrees C with recombinant rat galectin-1, human galectin-3, and three forms of human galectin-8, to Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells and 12 different CHO glycosylation mutants. All galectin species bound to parent CHO cells and binding was inhibited >90% by 0.2 M lactose. Galectin-8 isoforms with either a long or a short inter-CRD linker bound similarly to CHO cells. However, a truncated form of galectin-8 containing only the N-terminal CRD bound only weakly to CHO cells and the C-terminal galectin-8 CRD exhibited extremely low binding. Binding of the galectins to the different CHO glycosylation mutants revealed that complex N-glycans are the major ligands for each galectin except the N-terminal CRD of galectins-8, and also identified some fine differences in glycan recognition. Interestingly, increased binding of galectin-1 at 4 degrees C correlated with increased propidium iodide (PI) uptake, whereas galectin-3 or -8 binding did not induce permeability to PI. The CHO glycosylation mutants with various repertoires of cell surface glycans are a useful tool for investigating galectin-cell interactions as they present complex and simple glycans in a natural mixture of multivalent protein and lipid glycoconjugates anchored in a cell membrane.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

Characterization of gene expression profiles in intraductal papillary-mucinous tumors of the pancreas.

The molecular pathology of precursor lesions leading to invasive pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas remains relatively unknown. We have applied cDNA microarray analysis to characterize gene expression profiles in a series of intraductal papillary-mucinous tumors (IPMTs) of the pancreas, which represents one of the alternative routes of intraepithelial progression to full malignancy in the pancreatic duct system. Using a cDNA microarray containing 4992 human genes, we screened a total of 13 IPMTs including nine noninvasive and four invasive cases. Expression change in more than half of the tumors was observed for 120 genes, ie, 62 up-regulated and 58 down-regulated genes. Some of the up-regulated genes in this study have been previously described in classical pancreatic carcinomas such as lipocalin 2, galectin 3, claudin 4, and cathepsin E. The most highly up-regulated genes in IPMTs corresponded to three members of the trefoil factor family (TFF1, TFF2, and TFF3). Immunohistochemistry performed on five genes found to be differentially expressed at the RNA level (TFF1, TFF2, TFF3, lipocalin 2, and galectin 3) showed a good concordance between transcript level and protein abundance, except for TFF2. Hierarchical clustering organized the cases according to the dysplastic and invasive phenotype of theIPMTs. This analysis has permitted us to implicate several genes (caveolin 1, glypican 1, growth arrest-specific 6 protein, cysteine-rich angiogenic inducer 61) in tumor progression. The observation that several genes are differentially expressed both in IPMTs and pancreatic carcinomas suggests that they may be involved at an early stage of pancreatic carcinogenesis.

Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous↗
PubMed2003

A proteome study of secreted prostatic factors affecting osteoblastic activity: galectin-1 is involved in differentiation of human bone marrow stromal cells.

Prostate cancer cells metastasize to bone causing a predominantly osteosclerotic response. It has been shown that cells from the human prostate cancer cell line PC3 secrete factors that influence the behavior of osteoblast-like cells. Some of these factors with mitogenic activity have been found to be proteins with molecular weights between 20 and 30 kDa, but the identity of the osteoblastic mitogenic factor or factors produced by prostate cancer cells is still unknown. Therefore, the aim of this study was to characterize the protein profile of conditioned medium (CM) from PC3 cells in the molecular weight range from 5 to 30 kDa using proteome analysis. A protein profile of the CM from PC3 cells was performed by two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (2D-PAGE). Thirty protein spots with molecular weights ranging from 5 to 30 kDa were analyzed by matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). One of these spots was identified as galectin-1. We examined whether PC3 CM, recombinant galectin-1 alone, or combined with insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) had any effects on the proliferation or differentiation of human bone marrow stromal (hBMS) cells. Furthermore, we tested whether adhesion of PC3 cells to plastic, laminin, fibronectin, and collagen type I was influenced by lactose, which inhibits galectin-1. Galectin-1 (1000 ng/ml) inhibited the proliferation of hBMS cells up to 70 +/- 12% (treated/control) of control in contrast to PC3 CM, which induced hBMS cell proliferation by 3-fold. This effect was abolished by IGF-I. PC3 CM and galectin-1 in concentrations of 10 and 1000 ng/ml increased the alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity of hBMS cells up to 175 +/- 27%, 137 +/- 8%, and 131 +/- 11%, respectively, compared with ALP activity of untreated cells, and inhibited the secretion of osteocalcin (OC) up to 81 +/- 3%, 93 +/- 1%, and 58 +/- 2%, respectively, compared with OC secretion of untreated cells. These effects were affected by IGF-I. Lactose inhibited adhesion of PC3 cells to plastic, fibronectin, laminin, and collagen type I up to 58 +/- 4%, 30 +/- 12, 72 +/- 9%, and 86 +/- 4%. In conclusion, galectin-1 modulated osteoblastic proliferation and differentiation. These effects were affected by IGF-I. Thus, galectin-1 is likely be involved in the osteoblastic response, caused by prostate cancer cells metastasizing into bone, by affecting the matrix mineralization.

Bone Marrow Cells↗
PubMed2005

Expressions of galectin-3, glutathione S-transferase A2 and peroxiredoxin-1 by nonylphenol-incubated Caco-2 cells and reduction in transepithelial electrical resistance by nonylphenol.

Nonylphenol, an estrogenic xenobiotic widely used in the manufacture of plastics and detergents, has been found in drinking water and may therefore enter the body through the oral route. Thus, intestinal cells lining the alimentary tract serve as the body's first line of defense against this compound. In this study, the effects of nonylphenol on the human intestinal cell line Caco-2 were determined using transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) measurement and proteomics. Results show that 10 microM nonylphenol can disrupt the tight-junction permeability of Caco-2 cells in approximately 15 min. Incubating the cells with 1 or 10 microM nonylphenol for 6 days resulted in the enhanced expressions of galectin-3 (approximately 4-fold vs. control with 1 microM; 2-fold with 10 microM), glutathione S-transferase A2 (approximately 8-fold with 1 microM; 5-fold with 10 microM) and peroxiredoxin-1 (approximately 6-fold with 1 microM; 4-fold with 10 microM). These expressions may represent a possible consortium of mechanisms by which the cells protect themselves against nonylphenol-induced stresses. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study on the effects of nonylphenol on Caco-2 cells.

Caco-2 Cells↗
PubMed1998

Galectin-3 promotes neural cell adhesion and neurite growth.

Galectin-3 is a member of the galectin family and belongs to a group of soluble beta-galactoside-binding animal lectins. The molecule is expressed by neural and nonneural cells intra- (cytoplasm and nucleus) as well as extra-cellularly (plasma membrane and extracellular space). By using an in vitro cell-substratum adhesion assay, we have addressed the question whether galectin-3 present in the extracellular milieu may support the adhesion and/or neurite outgrowth of neural cells in a manner analogous to cell adhesion molecules. Galectin-3 was immobilized as a substratum and various cell types, N2A (neuroblastoma), PC12 (pheochromocytoma), and TSC (transformed Schwann cells) cell lines, neural cells from early postnatal mouse cerebellum, and dorsal root ganglion neurons from newborn mice were allowed to adhere to the lectin. Here we show that all cell types studied specifically adhered to galectin-3 by the following criteria: 1) the number of adherent cells was dependent on the galectin-3 concentration used for coating; 2) adhesion of cells to galectin-3, but not to collagen type I or laminin was inhibited by polyclonal antibodies to galectin-3; 3) upon addition of asialofetuin (a polyvalent carrier of terminal beta-galactosides) to the cell suspension prior to the adhesion assay, cell adhesion to galectin-3 was inhibited in a dose-dependent manner; and 4) cell adhesion to galectin-3 was abolished by treatment of cells with endo-beta-galactosidase. In addition, the adhesion of dorsal root ganglion neurons to galectin-3 could be inhibited by lactose. Notably, substratum-bound galectin-3 promoted the outgrowth of neurites from dorsal root ganglia explants and this neurite outgrowth promoting activity could be inhibited by polyclonal antibodies to galectin-3.

Animals↗