Glycan Targets Research Articles

Structural basis for sulfation-dependent self-glycan recognition by the human immune-inhibitory receptor Siglec-8

Siglec-8 is a human immune-inhibitory receptor that, when engaged by specific self-glycans, triggers eosinophil apoptosis and inhibits mast cell degranulation, providing an endogenous mechanism to down-regulate immune responses of these central inflammatory effector cells. Here we used solution NMR spectroscopy to dissect the fine specificity of Siglec-8 toward different sialylated and sulfated carbohydrate ligands and determined the structure of the Siglec-8 lectin domain in complex with its prime glycan target 6'-sulfo sialyl Lewis(x) A canonical motif for sialic acid recognition, extended by a secondary motif formed by unique loop regions, recognizing 6-O-sulfated galactose dictates tight specificity distinct from other Siglec family members and any other endogenous glycan recognition receptors. Structure-guided mutagenesis revealed key contacts of both interfaces to be equally essential for binding. Our work provides critical structural and mechanistic insights into how Siglec-8 selectively recognizes its glycan target, rationalizes the functional impact of site-specific glycan sulfation in modulating this lectin-glycan interaction, and will enable the rational design of Siglec-8-targeted agonists to treat eosinophil- and mast cell-related allergic and inflammatory diseases, such as asthma.

Targeted Isolation of Antibodies Directed against Major Sites of SIV Env Vulnerability.

The simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) challenge model of lentiviral infection is often used as a model to human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) for studying vaccine mediated and immune correlates of protection. However, knowledge of the structure of the SIV envelope (Env) glycoprotein is limited, as is knowledge of binding specificity, function and potential efficacy of SIV antibody responses. In this study we describe the use of a competitive probe binding sort strategy as well as scaffolded probes for targeted isolation of SIV Env-specific monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). We isolated nearly 70 SIV-specific mAbs directed against major sites of SIV Env vulnerability analogous to broadly neutralizing antibody (bnAb) targets of HIV-1, namely, the CD4 binding site (CD4bs), CD4-induced (CD4i)-site, peptide epitopes in variable loops 1, 2 and 3 (V1, V2, V3) and potentially glycan targets of SIV Env. The range of SIV mAbs isolated includes those exhibiting varying degrees of neutralization breadth and potency as well as others that demonstrated binding but not neutralization. Several SIV mAbs displayed broad and potent neutralization of a diverse panel of 20 SIV viral isolates with some also neutralizing HIV-27312A. This extensive panel of SIV mAbs will facilitate more effective use of the SIV non-human primate (NHP) model for understanding the variables in development of a HIV vaccine or immunotherapy.

Magnetic separation of apoptotic cells with lectin‐conjugated microparticles

Both phosphatidylserine (PS) and oligomannose/desialylated glycans are known to be exposed on the surface of dying cells and used by macrophages to endure effective efferocytosis. Recognition of phosphatidylserine by annexin A5 is widely implicated in various technologies aimed to isolate apoptotic cells. Our recent finding suggested that recognition of phosphatidylserine and apoptotic glycans by macrophages is of complementary nature. Here we developed lectin‐conjugated magnetic microparticles recognizing specific glycans of apoptotic cells and its use for detection and separation of dying cells. We conjugated Narcissus poeticus lectin, specific to oligomannose N‐glycans, and Viscum album agglutinin, specific to desialylated glycans to the surface of superparamagnetic and fluorescent‐superparamagnetic microparticles, and tracked their binding to subpopulations of human polymorphonuclear leukocytes undergoing apoptosis. Glycan targeting microparticles were effectively found on apoptotic cells, while specific lectin inhibitors of carbohydrate nature (like heptylmannoside), displaced dying cells from complexes with microparticles, suggesting a reversible binding. Simultaneous application of microparticles conjugated with annexin A5 and Viscum album agglutinin exhibited additive effect on the efficiency of apoptotic cells removal from population.

Local Antiglycan Antibody Responses to Skin Stage and Migratory Schistosomula of Schistosoma japonicum.

Schistosomiasis is a tropical disease affecting over 230 million people worldwide. Although effective drug treatment is available, reinfections are common, and development of immunity is slow. Most antibodies raised during schistosome infection are directed against glycans, some of which are thought to be protective. Developing schistosomula are considered most vulnerable to immune attack, and better understanding of local antibody responses raised against glycans expressed by this life stage might reveal possible glycan vaccine candidates for future vaccine research. We used antibody-secreting cell (ASC) probes to characterize local antiglycan antibody responses against migrating Schistosoma japonicum schistosomula in different tissues of rats. Analysis by shotgun Schistosoma glycan microarray resulted in the identification of antiglycan antibody response patterns that reflected the migratory pathway of schistosomula. Antibodies raised by skin lymph node (LN) ASC probes mainly targeted N-glycans with terminal mannose residues, Galβ1-4GlcNAc (LacNAc) and Galβ1-4(Fucα1-3)GlcNAc (LeX). Also, responses to antigenic and schistosome-specific glycosphingolipid (GSL) glycans containing highly fucosylated GalNAcβ1-4(GlcNAcβ1)n stretches that are believed to be present at the parasite's surface constitutively upon transformation were found. Antibody targets recognized by lung LN ASC probes were mainly N-glycans presenting GalNAcβ1-4GlcNAc (LDN) and GlcNAc motifs. Surprisingly, antibodies against highly antigenic multifucosylated motifs of GSL glycans were not observed in lung LN ASC probes, indicating that these antigens are not expressed in lung stage schistosomula or are not appropriately exposed to induce immune responses locally. The local antiglycan responses observed in this study highlight the stage- and tissue-specific expression of antigenic parasite glycans and provide insights into glycan targets possibly involved in resistance to S. japonicum infection.

Abstract 4486: Antiangiogenic platinum through glycan targeting

Abstract Heparanase is an endo-β-D-glucuronidase that cleaves heparan sulfate glycosaminoglycans (HS-GAGs) in the extracellular matrix and basement membrane. Cancer cells that aberrantly express heparanase potentiate tumor progression, invasion and metastasis in two distinct ways; (1) cleavage of HS-GAGs releases growth-factors to directly activate growth receptors and (2) degradation of the heparan sulfate structural component of the extracellular matrix (ECM) allows metastatic spread of cancer cells. Recently, we determined that accumulation and cytotoxicity of polynuclear platinum compounds (PPCs), including the Phase II clinical trial compound, BBR3464 (+4), are dependent on the presence of cell-surface GAGs. Here, we demonstrate that high affinity PPC-GAG binding provides a new approach to glycan-based targeting by protection against enzymatic cleavage by heparanase. It was determined by NMR spectroscopy, that PPCs, especially the higher charged compound, TriplatinNC (+8), inhibit heparanase cleavage of the oligosaccharide, Fondaparineaux. Further, using the human umbilical primary cell line, HUVEC, it was determined that PPCs reduce heparanase cleavage of the GAG-bound growth factor, bFGF, from ECM. The end result of inhibition of heparanase cleavage is a reduction in tumor invasion and angiogenesis. Using the matrigel invasion assay, we show that sub-cytotoxic doses of PPCs, but not cisplatin, reduces serum-induced invasion of HCT116 cells through basement membrane. In an ex vivo rat aorta model, PPCs exhibit antiangiogenesis activity, measured by the inhibition of new blood vessel growth sprouting from the original aortic ring. Together, these encouraging results support the potential to combine anti-metastatic and cytotoxic activity in the development of dual-function platinum-based drugs. Citation Format: Erica J. Peterson, Susan J. Berners-Price, Anna Bezos, Lisa Bohlman, Samantha J. Katner, A. Gerard Daniel, Chih-Wei Chang, Mark von Itzstein, Christopher R. Parish, Nicholas P. Farrell. Antiangiogenic platinum through glycan targeting. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 4486. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-4486

Abstract B31: Development of fucose based pancreatic cancer biomarkers using modified lectins

Abstract Pancreatic cancer has poor prognosis because of ineffective and delayed diagnosis as well as treatment. Accurately identifying molecular changes could help with early detection and evaluation of treatment efficacy. Glycoprotein fucosylation is associated with various cancers. Interestingly, information at structural level such as diversity in fucose linkages can provide extensive details of disease state. But, lack of diagnostic reagents has impeded the research in identifying and interpreting these changes. This study is aimed to develop fucose based cancer biomarker reagents to identify important fucose linkages associated with cancer progression. We hypothesized that a panel of lectins, each specific for a particular type of fucose presentation, could identify differences between glycoproteins that are not discernable using any individual lectin or measurements of total fucose. Using a database of glycan array data, we identified lectins with high specificity for diverse linkages of fucose. We selected three for further testing: CGL2 for detecting fucose in a 2’ linkage, CCL2 for detecting fucose in a 3’ linkage, and RSL for detecting fucose in all linkages. To improve quality, production consistency, and test various modes of detection the lectins were recombinantly expressed with avitag (biotin) and poly-histidine fusion tags. The choice of terminus as well as the type of fusion tag could affect the molecular architecture and thereby lectin-glycan interaction. Therefore, two variants for each lectin (N terminus biotin and C terminus histidine and vice-versa) were expressed. The initial purification by size-exclusion chromatography showed similar results between the two tagging schemes for each protein. To test the accessibility of fusion tags and lectin multimerization with secondary detections (streptavidin or anti-poly-histindine), the two were pre-incubated prior to separation on an analytical scale size exclusion column resulting in protein elution that was entirely shifted to a higher molecular weight. Specificity for recombinant lectins to their respective linkages was performed using thermostability assay that resulted in a stability shift of lectins with respective glycan target but not with off-target glycan. To examine if the use of particular tag or secondary reagent was optimal for detection we performed competitive assay. Lectin binding to spotted glycoproteins in microarray assay was reduced upon pre-incubation with a competing sugar but not upon pre-incubation with a non-specific sugar. This suggests that recombinant lectins with fusion tags were functional. Lectins produced by recombinant expression showed specific glycan-binding using either a biotin or poly-histidine fusion tag at either terminus, but detection using the C-terminus tag was more reliable in each case. We probed the glycans on various glycoproteins with each lectin and predicted that the pattern of lectin binding would perform better than individual lectin measurements for identifying differences in fucose presentation. We tested this prediction using monoclonal antibodies against selected fucose-bearing glycans. Based on the known specificities of the antibodies, we could confirm differences in glycans predicted by the pattern of lectin binding but not by individual lectin measurements, thus confirming the ability to distinguish fucose presentations using a panel of lectins. This technique promises to help uncover details about the presentation of fucose on specific glycoproteins. The ability of these lectins to distinguish subtle changes in glycan presentation with enough precision at early stage and enable comparisons between tumor grades could prove valuable diagnostic reagents for pancreatic cancer. Citation Format: Sudhir Singh, Kuntal Pal, Elliot Ensink, Jessica Yadav, Doron Kletter, Marshall Bern, Anand Mehta, Karsten Melcher, Brian B. Haab. Development of fucose based pancreatic cancer biomarkers using modified lectins. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Pancreatic Cancer: Innovations in Research and Treatment; May 18-21, 2014; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(13 Suppl):Abstract nr B31.

Breaking the allergic response by disrupting antibody glycosylation.

Allergic reactions arise when people become sensitized to otherwise harmless environmental antigens. In this issue, Shade et al. reveal that the immunoglobulin e (IgE) antibodies that mediate these reactions have a key vulnerability. They report that the ability of IgE to trigger an allergic reaction through its interaction with mast cells is dependent on a single site of antibody glycosylation. With the in vivo targeting of specific glycoprotein glycans emerging as a viable strategy for modulating endogenous glycoprotein function, these findings are of significant interest.

CHoMP: a chemoenzymatic histology method using clickable probes.

The characterization of aberrant glycosylation patterns in biopsied patient samples represents a remarkable challenge for scientists and medical doctors due to the lack of specific methods for detection. Here, we report the development of a histological method, dubbed CHoMP-chemoenzymatic histology of membrane polysaccharides-for analyzing glycosylation patterns in mammalian tissues. This method exploits a recombinant glycosyltransferase to transfer a monosaccharide analogue equipped with a chemical handle to a specific cell-surface glycan target, which can then be derivatized with imaging probes by using bioorthogonal click chemistry for visualization. We applied CHoMP to survey changes in expression of N-acetyllactosamine (LacNAc) in human samples from patients afflicted with lung adenocarcinoma and observed a sharp decrease in expression levels between normal and early grade tumors, thus suggesting a potential application of this technique in early cancer diagnosis.

Structural Characterization by Multistage Mass Spectrometry (MSn) of Human Milk Glycans Recognized by Human Rotaviruses

We have shown that recombinant forms of VP8* domains of the human rotavirus outer capsid spike protein VP4 from human neonatal strains (N155(G10P[11]) and RV3(G3P[6]) and a bovine strain (B223) recognize unique glycans within the repertoire of human milk glycans. The accompanying study by Yu et al.(2), describes a human milk glycan shotgun glycan microarray that led to the identification of 32 specific glycans in the human milk tagged glycan library that were recognized by these human rotaviruses. These microarray analyses also provided a variety of metadata about the recognized glycan structures compiled from anti-glycan antibody and lectin binding before and after specific glycosidase digestions, along with compositional information from mass analysis by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-mass spectrometry. To deduce glycan sequence and utilize information predicted by analyses of metadata from each glycan, 28 of the glycan targets were retrieved from the tagged glycan library for detailed sequencing using sequential disassembly of glycans by ion-trap mass spectrometry. Our aim is to obtain a deeper structural understanding of these key glycans using an orthogonal approach for structural confirmation in a single ion trap mass spectrometer. This sequential ion disassembly strategy details the complexities of linkage and branching in multiple compositions, several of which contained isomeric mixtures including several novel structures. The application of this approach exploits both library matching with standard materials and de novo approaches. This combination together with the metadata generated from lectin and antibody-binding data before and after glycosidase digestions provide a heretofore-unavailable level of analytical detail to glycan structure analysis. The results of these studies showed that, among the 28 glycan targets analyzed, 27 unique structures were identified, and 23 of the human milk glycans recognized by human rotaviruses represent novel structures not previously described as glycans in human milk. The functional glycomics analysis of human milk glycans provides significant insight into the repertoire of glycans comprising the human milk metaglycome.

GlyQ-IQ: glycomics quintavariate-informed quantification with high-performance computing and GlycoGrid 4D visualization.

Glycomics quintavariate-informed quantification (GlyQ-IQ) is a biologically guided glycomics analysis tool for identifying N-glycans in liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS) data. Glycomics LC–MS data sets have convoluted extracted ion chromatograms that are challenging to deconvolve with existing software tools. LC deconvolution into constituent pieces is critical in glycomics data sets because chromatographic peaks correspond to different intact glycan structural isomers. The biological targeted analysis approach offers several key advantages to traditional LC–MS data processing. A priori glycan information about the individual target’s elemental composition allows for improved sensitivity by utilizing the exact isotope profile information to focus chromatogram generation and LC peak fitting on the isotopic species having the highest intensity. Glycan target annotation utilizes glycan family relationships and in source fragmentation in addition to high specificity feature LC–MS detection to improve the specificity of the analysis. The GlyQ-IQ software was developed in this work and evaluated in the context of profiling the N-glycan compositions from human serum LC–MS data sets. A case study is presented to demonstrate how GlyQ-IQ identifies and removes confounding chromatographic peaks from high mannose glycan isomers from human blood serum. In addition, GlyQ-IQ was used to generate a broad human serum N-glycan profile from a high resolution nanoelectrospray-liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (nESI-LC–MS/MS) data set. A total of 156 glycan compositions and 640 glycan isomers were detected from a single sample. Over 99% of the GlyQ-IQ glycan-feature assignments passed manual validation and are backed with high-resolution mass spectra.

Perspectives in glycomics and lectin engineering.

This chapter would like to provide a short survey of the most promising concepts applied recently in analysis of glycoproteins based on lectins. The first part describes the most exciting analytical approaches used in the field of glycoprofiling based on integration of nanoparticles, nanowires, nanotubes, or nanochannels or using novel transducing platforms allowing to detect very low levels of glycoproteins in a label-free mode of operation. The second part describes application of recombinant lectins containing several tags applied for oriented and ordered immobilization of lectins. Besides already established concepts of glycoprofiling several novel aspects, which we think will be taken into account for future, more robust glycan analysis, are described including modified lectins, peptide lectin aptamers, and DNA aptamers with lectin-like specificity introduced by modified nucleotides. The last part of the chapter describes a novel concept of a glycocodon, which can lead to a better understanding of glycan-lectin interaction and for design of novel lectins with unknown specificities and/or better affinities toward glycan target or for rational design of peptide lectin aptamers or DNA aptamers.

Polymer–trimannoside conjugates via a combination of RAFT and thiol–ene chemistry

We report the successful conjugation of a bioactive thiolated α(1,2)-trimannoside to a copolymer of allyl methacrylate (AMA) and N-(2-hydroxypropyl) methacrylamide (HPMA) via photo-mediated thiol–ene chemistry. Well-defined copolymers of AMA and HPMA were synthesized by reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization. Trimannose conjugation was carried out using near stoichiometric ratios of thiolated trimannoside to pendant alkene functional groups contained within the copolymer. About 87% disappearance of the alkene groups was observed in 2 h by proton NMR spectroscopy with approximately 9 trimannose units grafted per polymer chain. The glycan-modified polymer showed binding activity against the mannose-specific lectin concanavalin A, as observed by UV-Vis spectroscopy agglutination and surface plasmon resonance imaging (SPRi) analysis. These results demonstrate the facile addition of multivalent glycan targeting moieties to polymeric carrier segments.

Glycans as Targets for Therapeutic Antitumor Antibodies

Glycans represent a vast class of molecules that modify either proteins or lipids. They exert and regulate important and complex functions in both normal and cancer cell metabolism. As such, the most immunogenic glycans have been targeted in passive and active immunotherapy in human cancer for the past 25 years but it is only recently that techniques have become available to uncover novel glycan targets. The main focus of this review article is to highlight why and how monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) recognizing glycans, and in particular the glycans expressed on glycolipids, are being used in various strategies to target and kill cancer cells. The article reports on the historical use of mAbs and on very recent progress made in antitumor therapy using the anti-GD2 mAb and the antiganglioside mAbs, anti-N-glycolylneuraminic acid mAb and anti-Lewis mAb. Anti-GD2 is showing great promise in Phase III clinical trials in adjuvant treatment of neuroblastoma. Racotumomab, an anti-idiotypic mAb mimicking N-glycolylneuraminic acid-containing gangliosides, is currently being tested in a randomized, controlled Phase II/III clinical trial. This article also presents various strategies used by different groups to develop mAbs against these naturally poorly immunogenic glycans.

A strategy for phage display selection of functional domain-exchanged immunoglobulin scaffolds with high affinity for glycan targets

Monoclonal antibodies are essential reagents for deciphering gene or protein function and have been a fruitful source of therapeutic and diagnostic agents. However, the use of anticarbohydrate antibodies to target glycans for these purposes has been less successful. Glycans contain less hydrophobic functionality than do proteins or nucleic acids, thus individual glycan–antibody interactions are relatively weak. Information encoded by glycans often involves subtle variations of branched oligosaccharides that cannot be detected with conventional antibodies. Here we describe a new phage display selection strategy for identification of high-affinity and specific glycan antibodies. We designed and characterized a phage clone that functionally displays the unique architectural scaffold of 2G12, an antibody that targets oligomannoses on the HIV-1 glycoprotein gp120. The two heavy chain variable domains of 2G12 exchange positions to create an extended recognition surface containing four oligomannose binding sites per IgG molecule. We designed and characterized a phage clone in which this domain exchange architecture was recapitulated as an antigen binding fragment dimer [(Fab)2]on the phage surface by protein engineering. The functional display of the 2G12 (Fab)2 fragment was validated by Western blot and phage enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Furthermore, we demonstrate that this 2G12 (Fab)2 display system is amenable to selection of functional clones using a mock selection. These results provide proof-of-concept that the privileged 2G12 domain-exchanged scaffold can be used for design of novel antibody libraries that are biased toward glycan recognition.

Rational and computational design of stabilized variants of cyanovirin-N that retain affinity and specificity for glycan ligands.

Cyanovirin-N (CVN) is an 11 kDa pseudosymmetric cyanobacterial lectin that has been shown to inhibit infection by the human immunodeficiency virus by binding to high-mannose oligosaccharides on the surface of the viral envelope glycoprotein gp120. In this work, we describe rationally designed CVN variants that stabilize the protein fold while maintaining high affinity and selectivity for their glycan targets. Poisson-Boltzmann calculations and protein repacking algorithms were used to select stabilizing mutations in the protein core. By substituting the buried polar side chains of Ser11, Ser20, and Thr61 with aliphatic groups, we stabilized CVN by nearly 12 °C against thermal denaturation, and by 1 M GuaHCl against chemical denaturation, relative to a previously characterized stabilized mutant. Glycan microarray binding experiments confirmed that the specificity profile of carbohydrate binding is unperturbed by the mutations and is identical for all variants. In particular, the variants selectively bound glycans containing the Manα(1→2)Man linkage, which is the known minimal binding unit of CVN. We also report the slow denaturation kinetics of CVN and show that they can complicate thermodynamic analysis; in particular, the unfolding of CVN cannot be described as a fixed two-state transition. Accurate thermodynamic parameters are needed to describe the complicated free energy landscape of CVN, and we provide updated values for CVN unfolding.

Structural Basis of the Anti-HIV Activity of the Cyanobacterial Oscillatoria Agardhii Agglutinin

The cyanobacterial Oscillatory Agardhii agglutinin (OAA) is a recently discovered HIV-inactivating lectin that interacts with high-mannose sugars. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) binding studies between OAA and α3,α6-mannopentaose (Manα(1-3)[Manα(1-3)[Manα(1-6)]Manα(1-6)]Man), the branched core unit of Man-9, revealed two binding sites at opposite ends of the protein, exhibiting essentially identical affinities. Atomic details of the specific protein-sugar contacts in the recognition loops of OAA were delineated in the high-resolution crystal structures of free and glycan-complexed protein. No major changes in the overall protein structure are induced by carbohydrate binding, with essentially identical apo- and sugar-bound conformations in binding site 1. A single peptide bond flip at W77-G78 is seen in binding site 2. Our combined NMR and crystallographic results provide structural insights into the mechanism by which OAA specifically recognizes the branched Man-9 core, distinctly different from the recognition of the D1 and D3 arms at the nonreducing end of high-mannose carbohydrates by other antiviral lectins.

Caenorhabditis elegans Galectins LEC-6 and LEC-10 Interact with Similar Glycoconjugates in the Intestine

Galectins are a family of metazoan proteins that show binding to various β-galactoside-containing glycans. Because of a lack of proper tools, the interaction of galectins with their specific glycan ligands in the cells and tissues are largely unknown. We have investigated the localization of galectin ligands in Caenorhabditis elegans using a novel technology that relies on the high binding specificity between galectins and their endogenous ligands. Fluorescently labeled recombinant galectin fusions are found to bind to ligands located in diverse tissues including the intestine, pharynx, and the rectal valve. Consistent with their role as galactoside-binding proteins, the interaction with their ligands is inhibited by galactose or lactose. Two of the galectins, LEC-6 and LEC-10, recognize ligands that co-localize along the intestinal lumen. The ligands for LEC-6 and LEC-10 are absent in three glycosylation mutants bre-1, fut-8, and galt-1, which have been shown to be required to synthesize the Gal-β1,4-Fuc modifications of the core N-glycans unique to C. elegans and several other invertebrates. Both galectins pull down the same set of glycoproteins in a manner dependent on the presence of these carbohydrate modifications. Endogenous LEC-6 and LEC-10 are expressed in the intestinal cells, but they are localized to different subcellular compartments that do not appear to overlap with each other or with the location of their glycan targets. An altered subcellular distribution of these ligands is found in mutants lacking both galectins. These results suggest a model where LEC-6 and LEC-10 interact with glycoproteins through specific glycans to regulate their cellular fate.

Binding-site geometry and flexibility in DC-SIGN demonstrated with surface force measurements

The dendritic cell receptor DC-SIGN mediates pathogen recognition by binding to glycans characteristic of pathogen surfaces, including those found on HIV. Clustering of carbohydrate-binding sites in the receptor tetramer is believed to be critical for targeting of pathogen glycans, but the arrangement of these sites remains poorly understood. Surface force measurements between apposed lipid bilayers displaying the extracellular domain of DC-SIGN and a neoglycolipid bearing an oligosaccharide ligand provide evidence that the receptor is in an extended conformation and that glycan docking is associated with a conformational change that repositions the carbohydrate-recognition domains during ligand binding. The results further show that the lateral mobility of membrane-bound ligands enhances the engagement of multiple carbohydrate-recognition domains in the receptor oligomer with appropriately spaced ligands. These studies highlight differences between pathogen targeting by DC-SIGN and receptors in which binding sites at fixed spacing bind to simple molecular patterns.

The Prevalence and Nature of Glycan Alterations on Specific Proteins in Pancreatic Cancer Patients Revealed Using Antibody-Lectin Sandwich Arrays

Changes to the glycan structures of proteins secreted by cancer cells are known to be functionally important and to have potential diagnostic value. However, an exploration of the population variation and prevalence of glycan alterations on specific proteins has been lacking because of limitations in conventional glycobiology methods. Here we report the use of a previously developed antibody-lectin sandwich array method to characterize both the protein and glycan levels of specific mucins and carcinoembryonic antigen-related proteins captured from the sera of pancreatic cancer patients (n = 23) and control subjects (n = 23). The MUC16 protein was frequently elevated in the cancer patients (65% of the patients) but showed no glycan alterations, whereas the MUC1 and MUC5AC proteins were less frequently elevated (30 and 35%, respectively) and showed highly prevalent (up to 65%) and distinct glycan alterations. The most frequent glycan elevations involved the Thomsen-Friedenreich antigen, fucose, and Lewis antigens. An unexpected increase in the exposure of alpha-linked mannose also was observed on MUC1 and MUC5ac, indicating possible N-glycan modifications. Because glycan alterations occurred independently from the protein levels, improved identification of the cancer samples was achieved using glycan measurements on specific proteins relative to using the core protein measurements. The most significant elevation was the cancer antigen 19-9 on MUC1, occurring in 19 of 23 (87%) of the cancer patients and one of 23 (4%) of the control subjects. This work gives insight into the prevalence and protein carriers of glycan alterations in pancreatic cancer and points to the potential of using glycan measurements on specific proteins for highly effective biomarkers.

Blood Group Antigen Recognition by a Solute-Binding Protein from a Serotype 3 Strain of Streptococcus pneumoniae

Streptococcus pneumoniae is a common bacterial pathogen that is well known for its ability to cause acute respiratory disease (pneumonia), ear infections, and other serious illnesses. This Gram-positive bacterium relies on its carbohydrate-metabolizing capabilities for full virulence in its host; however, the range of glycan targets that it can attack is presently not fully appreciated. S. pneumoniae is known to have a fucose utilization operon that in the TIGR4 strain plays a role in its virulence. Here we identify a second type of fucose utilization operon that is present in a subset of S. pneumoniae strains, including the serotype 3 strain SP3-BS71. This operon contains a transporter with a solute-binding protein, FcsSBP (fucose solute-binding protein), that interacts tightly ( K a ∼ 1 × 10 6 M − 1 ) and specifically with soluble A- and B-antigen trisaccharides but displays no selectivity between these two sugars. The structure of the FcsSBP in complex with the A-trisaccharide antigen, determined to 2.35 Å, reveals its mode of binding to the reducing end of this sugar, thus highlighting this protein's requirement for soluble blood group antigen ligands. Overall, this report exposes a heretofore unknown capability of certain S. pneumoniae strains to transport and potentially metabolize the histo-blood group antigen carbohydrates of its host.