Mucin-like Protein Research Articles

CD43 (sialophorin, leukosialin) shedding is an initial event during neutrophil migration, which could be closely related to the spreading of adherent cells.

Leukosialin is a negatively-charged mucin-like membrane protein of leukocytes. This anti-adhesive molecule prevents uncontrolled cellular interactions and is proteolytically cleaved during neutrophil activation. CD43 is shed in vivo during neutrophil migration to the inflammatory site. We have analysed the decrease in CD43 expression during in vitro adherence of TNF-alpha activated PMN. CD43 was quantitated by flow cytometry on TNF-alpha-activated PMN either maintained in suspension or allowed to adhere then detached with EDTA. Although TNF did not induce significant modification of CD43 expression on suspended cells, we showed that 40% of membrane CD43 is released during neutrophil TNF-induced adhesion to serum-coated plates or endothelial cells, and that migration through the endothelial monolayer did not result in further shedding. Adhesion-blocking anti-beta 2 integrin mAbs prevented CD43 shedding. beta 2 integrin "activation" by anti-CD 18 mAbs or Mn ions did not decrease CD43 expression if adhesion was prevented by stirring. Inhibitors of signal transduction or of cytoskeleton association, which allowed cells to adhere but not to spread, inhibited the shedding of CD43 during adhesion. We conclude that CD43 shedding is not promoted by beta 2 integrins engagement or adhesion but is concomitant with spreading of adherent cells.

Molecular Cloning of a New Secreted Sulfated Mucin-like Protein With a C-type Lectin Domain That Is Expressed in Lymphoblastic Cells

We have previously demonstrated hyposialylation of the two major CD45 and leukosialin (CD43) molecules at the surface of latently human immunodeficiency virus type 1-infected CEM T cells (CEMLAI/NP), (Lefebvre, J. C., Giordanengo, V., Doglio, A., Cagnon, L., Breittmayer, J. P., Peyron, J. F., and Lesimple, J. (1994) Virology 199, 265-274; Lefebvre, J. C., Giordanengo, V., Limouse, M., Doglio, A., Cucchiarini, M., Monpoux, F., Mariani, R., and Peyron, J. F. (1994) J. Exp. Med. 180, 1609-1617). Searching to clarify mechanism(s) of hyposialylation, we observed two sulfated secreted glycoproteins (molecular mass approximately 47 and approximately 40 kDa) (P47 and P40), which were differentially sulfated and/or differentially secreted in the culture supernatants of CEMLAI/NP cells when compared with parental CEM cells. A hybridoma clone (7H1) resulting from the fusion between CEMLAI/NP and human embryonic fibroblasts MRC5 cells produced very large amounts of P47 that was purified using Jacalin lectin (specific for O-glycans) and microsequenced. Cloning of P47 was achieved using a CEMLAI/NP cDNA library screened with a degenerate oligonucleotide probe based on its NH2-terminal amino acid sequence. A single open reading frame encoding a protein of 323 amino acids was deduced from the longest isolated recombinant (1.4 kilobase). P47 is a secreted sulfated protein. It carries an NH2-terminal RGD (Arg-Gly-Asp) triplet, a striking alpha-helical leucine zipper composed of six heptads, and a C-terminal C-type lectin domain. The NH2-terminal portion is rich in glutamic acids with a predicted pI of 3.9. In addition, a hinge region with numerous condensed potential sites for O-glycan side chains, which are also the most likely sulfation sites, is located between the RGD and leucine zipper domains. Transcripts were detected in lymphoid tissues (notably bone marrow) and abundantly in T and B lymphoblastoid but very faintly in monocytoid cell lines.

Molecular cloning of the hepatitis A virus receptor from a simian cell line.

Using a eukaryotic expression system in combination with a monoclonal antibody (MAb) capable of blocking hepatitis A virus (HAV) adsorption, a cDNA clone was selected from a library of S.la/Ve-1 cells, a cell line that is highly susceptible to the virus. Sequence analysis of the cDNA revealed a single open reading frame that encoded a protein consisting of 460 amino acids. The deduced primary structure of the protein included a signal sequence, a transmembrane domain, four sites for N-linked glycosylation, cysteine residues attributable to an immunoglobulin domain and threonine clusters characteristic of mucin-like protein. By employing a vaccinia virus expression vector, the cDNA was expressed in HeLa cells where it induced marked HAV attachment which was specifically blocked by the MAb. The cDNA obtained was thus assumed to encode a functional receptor for HAV.

P-Selectin Glycoprotein Ligand-1 (PSGL-1) Is a Ligand for L-Selectin in Neutrophil Aggregation

In inflammation, activated neutrophils adhere to endothelial cells and aggregate with one another. While beta 2-integrin and L-selectin are essential for aggregation, their ligands remain to be identified. We have previously shown that L-selectin mediates a carbohydrate-dependent interaction in aggregation (Simon et al: J Immunol 149:2765, 1992; Rochon et al: J Immunol 152:1385, 1994). We have suggested that the L-selectin counter-structure is a mucinlike protein and proposed that aggregation occurs through a two-step process involving L-selectin, beta 2-integrin, and their distinct counter-structures (Bennett et al: J Leuk Biol 58:510, 1995). A candidate ligand for L-selectin is P-selectin glycoprotein ligand-1 (PSGL-1), a mucinlike protein on neutrophils that binds P-and E-selectin. Using flow cytometry we show that the number and size of neutrophil aggregates is reduced with Fab fragments of PL1, an anti-PSGL-1 monoclonal antibody that blocks the interaction between P-selectin and PSGL-1 (Moore et al: J Cell Biol 128:661, 1995). In addition, monoclonal antibodies to L-selectin and PSGL-1 were used simultaneously to modulate the availability of these adhesion molecules on individual cell populations. The inhibition of aggregation by these antibodies is consistent with L-selectin and PSGL-1 being counter-structures. We suggest that L-selectin and PSGL-1 support a collisional cell-cell interaction that represents the first step in neutrophil aggregation.

Muc1, a mucin-like protein that is regulated by Mss10, is critical for pseudohyphal differentiation in yeast.

Pseudohyphal differentiation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae was first described as a response of diploid cells to nitrogen limitation. Here we report that haploid and diploid starch-degrading S. cerevisiae strains were able to switch from a yeast form to a filamentous pseudohyphal form in response to carbon limitation in the presence of an ample supply of nitrogen. Two genes, MSS10 and MUC1, were cloned and shown to be involved in pseudohyphal differentiation and invasive growth. The deletion of MSS10 resulted in extremely reduced amounts of pseudohyphal differentiation and invasive growth, whereas the deletion of MUC1 abolished pseudohyphal differentiation and invasive growth completely. Mss10 appears to be a transcriptional activator that responds to nutrient limitation and coregulates the expression of MUC1 and the STA1-3 glucoamylase genes, which are involved in starch degradation. MUC1 encodes a 1367-amino acid protein, containing several serine/threonine-rich repeats. Muc1 is a putative integral membrane-bound protein, similar to mammalian mucin-like membrane proteins that have been implicated to play a role in the ability of cancer cells to invade other tissues.

A female-specific cDNA sequence of Schistosoma mansoni encoding a mucin-like protein that is expressed in the epithelial cells of the reproductive duct.

Seven cDNA clones of Schistosoma mansoni containing the C-terminal part of the deduced sequence of a mucin-like protein have been identified. The protein contains 28% threonines, 20% serines, and has a pI of 3.4. On Northern blots of RNA of adult worms, the cDNA clones detect 2 transcripts of 1.65 and 4.2 kb which are expressed only in female worms. The tissue of gene expression, as revealed by in situ hybridization, is the epithelium surrounding the female reproduction duct proximal to its entrance into the ootype. Accumulation of N-glycosylation sites suggests that the protein, like other mucins, might form a protective layer, coating the lining of the duct. Regarding its acidic pI, we hypothesize a role in preventing premature egg-shell formation. This is the first female-specifically transcribed sequence, hitherto known in S. mansoni that is not expressed in the vitellaria.

Characterization of the let-653 gene in Caenorhabditis elegans.

A mutation in the let-653 gene of Caenorhabditis elegans results in larval death. The lethal arrest is concurrent with the appearance of a vacuole anterior to the lower pharyngeal bulb. The position of the vacuole is consistent with a dysfunction of the secretory/excretory apparatus. Germline transformation rescue experiments were able to position the let-653 gene to two overlapping cosmid subclones. Sequence data generated from both cDNA and genomic DNA subclones indicated that let-653 encodes a mucin-like protein. Our characterization suggests that a mucin-like protein is essential for effective functioning of the secretory/excretory apparatus within C. elegans.

CDNA cloning, sequencing and in situ localization of a transcript specific to both sublingual demilune cells and parotid intercalated duct cells in mouse salivary glands

A cDNA clone derived from mouse sublingual gland was isolated from a λ-phage cDNA library. Northern blot hybridization indicated that the transcript from which it was derived was approx. 700 nucleotides in length. This mRNA encoded a protein of about 20 kDa, as determined by hybrid selection and cell-free translation. Conceptual translation of the cDNA clones showed that p20 is 170 amino acids in length. The putative protein is hydrophobic in nature, is neither a mucin-like protein nor does its amino acid sequence or composition resemble the other known mouse proteins. However, the amino acid sequence of p20 suggests that it may be from a gene or gene family homologous to rat common salivary protein 1. The p20 mRNA also appears to share a non-random degree of sequence homology with the cysteine-rich domains of bovine and porcine submandibular mucins. The p20 mRNA is abundant in the mouse sublingual gland, and its expression is approx. nine times greater than in the parotid gland. In situ hybridizations localized the p20 mRNA exclusively in the demilune cells of the sublingual gland and in the intercalated duct cells of the parotid gland. It is detectable in the neonatal and adult submandibular gland at very low levels, but is absent from liver, heart, brain, thymus, spleen, lens and lacrimal glands.

Cloning and analysis of cDNA encoding a major airway glycoprotein, human tracheobronchial mucin (MUC5).

Two unique nucleotide probes for human tracheobronchial mucin glycoprotein (TBM) were generated via polymerase chain reaction with degenerate primers deduced from the TBM:TR-3A tryptic peptide sequence and were used to isolate a 3.6 kilobase cDNA, clone NP3a, from a human nasal polyp cDNA library. Clone NP3a was localized to chromosome 11 and contained a 3168 nucleotide open reading frame which encoded three TBM peptide fragments, thus confirming that clone NP3a partially encodes TBM. TBM also contains five tandem repeats of TTVGP/S and an octapeptide GQCGTCTN, which is conserved in human intestinal mucin MUC2 and rat intestinal mucin-like protein (MLP) suggesting that this sequence has a functional significance for secreted mucins. TBM has amino acid similarity to the cysteine-rich domains at the carboxyl termini of MUC2, rat MLP, bovine and porcine submaxillary mucins, and human von Willebrand factor. Strikingly, a large percentage of the cysteine residues in the overlaps are highly conserved: 90% in MUC2 and von Willebrand factor, 80% of bovine submaxillary mucin, 70% in porcine submaxillary mucin, and 64% in rat MLP, suggesting that conserved cysteines may be important for the tertiary structure of secreted glycoproteins. These studies demonstrate that clone NP3a is a candidate for MUC5, making it the only human mucin gene reported to date whose gene product has been isolated from airway secretions.

Molecular Cloning of a cDNA Coding for a Region of an Apoprotein from the "Insoluble" Mucin Complex of Rat Small Intestine

The major part of rat small intestinal mucins occurs as an ′insoluble′ glycoprotein complex unextractable in 6 M guanidinium chloride unless disulfide bonds are cleaved. One of the trypsin-resistant high-glycosylated domains of this complex (glycopeptide A) was recently isolated. We have now deglycosylated it with HF, injected it into rabbits and the obtained antiserum was used for expression cloning providing a cDNA clone VR-lA). This clone contained an open reading frame of 235 amino acids composed of two regions. The deduced N-terminal 53 amino acids included seven Cys residues and only one Ser, followed by a region of 182 residues with 64% Ser and Thr but devoid of Cys residues. Analysis of mRNA revealed a transcript of about 12 kb, identical in size to a band labelled with a probe based on the rat mucin-like protein (MLP/Muc2) cDNA. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis of genomic rat DNA showed identical bands (380 and 500 kb) when blots were sequentially probed with the MLP/Muc2 probe and VR-lA. A panel of mouse × rat hybrids was used to localize the gene corresponding to both VR-lA and Muc2 to rat chromosome 1. The results strongly suggest that the ′insoluble′ mucin complex of the rat small intestine is encoded by the Muc2 gene.

Expression cloning of a functional glycoprotein ligand for P-selectin

The initial adhesive interactions between circulating leukocytes and endothelia are mediated, in part, by P-selectin. We now report the expression cloning of a functional ligand for P-selectin from an HL-60 cDNA library. The predicted amino acid sequence reveals a novel mucin-like transmembrane protein. Significant binding of transfected COS cells to P-selectin requires coexpression of both the protein ligand and a fucosyl-transferase. This binding is calcium dependent and can be inhibited by a neutralizing monoclonal antibody to P-selectin. Cotransfected COS cells express the ligand as a homodimer of 220 kd. A soluble ligand construct, when coexpressed with fucosyltransferase in COS cells, also mediates P-selectin binding and is immunocrossreactive with the major HL-60 glycoprotein that specifically binds P-selectin.

Characterization of a Rat Airway cDNA Encoding a Mucin-like Protein

The purpose of this study was to isolate airway mucin cDNAs for use in studies of mucin biosynthesis in rat models of human airway disease. To this end, we screened a rat airway cDNA library with the human intestinal mucin cDNA SMUC 41 and obtained 7 positive clones. Preliminary characterization of each of these led us to focus on the clone expressing the 390 bp cDNA RAM 7s. Evidence indicating that RAM 7s encodes part of a rat airway mucin gene is that RAM 7s: (a) hybridizes in plaque lifts to SMUG 41, (b) hybridizes in Northern blots to large, polydisperse transcripts, (c) has a sequence encoding threonine-rich tandem repeats and (d) shows appropriate tissue-specific expression of cognate mRNA. The repetitive peptide encoded by RAM 7s includes five copies of the consensus sequence TTTTIITI. Because this sequence is different from those reported for two cDNAs previously isolated from rat intestinal libraries, we tentatively conclude that RAM 7s encodes part of a previously unidentified rat mucin gene.

Human intestinal mucin-like protein (MLP) is homologous with rat MLP in the C-terminal region, and is encoded by a gene on chromosome 11 p 15.5

A cDNA specific for a human intestinal mucin (MLP) was amplified by PCR from cDNA of cultured human colonic adenocarcinoma cells, LS174T. The human cDNA shared high sequence homology with a corresponding rat intestinal mucin (MLP) cDNA in the 3′ terminal region, and hybridized to the same mRNA (∼9.0 Kb) that was recognized by a probe for the MUC-2 human intestinal mucin gene. The gene encoding our human mucin peptide also mapped to chromosome 11 p 15.5, the known locus of MUC-2. Our findings suggest that human MLP and MUC-2 are encoded by the same gene and that rat and human intestinal mucin share a common C-terminal amino acid structure.

Cloning and cDNA sequence of a bovine submaxillary gland mucin-like protein containing two distinct domains.

A lambda gt11 cDNA library prepared from bovine submaxillary gland mRNA was screened with polyclonal anti-apo-bovine submaxillary mucin antibodies with the aim of obtaining the deduced amino acid sequence of the mucin core protein. One of the positive clones had a 1.8 kilobase (kb) cDNA insert and coded for an incomplete protein. A 2.0-kb cDNA clone was isolated by rescreening the library with the 1.8-kb cDNA. Nucleotide sequencing of the full-length 2.0-kb cDNA revealed an open reading frame that coded for a 563-amino acid protein. A striking feature of the cloned protein is the skewed distribution of the amino acids, most notably that of the hydroxy amino acids and cysteine. The amino-terminal domain of 339 residues is very rich in threonine, serine, and glycine and poor in cysteine, aspartic acid, tyrosine, phenylalanine, and tryptophan. In contrast, the carboxyl-terminal domain of 224 residues is rich in cysteine, aspartic acid, tyrosine, lysine, and asparagine and relatively poor in threonine, serine, and glycine. A search of the protein data bank for homologies to the deduced amino acid sequence revealed statistically significant matches to several proteins, including the porcine submaxillary apomucin fragment. The cysteine-rich domain by itself was not statistically homologous with any of the registered polypeptide sequences. RNA blot analysis using DNA probes corresponding to the mucin-like and cysteine-rich regions detected a nearly identical pattern of transcripts, demonstrating that the characterized clones are not artifacts of cDNA library construction. The blots also showed the presence of polydisperse transcripts in bovine submaxillary gland but no detectable hybridization signals in liver or brain RNA.

The nature of the substances adsorbed on the surface of the fat globules in cow's milk. (Preliminary Report).

It is possible to account for the emulsion character of the fat in milk and cream both on theoretical grounds, because of the abundant presence of hydrophilic colloids in milk plasma, and on experimental grounds, because milk plasma (skim milk) readily stabilizes emulsions of oils and fats foreign to milk. However, a number of investigators, beginning with Danilewski and Raden-hausen,1 have attempted to isolate the emulsifying substance from milk. Storch2 concluded, as the result of extensive experiments, that a special substance, a mucin-like protein, is involved. Voltz and Abderhalden3 and Voltz4 decided against the existence of a special substance because of the wide variety of products of varying proportions isolated by them. More recently Bredenberg,5 who, like Voltz, gives a very complete review of the literature, concluded that a mixture of protein, mucous and fatty substances, including calcium soaps, constitutes the so-called membrane around the fat globules.By using for the most part physical me...