Glycosylation provides both stimulatory and inhibitory effects on cell surface and soluble CD44 binding to hyaluronan.

Glycosylation has been implicated in the regulation of CD44-mediated cell binding of hyaluronan (HA). However, neither the relative contribution of N- and O-linked glycans nor the oligosaccharide structures that alter CD44 affinity for HA have been elucidated. To determine the effect of selective alteration of CD44 oligosaccharide composition on the affinity of CD44 for HA, we developed a novel strategy based on the use of affinity capillary electrophoresis (ACE). Soluble recombinant CD44-immunoglobulin fusion proteins were overproduced in the mutant CHO cell line ldl-D, which has reversible defects in both N- and O-linked oligosaccharide synthesis. Using this cell line, a panel of recombinant glycosidases, and metabolic glycosidase inhibitors, CD44 glycoforms with defined oligosaccharide structures were generated and tested for HA affinity by ACE. Because ldl-D cells express endogenous cell surface CD44, the effect of any given glycosylation change on the ability of cell surface and soluble CD44 to bind HA could be compared. Four distinct oligosaccharide structures were found to effect CD44-mediated HA binding: (a) the terminal alpha2,3-linked sialic acid on N-linked oligosaccharides inhibited binding; (b) the first N-linked N-acetylglucosamine residue enhanced binding; (c) O-linked glycans on N-deglycosylated CD44 enhanced binding; and (d) N-acetylgalactosamine incorporation into non-N-linked glycans augmented HA binding by cell surface CD44. The first three structures induced up to a 30-fold alteration in the intrinsic CD44 affinity for HA (Kd = 5 to >150 microM). The fourth augmented CD44-mediated cellular HA avidity without changing the intrinsic HA affinity of soluble CD44.

A single N-linked glycosylation site is implicated in the regulation of ligand recognition by the I-type lectins CD22 and CD33.

CD22 is an immunoglobulin superfamily B lymphocyte-specific adhesion receptor and a member of the recently identified I-type class of lectins. Recent work has shown that CD22 specifically recognizes sialic acid linked alpha2,6 to terminal N-linked oligosaccharides on selected cell surface glycoproteins. CD22-ligand interaction is regulated by the activity of a beta-galactoside alpha2, 6-sialyltransferase that can inactivate CD22-mediated binding by sialylating the CD22 receptor itself. These observations suggest that N-linked glycosylation sites on the CD22 molecule may play a role in the regulation of CD22-mediated adhesion. In this work we have performed site-specific mutagenesis of potential N-linked glycosylation sites on CD22 in an effort to determine whether they might be involved in ligand recognition. We show that mutation of a single potential N-linked glycosylation site in the first immunoglobulin domain of CD22 completely abrogates ligand recognition. Interestingly, this site is characterized by the sequence NCT, where the cysteine is thought to be involved in an intrachain disulfide bond. Site-directed mutagenesis of similar NC(T/S) motifs in the first or second Ig domains of the I-type lectins myelin-associated glycoprotein, and sialoadhesin did not disrupt their ability to mediate sialic acid binding. In contrast, mutation of a NCS motif in the first Ig domain of the I-type lectin CD33 unmasked its sialic acid binding activity. These observations suggest that a single N-linked glycosylation site located at a similar position in the CD22 and CD33 glycoproteins is critical for regulating ligand recognition by both receptors.

Glycosylation of CD44 is implicated in CD44-mediated cell adhesion to hyaluronan.

CD44-mediated cell adhesion to hyaluronate is controlled by mechanisms which are poorly understood. In the present work we examine the role of N-linked glycosylation and Ser-Gly motifs in regulating CD44-hyaluronate interaction. Our results show that treatment of a panel of human cell lines which constitutively express CD44 with the inhibitor of N-linked glycosylation tunicamycin results in the loss of attachment of these cells to hyaluronate-coated substrate. In contrast, treatment of the same cells with deoxymannojirimycin, which inhibits the conversion of high mannose oligosaccharides to complex N-linked carbohydrates, results in either no change or an increase in CD44-mediated adhesion to hyaluronate, suggesting that complex N-linked oligosaccharides may not be required for and may even inhibit CD44-HA interaction. Using human melanoma cells stably transfected with CD44 N-linked glycosylation site-specific mutants, we show that integrity of five potential N-linked glycosylation sites within the hyaluronate recognition domain of CD44 is critical for hyaluronate binding. Mutation of any one of these potential N-linked glycosylation sites abrogates CD44-mediated melanoma cell attachment to hyaluronate-coated surfaces, suggesting that all five sites are necessary to maintain the HA-recognition domain in the appropriate conformation. We also demonstrate that mutation of serine residues which constitute the four Ser-Gly motifs in the membrane proximal domain, and provide potential sites for glycosaminoglycan side chain attachment, impairs hyaluronate binding. Taken together, these observations indicate that changes in glycosylation of CD44 can have profound effects on its interaction with hyaluronic acid and suggest that glycosylation may provide an important regulatory mechanism of CD44 function.