Cell distribution and antigenic properties of mammalian sarcolectins.

Sarcolectins are present in a great variety of tissues from mammalian origin. Such substances were observed to be secreted from cultures of human embryonic fibroblasts, human osteosarcoma and rat Rous sarcoma transformed cells and could be extracted from TG 180 Crocker Sarcoma or normal human placenta. All sarcolectins tested here, were comparable by their physicochemical properties to those previously reported in hamster or human sarcomas. Indeed, they are proteins or glycoproteins, resistant to pepsin and migrate in SDS-PAGE in the 65 kDa area. They agglutinate cells with an affinity for simple sugars and degrade previously established interferon-induced antiviral resistance. Considering the hamster sarcolectin as reference in this comparative study, both differences and similarities in the antigenic properties of mouse, rat and human sarcolectin variants were demonstrated. An indirect immunofluorescence assay showed that sarcolectins were specifically labelled on the cell surface but not detected in the cytoplasm after methanol or acetone permeabilization of the membrane. By electron microscopy, using immunoperoxidase labelling, sarcolectins can be localized on the surface of normal, transformed, human or rat cells. Only limited segments of normal cell membranes were labelled, while transformed cells were frequently stained on their whole surface. Other known extracellular proteins, such as fibronectin and collagen, did not share common antigenic determinants with sarcolectins.

Detection of an interferon antagonist, sarcolectin, in human sarcomas and muscles.

In a variety of human sarcomas we detected the presence of a sarcolectin which reversed an established antiviral protection induced by interferon (IFN). For the same protein concentration, this biological activity was significantly increased when compared to that of normal muscles. All the biological characteristics were comparable to those of a sarcolectin found in hamster tissues; namely the capacity to agglutinate cells and its inhibition by specific sugars, migration in sodium dodecyl sulfate gel, and pepsin, heat and sodium dodecyl sulfate stability. Except for its anti-IFN function and cell agglutinating activity, the biological significances of this sarcolectin is presently poorly understood.

Sarcolectin: an interferon antagonist extracted from hamster sarcomas and normal muscles. Isolation, characterization, and purification.

In the present work we show that sarcoma and normal hamster tissues contain a protein which agglutinates normal and transformed cells. The inhibition of agglutination by galacturonic acid and occasionally by fucose suggests a resemblance of this protein with vegetal lectins. When added 5 h after interferon, the crude semipurified and electrophoretically homogeneous preparations reduce within 20 h the antiviral state pre-established by interferon. These two biological tests have enabled us to monitor the subsequent purification steps. The isolation of the biologically active protein is greatly facilitated by its resistance to pepsin and nucleases, whereas its sensitivity to trypsin and Pronase suggests its proteinaceous character. Furthermore, the molecule is stable when heated 1-2 min at 100 degrees C in the presence or absence of sodium dodecyl sulfate. After pepsin treatment, Sephacryl G-200 gel filtration, and ion exchange chromatography on DEAE-cellulose, 25-40-fold purification can be obtained. When controlled by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, a double band (DEAE-cellulose sample) or single band (octyl-agarose sample) is detected in the 65,000-dalton region and no other contaminator is present. The eluted protein retains full biological activity when assayed by the degradation of the interferon-induced antiviral protection in the cell or titrated by cell agglutination.