Nuclear and cytoplasmic expressions of the carbohydrate-binding protein CBP70 in tumoral or healthy cells of the macrophagic lineage.

The expression of the carbohydrate-binding protein CBP70 was analyzed in undifferentiated HL60 cells, HL60 cells differentiated into monocytes/macrophages or granulocytes, healthy monocytes and in vitro monocyte-derived macrophages (MDM) using an anti-CBP70 serum. This study was performed by immunoblotting analysis of nuclear and cytoplasmic extracts before and after N-acetylglucosamine affinity chromatography and by indirect immunofluorescence microscopy. The results of this study show, for the first time, that CBP70 is expressed in the nucleus and the cytoplasm of healthy or leukemic cells of the macrophagic lineage. However, striking differences were observed depending upon the leukemic or normal state of cells and cell differentiation. Indeed, the level of expression and the intracellular distribution of CBP70 were found to be different in undifferentiated HL60 cells and monocytes/macrophages differentiated from these cells. Major differences were also observed according to whether macrophages differentiated from leukemic HL60 cells or healthy monocytes. Thus, the total cellular expression of CBP70 was markedly lower in MDM than in HL60-derived macrophages and the intracellular distribution of the protein was different. Nevertheless, in both cases, the total cellular expression of CBP70 was enhanced during cell differentiation. Another important result is the finding that CBP70 behaviour was totally different when HL60 cells were induced to differentiate into macrophages or granulocytes. These data could therefore suggest that CBP70 is involved in phagocytic cell differentiation. Moreover, we show that an additional 60 kDa polypeptide (p60), recognized by the anti-CBP70 serum, is expressed in HL60 cells differentiated into macrophages or granulocytes as well as in healthy monocytes or MDM but not expressed in undifferentiated HL60 cells. Although CBP70 and p60 appeared to be closely related polypeptides, their relationship remains to be precised. These findings are discussed with regard to data available on galectin-3.

Identification of two nuclear N-acetylglucosamine-binding proteins.

Using neoglycoproteins, lectins that recognize different sugars, including N-acetylglucosamine residues, were previously detected in animal cell nuclei. We report herein the isolation of two N-acetylglucosamine-binding proteins from HL60 cell nuclei: i) a 22 kDa polypeptide (CBP22) with an isoelectric point of 4.5 was isolated for the first time and ii) a 70 kDa polypeptide with an isoelectric point of 7.8. This latter protein corresponds to the glucose-binding protein (CBP70) previously isolated, based on the following similarities: i) they have the same molecular mass, ii) they have the same isoelectric point, iii) they are recognized by antibodies raised against CBP70, and iv) both are lectins from the C group of Drickamer's classification. CBP70 appeared to recognize glucose and N-acetylglucosamine; however, its affinity for N-acetylglucosamine was found to be twice that for glucose. The presence in the nucleus of two nuclear N-acetylglucosamine-binding proteins and their potential ligands, such as O-N-acetylglucosamine glycoproteins, strongly argues for possible intranuclear glycoprotein-lectin interactions.

Evidence that lactose binding to CBP35 disrupts its interaction with CBP70 in isolated HL60 cell nuclei.

We have previously reported that two carbohydrate-binding proteins (CBP35 and CBP70) can, under appropriate conditions of affinity chromatography, be isolated from HL60 cell nuclear extracts as a complex. Moreover, we have demonstrated that, during affinity chromatography, the CBP70-CBP35 association can be modified by the binding of lactose to CBP35. To determine whether the CBP70-CBP35 association could be disrupted in the nucleus upon lactose binding to CBP35, the behaviors of CBP70 and CBP35 were analyzed in membrane-depleted nuclei of HL60 cells, incubated with or without lactose. This study was performed by using an antiserum that cross-reacts with CBP35 and CBP70, an antiserum that was specifically raised against CBP70, and a monoclonal antibody (Mac 2) reactive against CBP35. Taken together, the results of indirect immunofluorescent staining, immunoblotting experiments, and quantitative flow-cytofluorometric analysis show that (i) CBP70 and CBP35 are present and colocalized in the nuclei incubated without lactose, (ii) all the CBP70 molecules left the nuclei incubated in the presence of lactose, while CBP35 molecules, probably bound to RNA, remained inside the nuclei, and (iii) glucose failed to have the same effect as lactose. These results strongly suggest that, in membrane-depleted nuclei, CBP35 and CBP70 interactions can be altered by a conformational change of CBP35 induced by the binding of lactose to its carbohydrate-recognition domain.