Mapping the lectin-like activity of tumor necrosis factor.

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF), but not lymphotoxin (LT), is directly trypanolytic for salivarian trypanosomes. This activity was not blocked by soluble 55-kilodalton and 75-kilodalton TNF receptors, but was potently inhibited by N,N'-diacetylchitobiose, an oligosaccharide that binds TNF. Comparative sequence analysis of TNF and LT localized the trypanocidal region, and synthetic peptides were trypanolytic. TNF molecules in which the trypanocidal region was mutated or deleted retained tumoricidal activity. Thus, trypanosome-TNF interactions occur via a TNF domain, probably with lectin-like affinity, which is functionally and spatially distinct from the mammalian TNF receptor binding sites.

The effects of monensin on blood-borne arrest and glycosylation of BL/VL3 lymphoma cells.

We have previously shown that inhibitors of N-glycan processing alter both the cell surface carbohydrates and the homing properties in lymphoid cells. We have now studied the effects of the ionophore monensin (MON) on these parameters. Arrest in the spleen of [111In]-labelled BL/VL3 murine T lymphoma cells, injected intravenously was clearly reduced if the cells had been cultured for 24 h in the presence of monensin (0.1-1.0 microgram ml-1). We have characterized glycopeptides from BL/VL3 murine T lymphoma cells. Following labelling with tritiated precursors (fucose, mannose, galactose, glucosamine), surface glycopeptides from BL/VL3 murine T lymphoma cells, were released by trypsin and separated by gel filtration on Bio-Gel P6 and by affinity chromatography on immobilized lectins. After treatment with MON, a class of high molecular mass glycopeptides was no longer found. There were less complex and more high mannose glycans, as a consequence of a reduction of terminal glycosylation (sialylation, fucosylation or incorporation of N-acetyl-glucosamine). Similar findings were obtained with immunoprecipitated Thy-1 antigen. However, as estimated by flow cytometry analysis, the cell surface expression of Thy-1 was not reduced in MON-treated cells. Taken together our results show that cell surface oligosaccharides are modified dramatically, but that at least, certain cell surface antigens are present in normal amounts. It is tempting to speculate that changes in glycosylation account for the abnormal homing properties of MON-treated cells.

Comparison of the N- and O-linked glycopeptides of lymph node cells from C57 BL/6 lpr/lpr and C57 BL/6 mice.

We have tested the hypothesis that some phenotypic characteristics of the lymphocytes from mice with lymphoproliferative disease (lpr) could be explained by abnormal glycosylation of membrane proteins. Lymph node cells from normal C57 BL/6 and from C57 BL/lpr mice were labelled with tritiated sugars. Membrane proteins were released with trypsin, then with pronase. After complete pronase digestion, glycopeptides were first separated on Bio Gel P-6 and then on Con A-Sepharose. Fractions not binding to Con A (Con A negative) were also separated on Lens culinaris agglutinin-Sepharose. Marked differences between normal and lpr cells were noticed. First, there were more glucosamine-labelled peptides with very high molecular weight (eluting fast on Bio Gel P-6) on lpr cells than on normal lymphocytes. Second, the proportion of mannose-labelled peptides binding to Con A was smaller in the lpr cells. Third, among the Con A negative peptides, the proportion binding to Lens culinaris agglutinin was higher in lpr cells. Thus, lpr cells seem to carry more alpha 1-6 fucosylated chains and larger size carbohydrates. These alterations were also confirmed by gel electrophoresis of lectin-selected iodinated cell surface antigens and seem to be restricted to a very limited number of peptides. Thus, there may be primary changes in glycosylation in lpr cells. Alternatively, the glycosylation pattern of lpr cells may be characteristic for a subpopulation of T-lymphocytes that is expanded in this disease, or for a certain stage of activation. A large proportion of Con A-negative, Lens culinaris-positive peptides is a rather unusual feature in murine cells and requires further investigation.

Multiple differences between wild-type B16 melanoma cells and a wheat germ agglutinin resistant clone.

A low-metastatic, glycosylation-defective variant of the B16 murine melanoma was obtained by Tao and Burger (1977) through selection with wheat germ agglutinin. We found that variant and parental (wild-type) cell lines were equally invasive when confronted with precultured embryonic chick heart fragments in vitro. Also, a short-term in vivo arrest assay showed no significant differences. After intravenous injection, wild-type cells killed the recipient mice faster than did the variant cells. We were able to confirm the changes in glycosylation at the enzyme level. In addition, we showed that the pattern of endogenous lectins was strikingly different, at least at the quantitative level. We also looked at another set of receptor proteins, namely receptors for neurotransmitters coupled to adenylate cyclase. The response to the vasoactive intestinal peptide and prostaglandins was lower in the variant cells, which also had a delayed response to cholera toxin. Although most of the data can be explained by altered glycosylation in the variant cells, the large number of differences between variant and parent cells makes it difficult to identify the biochemical basis of altered metastatic behaviour. This might also be the case with other pairs of cells differing in metastatic activity.