Engineering neoglycoproteins with multiple O-glycans using repetitive pentapeptide glycosylation units

Glycoconj J. 2001 Apr;18(4):291-9. doi: 10.1023/a:1013608930759.

Abstract

Controlled protein remodeling with O-linked glycans has been limited by our incomplete understanding of the process of glycosylation. Here we describe a secretable fibroblast growth factor (FGF) with multiple mucin-type O-glycans produced by introducing a minimum pentapeptide glycosylation unit in a decarepeat format at its N- or C-terminus. Expressed in Chinese hamster ovary cells, chemical and biochemical analyses of the resultant proteins (Nm10-FGF and Cm10-FGF, respectively) demonstrated that all O-glycosylation units were glycosylated and the dominant structure was sialylated Gal[beta1-3]GalNAc. This indicates that minimum O-glycosylation unit in multirepeat format serves as a remarkably efficient acceptor in CHO cells. The Nm10-FGF and Cm10-FGF proteins maintained the mitogenic activity to vascular endothelial cells. In addition, intact Cm10-FGF and its desialylated form interacted with several lectins in the same way as mucin-type glycoproteins. The intact Cm10-FGF with multiple sialylated O-glycans exhibited a longer lifetime in circulating blood, whereas the Cm10-FGF with desialylated O-glycans exhibited a shorter lifetime than the deglycosylated form of Cm10-FGF. Our approach would thus appear to be highly effective for engineering neoglycoproteins, the characteristics of which are determined by their multiple mucin-type O-glycans.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Blotting, Western
  • CHO Cells
  • Chromatography, Affinity
  • Cricetinae
  • Endothelium / cytology
  • Endothelium / drug effects
  • Fibroblast Growth Factor 1 / chemistry
  • Fibroblast Growth Factor 1 / genetics
  • Fibroblast Growth Factor 1 / metabolism
  • Fibroblast Growth Factor 1 / pharmacology
  • Glycoproteins / chemistry*
  • Glycoside Hydrolases / metabolism
  • Glycosylation
  • Humans
  • Mice
  • Mitogens / chemistry
  • Mitogens / genetics
  • Mitogens / metabolism
  • Mitogens / pharmacology
  • N-Acetylneuraminic Acid / metabolism
  • Peptides / chemical synthesis
  • Peptides / chemistry*
  • Protein Engineering*
  • Time Factors
  • Transfection

Substances

  • Glycoproteins
  • Mitogens
  • Peptides
  • Fibroblast Growth Factor 1
  • Glycoside Hydrolases
  • N-Acetylneuraminic Acid