Evaluation of riproximin binding properties reveals a novel mechanism for cellular targeting

Riproximin is a cytotoxic type II ribosome-inactivating protein showing high selectivity for tumor cell lines. Its binding to cell surface glycans is crucial for subsequent internalization and cytotoxicity. In this paper, we describe a unique mechanism of interaction and discuss its implications for the cellular targeting and cytotoxicity of riproximin. On a carbohydrate microarray, riproximin specifically bound to two types of asialo-glycans, namely to bi- and triantennary complex N-glycan structures (NA2/NA3) and to repetitive N-acetyl-D-galactosamine (GalNAc), the so-called clustered Tn antigen, a cancer-specific O-glycan on mucins. Two glycoproteins showing high riproximin binding, the NA3-presenting asialofetuin and the clustered Tn-rich asialo-bovine submaxillary mucin, were subsequently chosen as model glycoproteins to mimic the binding interactions of riproximin with the two types of glycans. ELISA analyses were used to relate the two binding specificities of riproximin to its two sugar binding sites. The ability of riproximin to cross-link the two model proteins revealed that binding of the two types of glycoconjugates occurs within different binding sites. The biological implications of these binding properties were analyzed in cellular assays. The cytotoxicity of riproximin was found to depend on its specific and concomitant interaction with the two glycoconjugates as well as on dynamic avidity effects typical for lectins binding to multivalent glycoproteins. The presence of definite, cancer-related structures on the cells to be targeted determines the therapeutic potency of riproximin. Due to its cross-linking ability, riproximin is expected to show a high degree of specificity for cells exposing both NA2/NA3 and clustered Tn structures.