Cell associated glycoproteins synthesized by cultured renal tubular cells

Thin cortical kidney explants from newborn New Zealand rabbits were cultured in Dulbecco's MEM containing 10% fetal bovine serum. Within 24 h the explants formed globular bodies which were completely covered by a monolayered epithelium. The cells show polar differentiation and resemble the renal collecting duct epithelium. By culturing the globular bodies in Dulbecco's MEM with D-valine instead of L-valine additionally a monolayer of renal collecting duct cells was obtained. For the study of glycoprotein synthesis the globular bodies and the collecting duct monolayers were incubated with various labelled carbohydrates, protein and collagen precursors and then fractionated into coarse membrane pellets. The synthesized glycoproteins were regained in 600 x g and 12,000 x g coarse membrane fractions and extracted with Triton X 100 buffer for column chromatography and SDS-polyacrylamide electrophoresis in 6 M urea. In addition to a 85,000 d glycoprotein, a carbohydrate rich collagen like protein (apparent molecular weight in column chromatography 200,000 d, in the SDS-polyacrylamide electrophoresis 150,000 d) was found. The 150,000 d glycoprotein incorporates favorably radioactive proline, sulfate, and smaller amounts of lysine, and leucine. Compared to the 85,000 d glycoprotein a double amount of glucosamine and galactose and four fold amount of fucose was detected. The 85,000 d protein has to be ascribed as a usual glycoprotein, in contrast the 150,000 d protein shows an unusual combination of characteristics and has to be considered as a new type of renal glycoprotein.