Characterization of ganglioside associated with the thyrotrophin receptor

The receptor protein for thyrotrophin (thyroid-stimulating hormone; TSH) is associated with a glycosphingolipid moiety. The protein belongs to the family of receptors that couple to guanine nucleotide binding proteins; the glycosphingolipid contains sialic acid and belongs to the family of gangliosides. This report defines the structure of the receptor ganglioside in the Fisher rat thyroid cell line (FRTL-5). Receptor protein was purified by TSH affinity chromatography from FRTL-5 cells, biosynthetically labelled with [3H]galactose and [3H]glucosamine, and resolved by SDS-PAGE. A single radiolabelled band of Mr approximately 80 kDa, corresponding to the predicted size of the cloned receptor, contained ganglioside. Gangliosides were extracted from unlabelled receptor protein after SDS-PAGE and probed on TLC plates with 125I-labelled Limax flavus agglutinin or the B subunit of cholera toxin, before and after digestion with Vibrio cholerae sialidase or beta-galactosidase. The TSH receptor (TSH-R) ganglioside belongs to the gangliotetraose family, having sialic acid attached to both galactose molecules. Its sialic acid is devoid of negative charge because of the formation of internal esterlactones. Its structure is lactonized N-acetylneuraminyl-(alpha 2-->3)galactosyl(beta 1-->3)-N-acetylgalactosaminyl(beta 1-->4)-[N-acetylneuraminyl(alpha 2-->3)]galactosyl(beta 1-->4)glucosyl(beta 1-->1)ceramide (GDla-lactone). Ganglioside lactones have not been previously described as components of thyroid cells. They are highly rigid and are more likely than their parent structures to serve as molecular recognition sites and elicit immunoreactivity. Identification of this unique ganglioside intimately associated with the TSH receptor implies that it has an integral role in receptor structure and function.