Dolichol-mediated enhanced protein N-glycosylation in experimental diabetes--a possible additional deleterious effect...

In liver cells from diabetic rats, an increased incorporation of labeled glucosamine into cellular and secretory proteins was found, when related to the incorporation of labeled leucine. This increased N-glycosylation was present in the face of decreased synthesis of hepatic cellular and secretory proteins evident from reduced leucine incorporation and diminished glycosyltransferase activity. To elucidate the mechanisms involved we incubated isolated hepatocytes with two N-glycosylation inhibitors: tunicamycin and 2-deoxyglucose. Tunicamycin exerted a marked inhibitory effect on the incorporation rate of labeled glucosamine into proteins in liver cells from diabetic rats, while 2-deoxyglucose had a negligible effect on this process in these cells. These diverse effects might be explained by the fact that tunicamycin acts through strong association with the enzyme catalyzing the first step in glycoprotein synthesis, namely, the transfer of UDP-GlcNAc to dolichol-P (indicating noncompetitive inhibition). This enzyme is reduced in liver cells from diabetic animals. On the other hand, 2-deoxyglucose exerts its effect by being attached to dolichol-P, preventing further elongation of oligosaccharide chain on the protein backbone. This latter effect might be eliminated by excess dolichol-P (indicating competitive inhibition). The dolichol content in liver extract from diabetic rats was about 2.5-fold higher compared with nondiabetic rats (51.6 micrograms/g versus 20.6 micrograms/g wet liver weight). These two lines of evidence confirm the notion that the enhanced enzymatic glycosylation in liver from diabetic animals is maintained by an increased hepatic dolichol concentration, which is most probably related to the hyperglycemia. Thus, the dolichol-N-glycosylation pathway may represent another detrimental aspect of hyperglycemia and may operate by dolichol mass action rather than through glycosylating enzyme activity.