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Lex glycosphingolipids-mediated cell aggregation
M Boubelík1, D Floryk, J Bohata
1Department of Mammalian Gene Expression, Institute of Molecular Genetics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague.
Glycobiology
|March 14, 1998
Summary
Cell surface Lex glycosphingolipids (LexGSLs) mediate cell-cell interactions. This study demonstrates LexGSLs on rat basophilic leukemia cells promote stable aggregation, highlighting their role in cell adhesion.
Area of Science:
- Glycobiology
- Cell Adhesion
- Immunology
Background:
- Oligosaccharide Lex structures are present on various cell surfaces.
- Lex-Lex interactions mediated by glycosphingolipids (GSLs) and polylactosaminoglycans have been suggested but not definitively shown.
- Cell-cell interactions exclusively mediated by LexGSLs remained unproven.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if LexGSLs alone can mediate stable cell-cell interactions.
- To demonstrate LexGSL-mediated cell aggregation.
- To elucidate the mechanism of LexGSL-driven cell adhesion.
Main Methods:
- Incorporation of purified LexGSLs into plasma membranes of nonaggregating rat basophilic leukemia (RBL) cells.
- Induction of cell aggregation using Ca2+.
- Inhibition studies using specific carbohydrate structures and Ca2+ removal.
- Analysis of aggregate composition in mixed Lex-positive and Lex-negative cell populations.
Main Results:
- Preincubation with LexGSLs led to their incorporation into RBL cell membranes.
- LexGSL-treated RBL cells formed aggregates in the presence of Ca2+.
- Aggregation was dependent on Ca2+ and specific Lex structures (inhibited by lactofucopentaose III).
- Aggregates primarily consisted of Lex-positive cells when mixed with Lex-negative cells.
Conclusions:
- LexGSLs can independently mediate stable cell-cell contacts.
- Interactions between LexGSLs on opposing cell surfaces are sufficiently strong for stable adhesion.
- This finding provides evidence for the functional role of LexGSLs in cell-cell interactions.