Recognition roles of the carbohydrate glycotopes of human and bovine lactoferrins in lectin-N-glycan interactions

Meng Hsiu Yen, Albert M. Wu, Zhangung Yang, Yu Ping Gong, En Tzu Chang

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal Article peer-review

9 Scopus citations

Abstract

Background: Lactoferrin is an iron-binding protein belonging to the transferrin family. In addition to iron homeostasis, lactoferrin is also thought to have anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer activities. Previous studies showed that all lactoferrins are glycosylated in the human body, but the recognition roles of their carbohydrate glycotopes have not been well addressed. Methods: The roles of human and bovine lactoferrins involved in lectin-N-glycan recognition processes were analyzed by enzyme-linked lectinosorbent assay with a panel of applied and microbial lectins. Results and conclusions: Both native and asialo human/bovine lactoferrins reacted strongly with four Man-specific lectins - Concanavalia ensiformis agglutinin, Morniga M, Pisum sativum agglutinin, and Lens culinaris lectin. They also reacted well with PA-IIL, a LFuc>Man-specific lectin isolated from Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Both human and bovine lactoferrins also recognized a sialic acid specific lectin-Sambucus nigra agglutinin, but not their asialo products. Both native and asialo bovine lactoferrins, but not the human ones, exhibited strong binding with a GalNAc>Gal-specific lectin-Wisteria floribunda agglutinin. Human native lactoferrins and its asialo products bound well with four Gal>GalNAc-specific type-2 ribosome inactivating protein family lectins-ricin, abrin-a, Ricinus communis agglutinin 1, and Abrus precatorius agglutinin (APA), while the bovine ones reacted only with APA. General significance: This study provides essential knowledge regarding the different roles of bioactive sites of lactoferrins in lectin-N-glycan recognition processes.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)139-149
Number of pages11
JournalBiochimica et Biophysica Acta - General Subjects
Volume1810
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - 02 2011

Keywords

  • Carbohydrate glycotope
  • Iron-binding glycoprotein
  • Lactoferrin
  • Lectin binding
  • N-glycans

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