岡 昌吾

Glucuronyltransferase GlcAT-P is a rate-limiting enzyme involved in the biosynthesis of the Human Natural Killer-1 carbohydrate and is essential for acquiring higher brain functions. Alternative splicing produces two isoforms, short-form GlcAT-P (sGlcAT-P) and long-form GlcAT-P (lGlcAT-P), which share identical peptide sequences except for an additional 13 amino acids (AA) in the cytoplasmic N-terminal tail of lGlcAT-P. Although sGlcAT-P localizes to the Golgi apparatus (GA), where many glycosyltransferases reside, lGlcAT-P is distributed in both the GA and endoplasmic reticulum (ER). However, the mechanisms responsible for this distinct intracellular distribution remain poorly understood. In this study, we explored the role of the 13 AA in the cytoplasmic N-tail of lGlcAT-P in trafficking between the GA and the ER using the Retention Using Selective Hooks system. Our findings revealed that lGlcAT-P undergoes enhanced retrograde trafficking from the GA to the ER, whereas its anterograde trafficking from the ER to the GA remains largely unaffected. In addition, three glutamic acid residues within the 13 AA of lGlcAT-P were identified as crucial for promoting retrograde trafficking. These results suggest that the ER distribution of lGlcAT-P is primarily governed by Golgi-to-ER trafficking regulated by specific sequences in its cytoplasmic N-tail.

Immunogenicity is a major caveat of protein therapeutics. In particular, the long-term administration of protein therapeutic agents leads to the generation of antidrug antibodies (ADAs), which reduce drug efficacy while eliciting adverse events. One promising solution to this issue is the use of mirror-image proteins consisting of d-amino acids, which are resistant to proteolytic degradation in immune cells. We have recently reported the chemical synthesis of the enantiomeric form of the variable domain of the antibody heavy chain (d-VHH). However, identifying mirror-image antibodies capable of binding to natural ligands remains challenging. In this study, we developed a novel screening platform to identify a d-VHH specific for vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A). We performed mirror-image screening of two newly constructed synthetic VHH libraries displayed on T7 phage and identified VHH sequences that effectively bound to the mirror-image VEGF-A target (d-VEGF-A). We subsequently synthesized a d-VHH candidate that preferentially bound the native VEGF-A (l-VEGF-A) with submicromolar affinity. Furthermore, immunization studies in mice demonstrated that this d-VHH elicited no ADAs, unlike its corresponding l-VHH. Our findings highlight the utility of this novel d-VHH screening platform in the development of protein therapeutics exhibiting both reduced immunogenicity and improved efficacy.

T7 phage libraries displaying random peptides are powerful tools for screening peptide sequences that bind to various target molecules. The T7 phage system has the advantage of less biased peptide distribution compared to the M13 phage system. However, the construction of T7 phage DNA is challenging due to its long 36 kb linear DNA. Furthermore, the diversity of the libraries depends strongly on the efficiency of commercially available packaging extracts. To address these issues, we examined the combination of seamless cloning with cell-free translation systems. Seamless cloning technologies have been widely used to construct short circular plasmid DNA, and several recent studies showed that cell-free translation can achieve more diverse phage packaging. In this study, we combined these techniques to construct four libraries (CX7C, CX9C, CX11C and CX13C) with different random regions lengths. The libraries thus obtained all showed diversity > 109 plaque forming units (pfu). Evaluating our libraries with an anti-FLAG monoclonal antibody yielded the correct epitope sequence. The results indicate that our libraries are useful for screening peptide epitopes against antibodies. These findings suggest that our system can efficiently construct T7 phage libraries with greater diversity than previous systems.

Human natural killer-1 (HNK-1) is a sulfated glyco-epitope regulating cell adhesion and synaptic functions. HNK-1 and its non-sulfated forms, which are specifically expressed in the brain and the kidney, respectively, are distinctly biosynthesized by two homologous glycosyltransferases: GlcAT-P in the brain and GlcAT-S in the kidney. However, it is largely unclear how the activity of these isozymes is regulated in vivo. We recently found that bisecting GlcNAc, a branching sugar in N-glycan, suppresses both GlcAT-P activity and HNK-1 expression in the brain. Here, we observed that the expression of non-sulfated HNK-1 in the kidney is unexpectedly unaltered in mutant mice lacking bisecting GlcNAc. This suggests that the biosynthesis of HNK-1 in the brain and the kidney are differentially regulated by bisecting GlcNAc. Mechanistically, in vitro activity assays demonstrated that bisecting GlcNAc inhibits the activity of GlcAT-P but not that of GlcAT-S. Furthermore, molecular dynamics simulation showed that GlcAT-P binds poorly to bisected N-glycan substrates, whereas GlcAT-S binds similarly to bisected and non-bisected N-glycans. These findings revealed the difference of the highly homologous isozymes for HNK-1 synthesis, highlighting the novel mechanism of the tissue-specific regulation of HNK-1 synthesis by bisecting GlcNAc.

The AMPA-type glutamate receptor (AMPAR) is a homotetrameric or heterotetrameric ion channel composed of various combinations of four subunits (GluA1-4), and its abundance in the synapse determines the strength of synaptic activity. The formation of oligomers in the endoplasmatic reticulum (ER) is crucial for AMPAR subunits' ER-exit and translocation to the cell membrane. Although N-glycosylation on different AMPAR subunits has been shown to regulate the ER-exit of hetero-oligomers, its role in the ER-exit of homo-oligomers remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the role of N-glycans at GluA1N63/N363 and GluA2N370 in ER-exit under the homo-oligomeric expression conditions, whose mutants are known to show low cell surface expressions. In contrast to the N-glycosylation site mutant GluA1N63Q, the cell surface expression levels of GluA1N363Q and GluA2N370Q increased in a time-dependent manner. Unlike wild-type (WT) GluA1, GluA2WT rescued surface GluA2N370Q expression. Additionally, the expression of GluA1N63Q reduced the cell surface expression level of GluA1WT. In conclusion, our findings suggest that these N-glycans have distinct roles in the ER-exit of GluA1 and GluA2 homo-oligomers; N-glycan at GluA1N63 is a prerequisite for GluA1 ER-exit, whereas N-glycans at GluA1N363 and GluA2N370 control the ER-exit rate.

In the mammalian nervous system, protein N-glycosylation plays an important role in neuronal physiology. In this study, we performed a comprehensive N-glycosylation analysis of mouse GluA1, one of the major subunits of α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole-propionate type glutamate receptor, which possesses six potential N-glycosylation sites in the N-terminal domain. By mass spectrometry-based analysis, we identified the N-glycoforms and semiquantitatively determined the site-specific N-glycosylation occupancy of GluA1. In addition, only the N401-glycosylation site demonstrated incomplete N-glycosylation occupancy. Therefore, we generated a peptide antibody that specifically detects the N401-glycan-free form to precisely quantify N401-glycosylation occupancy. Using this antibody, we clarified that N401 occupancy varies between cell types and increases in an age-dependent manner in mouse forebrains. To address the regulatory mechanism of N401-glycosylation, binding proteins of GluA1 around the N401 site were screened. HSP70 family proteins, including Bip, were identified as candidates. Bip has been known as a molecular chaperone that plays a key role in protein folding in the ER (endoplasmic reticulum). To examine the involvement of Bip in N401-glycosylation, the effect of Bip over-expression on N401 occupancy was evaluated in HEK293T cells, and the results demonstrated Bip increases the N401 glycan-free form by mediating selective prolongation of its protein half-life. Taken together, we propose that the N401-glycosite of GluA1 receives a unique control of modification, and we also propose a novel N-glycosylation occupancy regulatory mechanism by Bip that might be associated with α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole-propionate receptors function in the brain.

Anti-myelin-associated glycoprotein (MAG) neuropathy is mediated by the binding of IgM M-proteins to the human natural killer-1 epitope of several glycoconjugates, including MAG and phosphacan. We recently reported that IgM M-proteins with a higher ratio of anti-phosphacan titer to anti-MAG titer (P/M ratio) were associated with a progressive clinical course. Herein, we investigated the temporal variability of the P/M ratio. The results showed that P/M ratios in worsened cases were significantly increased relative to stable or improved cases. Thus, temporal variability in the specificity of IgM M-proteins may be related to the disease course of anti-MAG neuropathy.

The number and subunit compositions of AMPA receptors (AMPARs), hetero- or homotetramers composed of four subunits GluA1-4, in the synapse is carefully tuned to sustain basic synaptic activity. This enables stimulation-induced synaptic plasticity, which is central to learning and memory. The AMPAR tetramers have been widely believed to be stable from their formation in the endoplasmic reticulum until their proteolytic decomposition. However, by observing GluA1 and GluA2 at the level of single molecules, we find that the homo- and heterotetramers are metastable, instantaneously falling apart into monomers, dimers, or trimers (in 100 and 200 ms, respectively), which readily form tetramers again. In the dendritic plasma membrane, GluA1 and GluA2 monomers and dimers are far more mobile than tetramers and enter and exit from the synaptic regions. We conclude that AMPAR turnover by lateral diffusion, essential for sustaining synaptic function, is largely done by monomers of AMPAR subunits, rather than preformed tetramers.

The role of carbohydrate chains in leukocyte migration to inflamed sites during inflammation and trafficking to the lymph nodes under physiological conditions has been extensively characterized. Here, we report that carbohydrate chains also mediate the homing and engraftment of hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPCs) to the bone marrow (BM). In particular, we found that transplanted BM cells deficient in β-1,4-galactosyltransferase-1 (β4GalT-1) could not support survival in mice exposed to a lethal dose of irradiation. BM cells obtained from mice deficient in β4GalT-1 showed normal colony-forming activity and hematopoietic stem cell numbers. However, colony-forming cells were markedly rare in the BM of recipient mice 24 h after transplantation of β4GalT-1-deficient BM cells, suggesting that β4GalT-1 deficiency severely impairs homing. Similarly, BM cells with a point mutation in the UDP-N-acetylglucosamine 2-epimerase/N-acetylmannosamine kinase gene, encoding a key enzyme in sialic acid biosynthesis, showed mildly impaired homing and engraftment abilities. These results imply that the galactosyl, but not sialyl residues in glycoproteins, are essential for the homing and engraftment of HSPCs to the BM. These findings suggest the possibility of modifying carbohydrate structures on the surface of HSPCs to improve their homing and engraftment to the BM in clinical application.

The human natural killer-1 (HNK-1) carbohydrate epitope, composed of a unique sulfated trisaccharide (HSO3-3GlcAβ1-3Galβ1-4GlcNAc-R), is highly expressed during brain development and regulates higher brain function. However, it remains unclear which glycoprotein carries the HNK-1 epitope in the embryonic brain and the functional role it plays. Here, we showed that one of the major HNK-1 carrier proteins in the embryonic brain is tenascin-C (TNC), an extracellular matrix protein that regulates neurite outgrowth by interacting with the GPI-anchored protein contactin-1 (CNTN). Because the alternatively spliced fibronectin type-III (FNIII) repeats in TNC give rise to many isoforms and affect neuronal function, we evaluated neurite outgrowth of primary hippocampal neurons on purified recombinant FNIII repeats with or without the HNK-1 epitope as a substrate. We found that the presence of the HNK-1 epitope on the C domain of TNC promoted neurite outgrowth, and that this signal was mediated by CNTN, which is an HNK-1-expressing neuronal receptor. The neurite-promoting activity of the HNK-1 epitope on TNC required neuronal HNK-1 expression, which was defective in neurons lacking the glucuronyltransferases GlcAT-P and GlcAT-S. These results suggest that the HNK-1 epitope is a key modifier of TNC and CNTN in the regulation of embryonic brain development.

The AMPA-type glutamate receptor (AMPA-R) plays a primary role in principal excitatory synaptic transmission and many neuronal functions including synaptic plasticity that underlie learning and memory. N-glycosylation is one of the major post-translational modifications of membrane proteins, but its specific roles in neurons remain largely unknown. AMPA-R subunits are N-glycosylated at their extracellular domains during their biosynthesis in the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi system. Six N-glycosylation sites are presumed to exist in the extracellular domain of GluA1, which is a member of the AMPA-R subunits. We observed that the intracellular trafficking and cell surface expression were strongly suppressed in the GluA1 mutants lacking N-glycans at N63/N363 in HEK293T cells. Multimer analysis using Blue Native-PAGE displayed the impaired tetramer formation in the glycosylation mutants (N63S and N363S), indicating that the mis-transport was caused by impaired tetramer formation. N63S and N363S mutants were primarily degraded via the lysosomal pathway. Flag-tagged N363S GluA1, but not N63S GluA1, expressed in primary cortical neuron cultures prepared from GluA1 knockout mice was observed to localize at the cell surface. Co-expression of GluA2 partially rescued tetramer formation and the cell surface expression of N363S GluA1 but not N63S GluA1, in HEK293T cells. Electrophysiological analysis also demonstrated functional heteromers of N363S GluA1 with GluA2. These data suggest that site-specific N-glycans on GluA1 subunit regulates tetramer formation, intracellular trafficking, and cell surface expression of AMPA-R. OPEN SCIENCE BADGES: This article has received a badge for *Open Materials* because it provided all relevant information to reproduce the study in the manuscript. The complete Open Science Disclosure form for this article can be found at the end of the article. More information about the Open Practices badges can be found at https://cos.io/our-services/open-science-badges/.

Cellular translation should be precisely controlled in response to extracellular cues. However, knowledge is limited concerning signal transduction-regulated translation. In the present study, phosphorylation was identified in the 40S small subunit ribosomal protein uS7 (Yjr123w/previously called as Rps5) by Ypk1 and Pkc1, AGC family protein kinases in yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Serine residue 223 (Ser223) of uS7 in the conserved C-terminal region was crucial for this phosphorylation event. S223A mutant uS7 caused severe reduction of small ribosomal subunit production, likely due to compromised interaction with Rio2, resulting in both reduced translation and reduced cellular proliferation. Contrary to optimal culture conditions, heat stressed S223A mutant cells exhibited increased heat resistance and induced heat shock proteins. Taken together, an intracellular signal transduction pathway involving Ypk1/Pkc1 seemed to play an important role in ribosome biogenesis and subsequent cellular translation, utilizing uS7 as a substrate.

Aberrant glycosylation of dystroglycan causes congenital muscular dystrophies associated with cobblestone lissencephaly, classified as dystroglycanopathy. However, pathological features in the onset of brain malformations, including the precise timing and primary cause of the pial basement membrane disruption and abnormalities in the migration of pyramidal neurons, remain unexplored. Using the Pomgnt2-knockout (KO) mouse as a dystroglycanopathy model, we show that breaches of the pial basement membrane appeared at embryonic day 11.5, coinciding with the ectopic clustering of Cajal-Retzius cells and subplate neurons and prior to the migration onset of pyramidal neurons. Furthermore, in the Pomgnt2-KO cerebral cortex, preplate splitting failure likely occurred due to the aggregation of Cajal-Retzius and subplate cells, and migrating pyramidal neurons lost polarity and radial orientation. Our findings demonstrate the initial pathological events in dystroglycanopathy mice and contribute to our understanding of how dystroglycan dysfunction affects brain development and progresses to cobblestone lissencephaly.