Embryonal lactosaminoglycan. The structure of branched lactosaminoglycans with novel disialosyl (sialyl alpha 2----9 sialyl) terminals isolated from PA1 human embryonal carcinoma cells.

Lactosaminoglycan glycopeptides were isolated from human PA1 embryonal carcinoma cells and their structures were elucidated. The glycopeptides were digested by Escherichia freundii endo-beta-galactosidase before and after the modifications by exoglycosidases. The core glycopeptides and oligosaccharides thus obtained and the intact glycopeptides were analyzed by methylation, fast atom bombardment-mass spectrometry, and high-performance liquid chromatography. Based on these experiments, the structures of PA1 lactosaminoglycans were found to have the following unique features. 1) Three lactosaminoglycan fractions of different molecular weights were isolated by Sephadex G-50 gel filtration. Lactosaminoglycans of the highest molecular weight (GpI) have tetra-antennary cores, those of intermediate molecular weight (GpII) have triantennary cores and those of low molecular weight (GpIII) have triantennary and tetra-antennary cores. 2) GpI is composed of 22-26 lactosaminyl units and 7-9 branched galactose residues, GpII is composed of 16-22 lactosaminyl units and 5-7 branched galactose residues, and GpIII is composed of 12-16 lactosaminyl units and 3-4 branched galactose residues. 3) Each branch is short and is composed of the Gal beta 1----4GlcNAc beta 1----6 structure. 4) Sialic acid is preferentially linked to nonreducing terminal regions and a significant amount of the novel disialosyl structure, NeuNAc alpha 2----9NeuNAc alpha 2----3/6Gal, is present at the terminals of the longer polylactosaminyl side chains. 5) These lactosaminoglycans are carried by cell surface glycoproteins of Mr = 80,000 approximately 120,000, as evidenced by lectin-agarose chromatography.