Glycoproteins and glycosaminoglycans synthesized by human keratinocytes in culture. Their role in cell-substratum adhesion.

Glycoproteins and proteoglycans synthesized by human keratinocytes in medium containing D-[1-14C]glucosamine were extracted and analysed by polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulphate. Extraction of the labelled keratinocytes with 0.5% Triton X-100 removed most of the glycoconjugates and left the cytoskeleton and nuclear residue adherent to the substratum. In addition to the cytoskeletal proteins, there was a relatively simple profile of glycoproteins and glycosaminoglycans associated with this adherent cytoskeleton. These consisted of eight glycoproteins in the mol.wt. range 99000-232000, five proteins in the keratin region (mol.wt. 42000-61000), hyaluronic acid and a sulphated glycosaminoglycan. Surface labelling of the keratinocytes with galactose oxidase (with or without neuraminidase)/KB3H4 revealed that many of the glycoproteins were exposed on the cell surface. The importance of the glycoproteins and proteoglycans in attaching the keratinocytes to the substratum was examined by studying their expression after incubation in medium containing tunicamycin and their degradation after digestion with trypsin and hyaluronidase. These studies, together with an examination of the glycoconjugates released by sequential extraction with 0.5% Triton X-100 followed by 0.2% sodium dodecyl sulphate, revealed that the glycoprotein of mol.wt. 232000 has an important role in mediating the attachment of keratinocytes to the substratum.