title: Composition, antigenic properties and hepatocyte surface expression of the woodchuck asialoglycoprotein receptor.
abstract: We have purified woodchuck hepatic asialoglycoprotein receptor (ASGPR) by ligand affinity chromatography and have identified it as a heterooligomeric complex comprised of two subunits with molecular masses of 40 and 47 kD, designated as woodchuck hepatic lectin 1 and 2 (WHL1 and WHL2), respectively. With the help of antisera generated against the soluble, bioactive woodchuck and rabbit ASGPRs and anti-subunit monospecific antibodies, distinct antigenic specificity of each of the ASGPR polypeptide subunits and interspecies immunologic cross-reactivity of the receptor polypeptides displaying comparable molecular masses were documented. In contrast to the purified woodchuck receptor, WHL2 antigenic reactivity was not identifiable in woodchuck hepatocyte plasma membranes unless the intact membranes were exposed to an asialylated ligand or a soluble membrane fraction was incubated with anti-receptor antibody. These findings imply that both WHL1 and WHL2 are expressed on the hepatocyte surface and contribute to ligand binding, since antibody specific to either subunit blocks ligand attachment. Our results also indicate that ligand binding modifies antigenic properties of the membrane expressed ASGPR.
authors.affiliation: Division of Basic Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Diao
authors.forename: T I
authors.initials: TI
authors.lastname: Michalak
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D037263:Asialoglycoprotein Receptor; D001212:Asialoglycoproteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D002846:Chromatography, Affinity; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D007700:Kinetics; D008099:Liver / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000276:immunology; D008392:Marmota; D008970:Molecular Weight; D011487:Protein Conformation; D011817:Rabbits; D051381:Rats; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D037263:Asialoglycoprotein Receptor; D001212:Asialoglycoproteins; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface