title: Localization of alpha 1,3-fucosyltransferase VI in Weibel-Palade bodies of human endothelial cells.
abstract: Surface glycosylation of endothelial cells is relevant to various processes including coagulation, inflammation, metastasis, and lymphocyte homing. One of the essential sugars involved in these processes is fucose linked alpha1-->3 to N-acetylglucosamine. A family of alpha1,3-fucosyltransferases (FucTs) called FucT-III, IV, V, VI, VII, and IX is able to catalyze such fucosylations. Reverse transcription-PCR analysis revealed that human umbilical vein endothelial cells express all of the FucTs except FucT-IX. The predominant activity, as inferred by acceptor specificity of enzyme activity in cell lysates, is compatible with the presence of FucT-VI. By using an antibody to recombinant soluble FucT-VI, the enzyme colocalized with beta4-galactosyltransferase-1 to the Golgi apparatus. By using a polyclonal antiserum raised against a 17-aa peptide of the variable (stem) region of the FucT-VI, immunocytochemical staining of FucT-VI was restricted to Weibel-Palade bodies, as determined by colocalization with P-selectin and von Willebrand factor. SDS/PAGE immunoblotting and amino acid sequencing of internal peptides confirmed the identity of the antigen isolated by the peptide-specific antibody as FucT-VI. Storage of a fucosyltransferase in Weibel-Palade bodies suggests a function independent of Golgi-associated glycosylation.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Physiology, University of Zürich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH-8057 Zürich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schnyder-Candrian
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Borsig
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Moser
authors.forename: E G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Berger
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016466:CHO Cells; D006224:Cricetinae; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000166:cytology; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D005647:Fucosyltransferases / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D011817:Rabbits; D017421:Sequence Analysis; D020302:Weibel-Palade Bodies / Q000201:enzymology*
chemical_list: D005647:Fucosyltransferases; C031692:galactoside 3-fucosyltransferase