Over 30 years ago, Jamison and Barber proposed that externally disposed glycosyl transferase (GT) activity mediates platelet adhesion and other functions. Subsequent work ruled out ecto-GT activity in nucleated cells and established the Golgi as the site of such enzymes, although no further studies examined platelets. We recently reported a platelet-associated galactosyl transferase (β4Gal-T) catalyzing galactose coupling in a β1,4 linkage to exposed N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) residues on N-linked glycans of the GPIbα subunit of the von Willebrand factor receptor complex. This activity, also present in plasma, mediates galactose transfer to GPIbα following addition of UDP-galactose (UDP-Gal) alone. Since galactosylation of GPIbα prevents clearance of chilled platelets by liver macrophages after transfusion, sufficiently active endogenous endogenous β4Gal-T could facilitate platelet cold storage after the mere addition of substrate UDP-Gal (

Science
301
:
1531
–1534,
2003
). We now give evidence that human platelets contain a highly active (0.05 nmol/min) plasma membrane-associated ecto-β4Gal-T with properties of an isoform designated as type 1 (β4Gal-T1). A specific β4Gal-T1 antibody immunoprecipitates β4Gal-T1 activity from platelet lysates and the inhibition profile activity by α-lactalbumin and benzyl-β-D-GlcNAc are characteristic of β4Gal-T1. β4Gal-T1 has a transmembrane domain, and platelet β4Gal-T, although releasable by non-ionic detergent, remains cell- and membrane associated despite extensive washing. The platelet enzyme incorporates UDP-[C14]Gal into a single polypeptide with the apparent Mr of GPIbα, identifying this protein as its unique endogenous target. Nevertheless, washed platelets are as active as recombinant β4Gal-T1 in galactosylating exogenous substrates, benzyl-β-D-GlcNAc and ovalbumin. In conclusion, we have revived the concept of an ecto-glycosyl transferase on blood platelets and demonstrated that platelet β4Gal-T is probably sufficiently active to accommodate reliable enzymatic conversion of platelets by simple addition of UDP-Gal.

Topics:
acetylglucosamine, antibodies, blood platelets, cryopreservation, enzymes, galactose, human platelets, washed, lysate, polysaccharides, protein isoforms

Author notes

Corresponding author

2005, The American Society of Hematology
2004
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