Human natural killer-1 (HNK-1) carbohydrate is highly expressed in the nervous system and is involved in synaptic plasticity and dendritic spine maturation. This unique carbohydrate, consisting of a sulfated trisaccharide (HSO 3 -3GlcA1-3Gal1-4GlcNAc-), is biosynthesized by the successive actions of -1,4-galactosyltransferase (4GalT), glucuronyltransferase (GlcAT-P and GlcAT-S), and sulfotransferase (HNK-1ST). A previous study showed that mice lacking 4GalT-II, one of seven 4GalTs, exhibited a dramatic loss of HNK-1 expression in the brain, although 4GalT-I-deficient mice did not. Here, we investigated the underlying molecular mechanism of the regulation of HNK-1 expression. First, focusing on a major HNK-1 carrier, neural cell adhesion molecule, we found that reduced expression of an N-linked HNK-1 carbohydrate caused by a deficiency of 4GalT-II is not likely due to a general loss of the 1,4-galactose residue as an acceptor for GlcAT-P. Instead, we demonstrated by co-immunoprecipitation and endoplasmic reticulum-retention analyses using Neuro2a (N2a) cells that 4GalT-II physically and specifically associates with GlcAT-P. In addition, we revealed by pulldown assay that Golgi luminal domains of 4GalT-II and GlcAT-P are sufficient for the complex to form. With an in vitro assay system, we produced the evidence that the kinetic efficiency k cat /K m of GlcAT-P in the presence of 4GalT-II was increased about 2.5-fold compared with that in the absence of 4GalT-II. Finally, we showed that co-expression of 4GalT-II and GlcAT-P increased HNK-1 expression on various glycoproteins in N2a cells, including neural cell adhesion molecule. These results indicate that the specific enzyme complex of 4GalT-II with GlcAT-P plays an important role in the biosynthesis of HNK-1 carbohydrate.
Ghrelin is an appetite-stimulating hormone secreted from stomach. Since the discovery that acylation of the serine-3 residue by ghrelin O-acyltransferase (GOAT) is essential for exerting its functions, GOAT has been regarded as an therapeutic target for attenuating appetite, and thus for the treatment of obesity and diabetes. However, contrary to the expectations, GOAT-knockout (KO) mice have not shown meaningful body weight reduction, under high-fat diet. Here, in this study, we sought to determine whether GOAT has a role in body weight regulation and glucose metabolism with a focus on dietary sucrose, because macronutrient composition of diet is important for appetite regulation. We found that peripherally administered acylated-ghrelin, but not unacylated one, stimulated sucrose consumption in a two-bottle-drinking test. The role of acylated-ghrelin in sucrose preference was further supported by the finding that GOAT KO mice consumed less sucrose solution compared with WT littermates. Then, we investigated the effect of dietary composition of sucrose on food intake and body weight in GOAT KO and WT mice. As a result, when fed on high-fat diet, food intake and body weight were similar between GOAT KO and WT mice. However, when fed on high-fat, high-sucrose diet, GOAT KO mice showed significantly reduced food intake and marked resistance to obesity, leading to amelioration of glucose metabolism. These results suggest that blockade of acylated-ghrelin production offers therapeutic potential for obesity and metabolic disorders caused by overeating of palatable food.
The octanoyl modification of ghrelin by ghrelin O-acyltransferase (GOAT) is essential for exerting its physiologic actions. Since exogenous acylated-ghrelin has shown to stimulate food intake in humans and rodents, GOAT has been regarded as a promising target for modulating appetite, thereby treating obesity and diabetes. However, GOAT-knockout (KO) mice have been reported to show no meaningful body weight reduction, when fed a high-fat diet. In this study, we sought to determine whether GOAT has a role in the regulation of body weight and food intake when fed a dietary sucrose. We found that GOAT KO mice showed significantly reduced food intake and marked resistance to obesity, when fed a high-fat + high-sucrose diet. In addition, GOAT KO mice fed a medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) + high-sucrose diet showed a marked resistance to obesity and reduced feed efficiency. These results suggest that blockade of acylated-ghrelin production offers therapeutic potential for obesity caused by overconsumption of palatable food.
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