TNF-α increases the carbohydrate sulfation of CD44: induction of 6-sulfo N-acetyl lactosamine on N- and O-linked glycans

CD44 and sulfation have both been implicated in leukocyte adhesion. In monocytes, the inflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) stimulates CD44 sulfation, and this correlates with the induction of CD44-mediated adhesion events. However, little is known about the sulfation of CD44 or its induction by inflammatory cytokines. We determined that TNF-α induces the carbohydrate sulfation of CD44. CD44 was established as a major sulfated cell surface protein on myeloid cells. In the SR91 myeloid cell line, the majority of CD44 sulfation was attributed to the glycosaminoglycan chondroitin sulfate. However, TNF-α stimulation increased CD44 sulfation twoto threefold, largely attributed to the increased sulfation of Nand O-linked glycans on CD44. Therefore, TNF-α induced a decrease in the percentage of CD44 sulfation due to chondroitin sulfate and an increase due to Nand O-linked sulfation. Furthermore, TNF-α induced the expression of 6-sulfo N-acetyl lactosamine (LacNAc)/Lewis x on these cells, which was detected by a monoclonal antibody after neuraminidase treatment. This 6-sulfo LacNAc/Lewis x epitope was induced on N-linked and (to a lesser extent) on O-linked glycans present on CD44. This demonstrates that CD44 is modified by sulfated carbohydrates in myeloid cells and that TNF-α modifies both the type and amount of carbohydrate sulfation occurring on CD44. In addition, it demonstrates that TNF-α can induce the expression of 6-sulfo N-acetyl glucosamine on both Nand O-linked glycans of CD44 in myeloid cells.