Cell Adhesion Mediated by a Purified Fucosyltransferase

Human embryonic skin fibroblasts attach and spread on surfaces on which a fucosyltransferase purified from human milk has been immobilized. The adhesion-enhancing effect of the transferase involves specific interactions of the enzyme surface with the cell surface carbohydrate acceptors, as suggested by the following findings. About 80% of human embryonic skin fibroblasts attach and spread in 1 hr on fucosyltransferase surfaces; in contrast, bovine serum albumin, fetuin, asialofetuin, and asialotransferrin surfaces fail to enhance adhesion. The adhesion-mediating activity of the transferase is destroyed by alkylation of the sulfhydryl groups or by heating. The adhesion on fucosyltransferase surfaces is inhibited by glycoprotein, glycolipid, and oligosaccharide acceptors containing the sugar sequence galactosyl-(β 1→ 4)-N-acetylglucosamine, in agreement with the substrate specificity of the enzyme. The results suggest that glycosyltransferases are able to stimulate cell adhesion in a manner similar to that proposed for lectins.