Cell surface asparagine-linked sugar chains of human early myeloblastic leukemic cells (KG-1a).

The asparagine-linked sugar chains obtained from total cell surface membrane glycoproteins of human early myeloblastic leukemic cells (KG-1a cells) were studied. The sugar chains liberated by hydrazinolysis were purified by paper electrophoresis, paper chromatography, and Bio-Gel P-4 chromatography followed by analysis of exoglycosidase digestion and methylation study. Neutral oligosaccharides were all composed of high mannose type sugar chains. Acidic oligosaccharides were chiefly composed of typical bi-, tri-, and tetraantennary complex type sugar chains with Gal beta 1----4GlcNAc beta 1----groups and Neu-Ac alpha 2----3 or 6Gal beta 1----4GlcNAc beta 1----groups (in which Gal is galactosyl, GlcNac is N-acetylglucosamine, and NeuAc is N-acetylneuraminic acid) as side chains. Moreover the following two structures were identified in (in which Fuc is fucosyl): monosialyl bi- and triantennary sugar chains with a Gal beta 1----4(Fuc alpha 1----3)GlcNAc beta 1----group (X determinant) as one of the side chains; and monosialyl tetraantennary sugar chains with a Gal beta 1----4GlcNAc beta 1----3Gal beta 1----4GlcNAc group (repeating N-acetyllactosamine unit) as one of the side chains. These data together with our previous studies on sugar chains of K562 cells [early erythroblast], adult erythrocytes [H. Yoshima, N. Shiraishi, A. Matsumoto, S. Maeda, T. Sugiyama, and A. Kobata, J. Biochem. (Tokyo), 91: 233-246, 1982], and HL-60 cells [promyelocyte] [A. Mizoguchi, S. Takasaki, S. Maeda, and A. Kobata, J. Biol. Chem., 259: 11943-11957, 1984] strongly suggest that the cell surface asparagine-linked sugar chains alter in an orderly fashion, systematically in association with lineage and maturation stages during hematopoietic cell differentiation.