Alpha 2,3-sialyl and alpha 1,3-fucosyltransferase-dependent synthesis of sialyl Lewis x, an essential oligosaccharide present on L-selectin counterreceptors, in cultured endothelial cells.

Sialyl Lewis x (sLex) oligosaccharides have been shown to be present in counterreceptors for L-selectin. We and others have previously shown that high endothelial cells in lymph nodes and at sites of inflammation express sLex. Here we show that also cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) express sLex on their cell surface. This oligosaccharide is formed by sequential action of alpha 2,3-sialyl- (alpha 2,3-ST) and alpha 1,3-fucosyltransferases (alpha 1,3-FT) on N-acetyllactosamine. At least two of the several alpha 2,3-ST and four of the several alpha 1,3-FT are present in HUVEC. In functional assays both alpha 2,3-ST and alpha 1,3-FT activities were observed in HUVEC lysates with exogenous lactosamine and sialyllactosamine acceptors, leading to the generation of the sialyllactosamine and sLex sequences, respectively. TNF stimulation increased the level of mRNA expression of FT VI, and the alpha 1,3-FT activity in HUVEC. Taken together these data show that endothelial cells express sLex and that they possess mRNA as well as enzyme activities of several alpha 2,3-ST and alpha 1,3-FT necessary in the final steps of sLex synthesis. Furthermore, inflammatory cytokines such as TNF can enhance transferase activities relevant in generating putative L-selectin counterreceptors.