Effects of the imino sugar N-butyldeoxynojirimycin on the N-glycosylation of recombinant gp120.

The imino sugar N-butyldeoxynojirimycin (NB-DNJ) exhibits anti-HIV activity in vitro and inhibits the purified glycoprocessing enzyme alpha 1,2-glucosidase I. It has been speculated that the anti-viral activity of this compound may result from inhibition of HIV envelope glycoprotein processing. However, structural evidence that glucosidase inhibition takes place in intact cells at the anti-viral concentration (0.5 mM) is lacking. In this study, N-linked glycosylation of recombinant gp120 expressed in Chinese hamster ovary cells cultured in the presence or absence of NB-DNJ has been characterized. Immunoprecipitation, in conjunction with endoglycosidase H (endo H) digestion and SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis, revealed that the glycosylation of gp120 was profoundly altered in the presence of NB-DNJ. The majority of the gp120 oligosaccharides from untreated cells were resistant to endo H. However, nearly complete endo H sensitivity was observed following treatment with 0.5 mM NB-DNJ indicating that gp120 expressed in treated cells carries immature, high mannose type oligosaccharides. In addition, using metabolic labeling with [3H]mannose, gel filtration chromatography, and digestion with highly purified glucosidases I and II, we provide the first definitive evidence that glucosidase I inhibition occurs at the anti-viral concentration of NB-DNJ. These data indicate that glucosidase inhibition is a candidate mechanism for the anti-viral activity of this compound.