Although viruses of each of the 16 influenza A HA subtypes are potential human pathogens, only viruses of the H1, H2, and H3 subtype are known to have been successfully established in humans. H2 influenza viruses have been absent from human circulation since 1968, and as such they pose a substantial human pandemic risk. In this report, we isolate and characterize genetically similar avian/swine virus reassortant H2N3 influenza A viruses isolated from diseased swine from two farms in the United States. These viruses contained leucine at position 226 of the H2 protein, which has been associated with increased binding affinity to the mammalian alpha2,6Gal-linked sialic acid virus receptor. Correspondingly, the H2N3 viruses were able to cause disease in experimentally infected swine and mice without prior adaptation. In addition, the swine H2N3 virus was infectious and highly transmissible in swine and ferrets. Taken together, these findings suggest that the H2N3 virus has undergone some adaptation to the mammalian host and that their spread should be very closely monitored.

The human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum demonstrates variability in its dependence upon erythrocyte sialic acid residues for invasion. Some lines of P. falciparum invade neuraminidase-treated or glycophorin-deficient red blood cells poorly, or not at all, while other lines invade such cells at substantial rates. To explore the molecular basis of non-sialic acid dependent invasion, we selected parasite lines from a clone (Dd2) that initially exhibited low invasion of neuraminidase-treated erythrocytes. After maintaining Dd2 for several cycles in neuraminidase-treated erythrocytes, parasite lines were recovered that invaded both untreated and neuraminidase-treated erythrocytes at equivalently high rates (Dd2/NM). The change in phenotype was maintained after removal of selection pressure. Four subclones of Dd2 were isolated and each readily converted from sialic acid dependence to non-sialic acid dependence during continuous propagation in neuraminidase-treated erythrocytes. The neuraminidase-selected lines and the Dd2 clone demonstrated identical restriction fragment length polymorphism markers indicating that the Dd2 clone was not contaminated during the selection process. Parasite proteins that bound to neuraminidase-treated and untreated erythrocytes were indistinguishable among the parent Dd2 clone and the neuraminidase-selected lines. The ability of the Dd2 parasite to change its invasion requirements for erythrocyte sialic acid suggests a switch mechanism permitting invasion by alternative pathways.

The unparalleled spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza A (HPAI) H5N1 viruses has resulted in devastating outbreaks in domestic poultry and sporadic human infections with a high fatality rate. To better understand the mechanism(s) of H5N1 virus pathogenesis and host responses in humans, we utilized a polarized human bronchial epithelial cell model that expresses both avian alpha-2,3- and human alpha-2,6-linked sialic acid receptors on the apical surface and supports productive replication of both H5N1 and H3N2 viruses. Using this model, we compared the abilities of selected 2004 HPAI H5N1 viruses isolated from humans and a recent human H3N2 virus to trigger the type I interferon (IFN) response. H5N1 viruses elicited significantly less IFN regulatory factor 3 (IRF3) nuclear translocation, as well as delayed and reduced production of IFN-beta compared with the H3N2 virus. Furthermore, phosphorylation of Stat2 and induction of IFN-stimulated genes (ISGs), such as MX1, ISG15, IRF7, and retinoic acid-inducible gene I, were substantially delayed and reduced in cells infected with H5N1 viruses. We also observed that the highly virulent H5N1 virus replicated more efficiently and induced a weaker IFN response than the H5N1 virus that exhibited low virulence in mammals in an earlier study. Our data suggest that the H5N1 viruses tested, especially the virus with the high-pathogenicity phenotype, possess greater capability to attenuate the type I IFN response than the human H3N2 virus. The attenuation of this critical host innate immune defense may contribute to the virulence of H5N1 viruses observed in humans.

As with many other viruses, the initial cell attachment of rotaviruses, which are the major causative agent of infantile gastroenteritis, is mediated by interactions with specific cellular glycans. The distally located VP8* domain of the rotavirus spike protein VP4 (ref. 5) mediates such interactions. The existing paradigm is that 'sialidase-sensitive' animal rotavirus strains bind to glycans with terminal sialic acid (Sia), whereas 'sialidase-insensitive' human rotavirus strains bind to glycans with internal Sia such as GM1 (ref. 3). Although the involvement of Sia in the animal strains is firmly supported by crystallographic studies, it is not yet known how VP8* of human rotaviruses interacts with Sia and whether their cell attachment necessarily involves sialoglycans. Here we show that VP8* of a human rotavirus strain specifically recognizes A-type histo-blood group antigen (HBGA) using a glycan array screen comprised of 511 glycans, and that virus infectivity in HT-29 cells is abrogated by anti-A-type antibodies as well as significantly enhanced in Chinese hamster ovary cells genetically modified to express the A-type HBGA, providing a novel paradigm for initial cell attachment of human rotavirus. HBGAs are genetically determined glycoconjugates present in mucosal secretions, epithelia and on red blood cells, and are recognized as susceptibility and cell attachment factors for gastric pathogens like Helicobacter pylori and noroviruses. Our crystallographic studies show that the A-type HBGA binds to the human rotavirus VP8* at the same location as the Sia in the VP8* of animal rotavirus, and suggest how subtle changes within the same structural framework allow for such receptor switching. These results raise the possibility that host susceptibility to specific human rotavirus strains and pathogenesis are influenced by genetically controlled expression of different HBGAs among the world's population.

Recently, A/H5N1 influenza viruses were shown to acquire airborne transmissibility between ferrets upon targeted mutagenesis and virus passage. The critical genetic changes in airborne A/Indonesia/5/05 were not yet identified. Here, five substitutions proved to be sufficient to determine this airborne transmission phenotype. Substitutions in PB1 and PB2 collectively caused enhanced transcription and virus replication. One substitution increased HA thermostability and lowered the pH of membrane fusion. Two substitutions independently changed HA binding preference from α2,3-linked to α2,6-linked sialic acid receptors. The loss of a glycosylation site in HA enhanced overall binding to receptors. The acquired substitutions emerged early during ferret passage as minor variants and became dominant rapidly. Identification of substitutions that are essential for airborne transmission of avian influenza viruses between ferrets and their associated phenotypes advances our fundamental understanding of virus transmission and will increase the value of future surveillance programs and public health risk assessments.

Malignant transformation of cells is associated with aberrant glycosylation presented on the cell-surface. Commonly observed changes in glycan structures during malignancy encompass aberrant expression and glycosylation of mucins; abnormal branching of N-glycans; and increased presence of sialic acid on proteins and glycolipids. Accumulating evidence supports the notion that the presence of certain glycan structures correlates with cancer progression by affecting tumor-cell invasiveness, ability to disseminate through the blood circulation and to metastasize in distant organs. During metastasis tumor-cell-derived glycans enable binding to cells in their microenvironment including endothelium and blood constituents through glycan-binding receptors - lectins. In this review, we will discuss current concepts how tumor-cell-derived glycans contribute to metastasis with the focus on three types of lectins: siglecs, galectins, and selectins. Siglecs are present on virtually all hematopoietic cells and usually negatively regulate immune responses. Galectins are mostly expressed by tumor cells and support tumor-cell survival. Selectins are vascular adhesion receptors that promote tumor-cell dissemination. All lectins facilitate interactions within the tumor microenvironment and thereby promote cancer progression. The identification of mechanisms how tumor glycans contribute to metastasis may help to improve diagnosis, prognosis, and aid to develop clinical strategies to prevent metastasis.

Murine (m) Siglec-E and mSiglec-F are recently discovered murine sialic acid-binding Ig-like lectins with tyrosine-based inhibitory signaling motifs. They are postulated to be the orthologs of human (h) siglec-7, -8 or -9 and siglec-5, respectively. We report here the first detailed characterization of mSiglec-E, and compare its expression pattern with mSiglec-F. Similar to hSiglec-7, mSiglec-E preferred alpha 2-8-linked disialic acid over alpha 2-3- and alpha 2-6-linked sialic acids. Using a specific Ab, FACS analysis demonstrated that mSiglec-E was expressed mainly on neutrophils in blood and their immature precursors in bone marrow. mSiglec-E was present on peritoneal cavity macrophages and on subsets of mature NK cells and splenic dendritic cells. mSiglec-E was also found ona novel population of peritoneal cavity B-1a-like cells and a subset of splenic B cells enriched in transitional T2 and marginal zone B cells. In striking contrast to mSiglec-E, mSiglec-F was expressed predominantly on eosinophils in blood and their precursors in the bone marrow. The distinct and largely non-overlapping expression profiles of mSiglec-E and mSiglec-F suggest that they play non-redundant roles in the innate immune system. mSiglec-E is likely to modulate the functions of several types of effector cells, whereas mSiglec-F is likely to be more restricted to eosinophil biology.

Sialic acid-binding immunoglobulin-like lectins (siglecs) are expressed predominantly in the haemopoietic and immune systems and exhibit specificities for both the linkage and the nature of sialic acids in N-glycans, O-glycans and glycolipids. Several siglecs, including sialoadhesin (Sn, siglec-1) and siglec-5, bind to NeuAcalpha2,3Gal, a terminal capping structure that can also be displayed on the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of Neisseria meningitidis (Nm). In the present study, we examined the potential of siglecs expressed on cells of the immune system to function as receptors for sialylated Nm. We used sialylated and non-sialylated LPS derivatives of two serogroups (A and B) of Nm in this study. Using recombinant chimeric soluble receptors, siglec-transfected cell lines and macrophages from wild-type and Sn-deficient mice, we observed that sialylated but not non-sialylated variants of either genetic background were specifically recognized by Sn and siglec-5, whereas other siglecs examined were ineffective. In addition, macrophages expressing Sn, as well as transfectants expressing Sn or siglec-5, bound and phagocytosed sialylated bacteria in a siglec- and sialic acid-dependent manner. This study demonstrates that Nm LPS sialylation can lead to increased bacterial susceptibility to phagocytic uptake, a phenomenon in direct contrast to previously reported protective effects of LPS sialylation.

Invasion of erythrocytes by Plasmodium merozoites is an intricate process involving multiple receptor-ligand interactions. The glycophorins and an unknown trypsin sensitive factor are all erythrocyte receptors used during invasion by the major human pathogen Plasmodium falciparum. However, only one erythrocyte receptor, Glycophorin A, has a well-established cognate parasite ligand, the merozoite protein erythrocyte binding antigen-175 (EBA-175). The involvement of several other parasite proteins during invasion have been proposed, but no direct evidence links them with a specific invasion pathway. Here we report the identification and characterization of P. falciparum normocyte binding protein 1 (PfNBP1), an ortholog of Plasmodium vivax reticulocyte binding protein-1. PfNBP1 binds to a sialic acid dependent trypsin-resistant receptor on the erythrocyte surface that appears to be distinct from known invasion receptors. Antibodies against PfNBP1 can inhibit invasion of trypsinized erythrocytes and two P. falciparum strains that express truncated PfNBP1 are unable to invade trypsinized erythrocytes. One of these strain, 7G8, also does not invade Glycophorin B-negative erythrocytes. PfNBP1 therefore defines a novel trypsin-resistant invasion pathway and adds a level of complexity to current models for P. falciparum erythrocyte invasion.

GM1 ganglioside-bound amyloid beta-protein (GM1-Abeta), found in brains exhibiting early pathological changes of Alzheimer's disease (AD) plaques, has been suggested to accelerate amyloid fibril formation by acting as a seed. We have previously found using dye-labeled Abeta that Abeta recognizes a GM1 cluster, the formation of which is facilitated by cholesterol [Kakio, A., Nishimoto, S., Yanagisawa, K., Kozutsumi, Y., and Matsuzaki, K. (2001) J. Biol. Chem. 276, 24985-24990]. In this study, we investigated the ganglioside species-specificity in its potency to induce a conformational change of Abeta, by which ganglioside-bound Abeta acts as a seed for Abeta fibrillogenesis, using a major ganglioside occurring in brains (GM1, GD1a, GD1b, and GT1b) in raft-like membranes composed of cholesterol and sphingomyelin. Abeta recognized ganglioside clusters, the density of which increased with the number of sialic acid residues. Interestingly, however, mixing of gangliosides inhibited cluster formation. In contrast, the affinities of the protein for the clusters were similar irrespective of lipid composition and of the order of 10(6) M(-)(1) at 37 degrees C. Abeta underwent a conformational transition from an alpha-helix-rich structure to a beta-sheet-rich structure with the increase in protein density on the membrane. Ganglioside-bound Abeta proteins exhibited seeding abilities for amyloid formation. GM1-Abeta exhibited the strongest seeding potential, especially under beta-sheet-forming conditions. This study suggested that lipid composition including gangliosides and cholesterol strictly controls amyloid formation.

A generally applicable, rapid, and sensitive method for profiling and sequencing of glycoprotein-associated N-linked oligosaccharides from protein gels was developed. The method employed sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) for protein separation and purification and in-gel deglycosylation using PNGase F for glycan release. Profiles of the neutral glycans from bovine ribonuclease B, chicken ovalbumin, and human immunoglobulin G (IgG), as well as sialic acid-containing sugars (following esterification of the acidic groups) of bovine fetuin and bovine alpha1-acid glycoprotein, were obtained by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI MS) and by normal-phase high-performance liquid chromatography following fluorescent labeling. Oligosaccharides were sequenced using specific exoglycosidases, and digestion products were analyzed by MALDI MS. Between 50 and 100 pmol (1.5 to 15 microg) of glycoprotein applied to the gel was sufficient to characterize its oligosaccharide contents. The identity of all glycoproteins investigated could be confirmed after deglycosylation by in-gel trypsin treatment followed by MALDI MS mass mapping and matching the measured molecular weights to a sequence database. The technique was used for the characterization of the glycan moieties of human immunodeficiency virus recombinant gp120 (Chinese hamster ovary cells) and to monitor changes in the glycosylation of this glycoprotein when produced in the presence of a glucosidase I inhibitor. Furthermore, since heavy and light chains of IgG became separated by SDS-PAGE, it could be established that most glycans were associated with the heavy chains.

Plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) are characterized as type I interferon-producing cells that engage endosomal toll-like receptors (TLRs) and exclusively express sialic acid binding Ig-like lectin (Siglec)-H. However, their role in vivo remains unclear. Here we report a critical role for pDCs in the regulation of inflammation and T cell immunity in vivo by using gene-targeted mice with a deficiency of Siglec-H and conditional ablation of pDCs. pDCs were required for inflammation triggered by a TLR ligand as well as by bacterial and viral infections. pDCs controlled homeostasis of effector and regulatory CD4(+) T cells. Upon antigenic stimulation and microbial infection, pDCs suppressed the induction of CD4(+) T cell responses and participated in the initiation of CD8(+) T cell responses. Furthermore, Siglec-H appeared to modulate the function of pDCs in vivo. Thus, our findings highlight previously unidentified roles of pDCs and the regulation of their function for the control of innate and adaptive immunity.

Mutations in the key enzyme of sialic acid biosynthesis, uridine diphospho-N-acetylglucosamine 2-epimerase/N-acetylmannosamine (ManNAc) kinase (GNE/MNK), result in hereditary inclusion body myopathy (HIBM), an adult-onset, progressive neuromuscular disorder. We created knockin mice harboring the M712T Gne/Mnk mutation. Homozygous mutant (Gne(M712T/M712T)) mice did not survive beyond P3. At P2, significantly decreased Gne-epimerase activity was observed in Gne(M712T/M712T) muscle, but no myopathic features were apparent. Rather, homozygous mutant mice had glomerular hematuria, proteinuria, and podocytopathy. Renal findings included segmental splitting of the glomerular basement membrane, effacement of podocyte foot processes, and reduced sialylation of the major podocyte sialoprotein, podocalyxin. ManNAc administration yielded survival beyond P3 in 43% of the Gne(M712T/M712T) pups. Survivors exhibited improved renal histology, increased sialylation of podocalyxin, and increased Gne/Mnk protein expression and Gne-epimerase activities. These findings establish this Gne(M712T/M712T) knockin mouse as what we believe to be the first genetic model of podocyte injury and segmental glomerular basement membrane splitting due to hyposialylation. The results also support evaluation of ManNAc as a treatment not only for HIBM but also for renal disorders involving proteinuria and hematuria due to podocytopathy and/or segmental splitting of the glomerular basement membrane.

The equilibrium binding of influenza virus hemagglutinin to derivatives of its cell-surface ligand, sialic acid, was measured by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Binding was quantified by observing perturbations of sialic acid resonances in the presence of protein. The major perturbation observed was a chemical shift of the N-acetyl methyl resonance, presumably due to the proximity of the methyl group to tryptophan 153. X-31 hemagglutinin binds to the methyl alpha-glycoside of sialic acid with a dissociation constant of 2.8 mM and does not bind to the methyl beta-glycoside. Replacing the 4-hydroxyl group of sialic acid with an acetyl group has little effect, while replacing the 7-hydroxyl group with an acetyl prevents binding. Experiments with sialylated oligosaccharides confirm literature reports that mutations at amino acid 226 change the specificity of hemagglutinin for alpha(2,6) and alpha(2,3) glycosidic linkages. The NMR line broadening of sialyloligosaccharides suggests that sialic acid is the only component that contacts the protein. Saccharides containing two sialic acid residues appear to have two separate binding modes. Hemagglutinin that has undergone a low pH induced conformational change retains the ability to bind sialic acid.

Sialic acid binding immunoglobulin-like lectin 8 (Siglec-8), which exists in 2 isoforms including one possessing cytoplasmic tyrosine motifs, is expressed only on human eosinophils, basophils, and mast cells. Until now, its function was unknown. Here we define a novel function of Siglec-8 on eosinophils. Siglec-8 cross-linking with antibodies rapidly generated caspase-3-like activity and reduced eosinophil viability through induction of apoptosis. The pancaspase inhibitor benzyloxycarbonyl (Cbz)-Val-Ala-Asp-(Ome)-fluoromethyl ketone (zVAD-FMK) completely blocked this response, implicating caspases in Siglec-8 cross-linking-induced apoptosis. Eosinophil survival-promoting cytokines such as interleukin 5 (IL-5) and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) failed to block apoptosis and instead enhanced the sensitivity of eosinophils to undergo apoptosis in response to Siglec-8 antibody. Siglec-8 activation may provide a useful therapeutic approach to reduce numbers of eosinophils (and perhaps basophils and mast cells) in disease states where these cells are important.

The myelin-associated glycoprotein (MAG) is a type I transmembrane glycoprotein localized in periaxonal Schwann cell and oligodendroglial membranes of myelin sheaths where it functions in glia-axon interactions. It contains five immunoglobulin (Ig)-like domains and is in the sialic acid-binding subgroup of the Ig superfamily. It appears to function both as a ligand for an axonal receptor that is needed for the maintenance of myelinated axons and as a receptor for an axonal signal that promotes the differentiation, maintenance and survival of oligodendrocytes. Its function in the maintenance of myelinated axons may be related to its role as one of the white matter inhibitors of neurite outgrowth acting through a receptor complex involving the Nogo receptor and/or gangliosides containing 2,3-linked sialic acid. MAG is expressed as two developmentally regulated isoforms with different cytoplasmic domains that may activate different signal transduction pathways in myelin-forming cells. MAG contains a carbohydrate epitope shared with other glycoconjugates that is a target antigen in autoimmune peripheral neuropathy associated with IgM gammopathy and has been implicated in a dying back oligodendrogliopathy in multiple sclerosis.

Gangliosides, sialic acid-bearing glycosphingolipids, are expressed on all vertebrate cells, and are the major glycans on nerve cells. They are anchored to the plasma membrane through their ceramide lipids with their varied glycans extending into the extracellular space. Through sugar-specific interactions with glycan-binding proteins on apposing cells, gangliosides function as receptors in cell-cell recognition, regulating natural killer cell cytotoxicity via Siglec-7, myelin-axon interactions via Siglec-4 (myelin-associated glycoprotein), and inflammation via E-selectin. Gangliosides also interact laterally in their own membranes, regulating the responsiveness of signaling proteins including the insulin, epidermal growth factor, and vascular endothelial growth factor receptors. In these ways, gangliosides act as regulatory elements in the immune system, in the nervous system, in metabolic regulation, and in cancer progression.

Plasmodium falciparum is responsible for the most severe form of malaria disease in humans, causing more than 1 million deaths each year. As an obligate intracellular parasite, P. falciparum's ability to invade erythrocytes is essential for its survival within the human host. P. falciparum invades erythrocytes using multiple host receptor-parasite ligand interactions known as invasion pathways. Here we show that CR1 is the host erythrocyte receptor for PfRh4, a major P. falciparum ligand essential for sialic acid-independent invasion. PfRh4 and CR1 interact directly, with a K(d) of 2.9 μM. PfRh4 binding is strongly correlated with the CR1 level on the erythrocyte surface. Parasite invasion via sialic acid-independent pathways is reduced in low-CR1 erythrocytes due to limited availability of this receptor on the surface. Furthermore, soluble CR1 can competitively block binding of PfRh4 to the erythrocyte surface and specifically inhibit sialic acid-independent parasite invasion. These results demonstrate that CR1 is an erythrocyte receptor used by the parasite ligand PfRh4 for P. falciparum invasion.

The abilities to infect and transmit efficiently among humans are essential for a novel influenza A virus to cause a pandemic. To evaluate the pandemic potential of widely disseminated H5N1 influenza viruses, a ferret contact model using experimental groups comprised of one inoculated ferret and two contact ferrets was used to study the transmissibility of four human H5N1 viruses isolated from 2003 to 2006. The effects of viral pathogenicity and receptor binding specificity (affinity to synthetic sialosaccharides with alpha2,3 or alpha2,6 linkages) on transmissibility were assessed. A/Vietnam/1203/04 and A/Vietnam/JP36-2/05 viruses, which possess "avian-like" alpha2,3-linked sialic acid (SA) receptor specificity, caused neurological symptoms and death in ferrets inoculated with 10(3) 50% tissue culture infectious doses. A/Hong Kong/213/03 and A/Turkey/65-596/06 viruses, which show binding affinity for "human-like" alpha2,6-linked SA receptors in addition to their affinity for alpha2,3-linked SA receptors, caused mild clinical symptoms and were not lethal to the ferrets. No transmission of A/Vietnam/1203/04 or A/Turkey/65-596/06 virus was detected. One contact ferret developed neutralizing antibodies to A/Hong Kong/213/03 but did not exhibit any clinical signs or detectable virus shedding. In two groups, one of two naïve contact ferrets had detectable virus after 6 to 8 days when housed together with the A/Vietnam/JP36-2/05 virus-inoculated ferrets. Infected contact ferrets showed severe clinical signs, although little or no virus was detected in nasal washes. This limited virus shedding explained the absence of secondary transmission from the infected contact ferret to the other naïve ferret that were housed together. Our results suggest that despite their receptor binding affinity, circulating H5N1 viruses retain molecular determinants that restrict their spread among mammalian species.

The animal sialyltransferases are Golgi type II transmembrane glycosyltransferases. Twenty distinct sialyltransferases have been identified in both human and murine genomes. These enzymes catalyze transfer of sialic acid from CMP-Neu5Ac to the glycan moiety of glycoconjugates. Despite low overall identities, they share four conserved peptide motifs [L (large), S (small), motif III, and motif VS (very small)] that are hallmarks for sialyltransferase identification. We have identified 155 new putative genes in 25 animal species, and we have exploited two lines of evidence: (1) sequence comparisons and (2) exon-intron organization of the genes. An ortholog to the ancestor present before the split of ST6Gal I and II subfamilies was detected in arthropods. An ortholog to the ancestor present before the split of ST6GalNAc III, IV, V, and VI subfamilies was detected in sea urchin. An ortholog to the ancestor present before the split of ST3Gal I and II subfamilies was detected in ciona, and an ortholog to the ancestor of all the ST8Sia was detected in amphioxus. Therefore, single examples of the four families (ST3Gal, ST6Gal, ST6GalNAc, and ST8Sia) have appeared in invertebrates, earlier than previously thought, whereas the four families were all detected in bony fishes, amphibians, birds, and mammals. As previously hypothesized, sequence similarities among sialyltransferases suggest a common genetic origin, by successive duplications of an ancestral gene, followed by divergent evolution. Finally, we propose predictions on these invertebrates sialyltransferase-related activities that have not previously been demonstrated and that will ultimately need to be substantiated by protein expression and enzymatic activity assays.

Human H3 strains of influenza A virus preferentially bind cell-surface oligosaccharides containing the sequence NeuAc alpha 2,6Gal, while avian influenza strains preferentially recognize the sequence NeuAc alpha 2,3Gal. The distribution of these two types of sialic acid linkages on host respiratory epithelium, the target of influenza infection, may be a factor in the selection of the different receptor specificities observed in human and avian influenza strains. To examine the distribution of these two structures on human tracheal epithelial cells, two sialic acid specific lectins were used. The Sambucus nigra lectin (SNA), which recognizes the sequence NeuAc alpha 2,6Gal/GalNac, primarily binds to the surface of the ciliated tracheal epithelial cells, and only weakly binds to mucins in the surface goblet cells. In contrast, the Maackia amurensis lectin (MAL), which is specific for the NeuAc alpha 2,3Gal sequence, binds strongly to mucus droplets in goblet cells, but not to the surface of ciliated cells. Thus, human ciliated tracheal cells appear to contain sialyloligosaccharides preferentially recognized by human influenza strains. These findings suggest that human H3 influenza strains may have evolved a receptor specificity which favors binding to ciliated cells, and minimizes binding inhibition by respiratory mucus.

In the past, avian influenza viruses have crossed species barriers to trigger human pandemics by reassorting with mammal-infective viruses in intermediate livestock hosts. H5N1 viruses are able to infect pigs, and some of them have affinity for the mammalian type α-2,6-linked sialic acid airway receptor. Using reverse genetics, we systematically created 127 reassortant viruses between a duck isolate of H5N1, specifically retaining its hemagglutinin (HA) gene throughout, and a highly transmissible, human-infective H1N1 virus. We tested the virulence of the reassortants in mice as a correlate for virulence in humans and tested transmissibility in guinea pigs, which have both avian and mammalian types of airway receptor. Transmission studies showed that the H1N1 virus genes encoding acidic polymerase and nonstructural protein made the H5N1 virus transmissible by respiratory droplet between guinea pigs without killing them. Further experiments implicated other H1N1 genes in the enhancement of mammal-to-mammal transmission, including those that encode nucleoprotein, neuraminidase, and matrix, as well as mutations in H5 HA that improve affinity for humanlike airway receptors. Hence, avian H5N1 subtype viruses do have the potential to acquire mammalian transmissibility by reassortment in current agricultural scenarios.

The paramyxovirus hemagglutinin-neuraminidase (HN) protein plays multiple roles in viral entry and egress, including binding to sialic acid receptors, activating the fusion (F) protein to activate membrane fusion and viral entry, and cleaving sialic acid from carbohydrate chains. HN is an oligomeric integral membrane protein consisting of an N-terminal transmembrane domain, a stalk region, and an enzymatically active neuraminidase (NA) domain. Structures of the HN NA domains have been solved previously; however, the structure of the stalk region has remained elusive. The stalk region contains specificity determinants for F interactions and activation, underlying the requirement for homotypic F and HN interactions in viral entry. Mutations of the Newcastle disease virus HN stalk region have been shown to affect both F activation and NA activities, but a structural basis for understanding these dual affects on HN functions has been lacking. Here, we report the structure of the Newcastle disease virus HN ectodomain, revealing dimers of NA domain dimers flanking the N-terminal stalk domain. The stalk forms a parallel tetrameric coiled-coil bundle (4HB) that allows classification of extensive mutational data, providing insight into the functional roles of the stalk region. Mutations that affect both F activation and NA activities map predominantly to the 4HB hydrophobic core, whereas mutations that affect only F-protein activation map primarily to the 4HB surface. Two of four NA domains interact with the 4HB stalk, and residues at this interface in both the stalk and NA domain have been implicated in HN function.

Modification of cell surface molecules with sialic acid is crucial for their function in many biological processes, including cell adhesion and signal transduction. Uridine diphosphate-N-acetylglucosamine 2-epimerase (UDP-GlcNAc 2-epimerase) is an enzyme that catalyzes an early, rate-limiting step in the sialic acid biosynthetic pathway. UDP-GlcNAc 2-epimerase was found to be a major determinant of cell surface sialylation in human hematopoietic cell lines and a critical regulator of the function of specific cell surface adhesion molecules.