Natural Sphingomonas glycolipids vary greatly in their ability to activate natural killer T cells

Chem Biol. 2008 Jul 21;15(7):654-64. doi: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2008.05.012.

Abstract

Mouse natural killer T (NKT) cells expressing an invariant T cell antigen receptor (TCR) recognize glycosphingolipids (GSLs) from Sphingomonas bacteria. The synthetic antigens previously tested, however, were designed to closely resemble the potent synthetic agonist alpha-galactosyl ceramide (alphaGalCer), which contains a monosaccharide and a C18:0 sphingosine lipid. Some Sphingomonas bacteria, however, also have oligosaccharide-containing GSLs, and they normally synthesize several GSLs with different sphingosine chains including one with a cyclopropyl ring-containing C21:0 (C21cycl) sphingosine. Here we studied the stimulation of NKT cells with synthetic GSL antigens containing natural tetrasaccharide sugars, or the C21cycl sphingosine. Our results indicate that there is a great degree of variability in the antigenic potency of different natural Sphingomonas glycolipids, with the C21cycl sphingosine having intermediate potency and the oligosaccharide-containing antigens exhibiting limited or no stimulatory capacity.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antigens / chemistry
  • Cell Line
  • Cytokines / metabolism
  • Glycolipids / chemistry*
  • Hybridomas / metabolism
  • Killer Cells, Natural / cytology*
  • Lipids / chemistry
  • Lymphocytes / cytology*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Models, Biological
  • Models, Chemical
  • Oligosaccharides / chemistry
  • Sphingomonas / metabolism*

Substances

  • Antigens
  • Cytokines
  • Glycolipids
  • Lipids
  • Oligosaccharides