GLOBO-SERIES CARBOHYDRATE ANTIGENS ARE EXPRESSED IN DIFFERENT FORMS ON HUMAN AND MURINE TERATOCARCINOMA-DERIVED CELLS

The glycolipids of human teratocarcinoma-derived cell line NCCIT were compared with those of 5 murine teratocarcinoma-derived cell lines. Gl ycolipid antigens were identified by cell surface immunofluorescence a nd high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) immunostaining w ith a panel of monoclonal anti-carbohydrate antibodies. Human NCCIT em bryonal carcinoma (EC) cells contained extended globe-series glycolipi ds Gb5 (galactosyl globoside) and GL7 (sialyl galactosyl globoside) re cognized by antibodies to stage-specific embryonic antigens 3 and 4 (S SEA-3 and -4). SSEA-4 was not detected by immunofluorescence on the su rface of any of the 5 murine teratocarcinoma-derived cell lines examin ed; however, SSEA-3 was detected on the surface of murine cell lines r esembling primitive endoderm (JC44, NF-PE) and trophectoderm (E6496D). HPTLC analysis revealed a large amount of globoside (Gb4) in these di fferentiated cells, which may account for their labeling with anti-SSE A-3 antibody. Globe-series glycolipids were also detected in murine EC cells; however, differences were noted between the 2 cell lines exami ned. F9 cells contained primarily Gb4 and Forssman glycolipid, whereas NF-1 cells contained only minor amounts of Gb4 and lacked Forssman gl ycolipid entirely. Our results, coupled with the known distribution of Forssman antigen in the egg cylinder-stage mouse embryo, suggest that F9 and NF-1 murine EC cells are replicas of cells at different stages of development of the embryonic ectoderm. Glycolipids of normal mouse embryos were examined for comparison. Gb4 and Forssman glycolipid wer e present in both embryonic and extra-embryonic tissues, whereas Gb5 a nd GL7 were restricted to visceral yolk pac and placenta. Our results demonstrate that human and murine teratocarcinoma-derived cells both s ynthesize extended globe-series glycolipids; however, oligosaccharide chain elongation takes different pathways in the 2 species. These diff erences reflect species-related and cell type-specific patterns of gly cosylation. (C) 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.