Constant serum levels of secreted asialoglycoprotein receptor sH2a and decrease with cirrhosis

AIM: To investigate the existence and levels of sH2a, a soluble secreted form of the asialoglycoprotein receptor in human serum. METHODS: Production of recombinant sH2a and development of a monoclonal antibody and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). This assay was used to determine the presence and concentration of sH2a in human sera of individuals of both sexes and a wide range of ages. RESULTS: The recombinant protein was produced successfully and a specific ELISA assay was developed. The levels of sH2a in sera from 62 healthy individuals variedminimally (147 ± 19 ng/mL). In contrast, 5 hepatitis C patients with cirrhosis showed much decreased sH2a levels (50 ± 9 ng/mL). CONCLUSION: Constant sH2a levels suggest constitutive secretion from hepatocytes in healthy individuals. This constant level and the decrease with cirrhosis suggest a diagnostic potential.

Impact of asialoglycoprotein receptor deficiency on the development of liver injury

The asialoglycoprotein （ASGP） receptor is a wellcharacterized hepatic receptor that is recycled via the common cellular process of receptor-mediated endocytosis （RME）. The RME process plays an integral part in the proper trafficking and routing of receptors and ligands in the healthy cell. Thus, the missorting or altered transport of proteins during RME is thought to play a role in several diseases associated with hepatocyte and liver dysfunction. Previously, we examined in detail alterations that occur in hepatocellular RME and associated receptor functions as a result of one particular liver injury, alcoholic liver disease （ALD）. The studies revealed profound ethanol- mediated impairments to the ASGP receptor and the RME process, indicating the importance of this receptor and the maintenance of proper endocytic events in normal tissue. To further clarify these observations, studies were performed utilizing knockout mice （lacking a functional ASGP receptor） to which were administered several liver toxicants. In addition to alcohol, we examined the effects following administration of anti- Fas （CD95） antibody, carbon tetrachloride （CCh） and lipopolysaccharide （LPS）/galactosamine. The results of these studies demonstrated that the knockout mice sustained enhanced liver injury in response to all of the treatments, as shown by increased indices of liver damage, such as enhancement of serum enzyme levels, histopathological scores, as well as hepatocellular death. Overall, the work completed to date suggests a possible link between hepatic receptors and liver injury. In particular, adequate function and content of the ASGP receptor may provide protection against various toxinmediated liver diseases.

Cloning, Expression and Polyclonal Antibody Preparation of the Asialoglycoprotein Receptor of Marmota Himalayan

The objective of this study is to express the carbohydrate recognition domain （CRD） of the asialoglycoprotein receptor （ASGPR） H1 and H2 subunits of Marmota himalayan in vitro, and develop polyclonal antibodies against the recombinant proteins. RT-PCR was used to amplify ASGPR CRDH1 and CRDH2 from the liver tissue of Marmota himalayan. The products of amplification were subcloned into prokaryotic expression vector pRSET-B, and expressed in E.coli BL21（DE3）plysS. The recombinant proteins were purified using Ni-NTA spin column. The purified proteins were inoculated into BALB/c mice to develop polyclonal antibodies. The sensitivity and specificity of antibodies were evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）, Western blotting and immunohistochemical staining （IHC）. The polyclonal antibodies showed high sensitivity and specificity against both denaturated and native ASGPR proteins. We successfully amplified and expressed the ASGPR CRDs of Marmota himalayan. The nucleic sequences of ASGPR CRDH1 and CRDH2 of Marmota himalayan have been submitted to Genbank and the sequence ID are DQ 845465 and DQ845466, respectively. The proteins and antibodies prepared can be used for targeting gene therapy in a new animal model-Marrnota himalayan—— for the research of infectious diseases of hepatitis viruses and liver cancer treatment.

Feasibility on Systemic Delivery of Asialoorosomucoid Complex to Hepatic Origin Cells Mediated by Asialoglycoprotein Receptor

Receptor mediated gene delivery is a new gene transfer strategy. Asialoglycoprotein receptor (ASGP-R), the receptor of asialoorosomucoid (Asor), is specially expressed on the surface of hepatocyte. In this paper, the nuclide 131I was combined with Asor to form a kind of soluble nuclide-protein complex, which can be specifically endocytosed into hepatocyte by ASGP-R. After intravenous injection of the complex into experimental animals, the deposition of Asor in vivo and the targeting quality of hepatocyte was detected by ECT. This research testified the feasibility of targeting Asor complex delivery to hepatocyte mediated by ASGP-R in vivo, and provided foundation for the genetic diagnosis and gene therapy of hepatic cell-related diseases.

半乳糖修饰人血清白蛋白的质谱分析

研究发现,存在于哺乳动物肝细胞膜上的血浆无唾液酸糖蛋白受体(asialoglycoprotein receptor,ASGP-R)是一种肝结合蛋白(hepatic binding protein,HBP),能专一性识别分子末端带有半乳糖残基的糖蛋白并与之结合,定向转到肝细胞内的溶酶体进行代谢[1],针对ASGP-R作为靶点的肝靶向药物载体半乳糖化人血白蛋白偶合物(galactosyl-neoglycoalbumin,NGA),已引起药物研究工作者的极大重视[2,3].将药物与带有半乳糖残基的蛋白偶合,可提高药物的肝靶向性,提高治疗指数,减少非靶器官的毒副作用.……

Lipase-catalyzed synthesis of novel galactosylated cholesterol

In an organic phase system, an enzymes lipase was used as a catalyst to synthesize galactosylated cholesterol, （5-cholesten-3b-yl）[（4-O-/%u-galactopyranosyl）u-glucitol-6] sebacate （CHS-SE-LA）, which contains galactose residues. Its chemical structure was characterized by ESI-MS, and NMR. For HepG2 cells, the cellular fluorescence intensities of liposomes modified with CHS-SE-LA （GAL-FL） were as much as 2.6-fold （p 〈 0.01） control liposomes （FL）. Moreover, the presence of excess galactose significantly inhibited the uptake of GAL-FL suggesting ASGPR mediated uptake. In conclusion, the novel galactosylated ligand CHS-SE-LA was synthesized by lipase-catalyzation and revealed a great potential as drug carrier materials for hepatocyte-selective targeting.