Co-distribution of glycoconjugates and H(+), K(+)-ATPase in the parietal cells of the greater horseshoe bat, Rhinolophus ferrumequinum (Schreber, 1774)

• Published in: Zoological science Vol. 27; no. 5; p. 433
• Main Authors: Scillitani, Giovanni, Mastrodonato, Maria, Liquori, Giuseppa Esterina, Ferri, Domenico
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Japan 01-05-2010
• Subjects: Animals; Chiroptera - physiology; Female; Glycoconjugates - metabolism; H(+)-K(+)-Exchanging ATPase - metabolism; Male; Parietal Cells, Gastric - cytology; Parietal Cells, Gastric - metabolism; Protein Transport - physiology
• ISSN: 0289-0003
• DOI: 10.2108/zsj.27.433

Histochemical, lectin-histochemical, and immunohistochemical analyses were performed on parietal cells of the greater horseshoe bat, Rhinolophus ferrumequinum, to clarify the composition and distribution of oligosaccharide chains in the beta-subunit of the protonic pump H(+),K(+)-ATPase. PAS, Alcian Blue (pH 2.5) and Alcian Blue (pH 1.0) stainings detected only neutral glycoconjugates. Lectin-binding analyses included LTA, UEA-I, ConA, SBA, BSI-B4, AAA, DBA, PNA, and WGA. WGA-and PNA-bindings were also tested after beta-elimination to detect O-linked glycans. Parietal cells were negative for binding to LTA and UEA-I, and to PNA and WGA after beta-elimination, indicating the lack of (1,2) fucosylated residues and of N-linked glycans, respectively. Immunohistochemical tests with anti-alpha- and anti-beta-H(+),K(+)-ATPase were positive. Two alternative patterns of glycoconjugate distribution were found, i.e. a perinuclear and a diffuse one, indicating localization in the intracellular canaliculus and in the tubulovesicular system of the parietal cells, respectively. Both the subunits of the H(+),K(+)-ATPase and the galactosyl/galactosaminyl residues were co-distributed in both the perinuclear and the diffuse patterns, suggesting that the residues are part of the protonic pump. Glycosyl/glycosaminyl and mannosyl groups were concentrated in the tubulovesicular system, and fucosylated residues were found almost exclusively in the intracellular canaliculi; thus they are probably not included in the oligosaccharide chains of beta-H(+),K(+)-ATPase. These findings indicate that the oligosaccharide chains linked to the beta-H(+),K(+)-ATPase subunit in R. ferrumequinum have distinct features compared to the other mammals studied and confirms the taxon specificity of the chains in the proton pump.