N-glycans: phenotypic homology and structural differences between myocardial cells and induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes

PLoS One. 2014 Oct 30;9(10):e111064. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0111064. eCollection 2014.

Abstract

Cell surface glycans vary widely, depending on cell properties. We hypothesized that glycan expression on induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) might change during cardiomyogenic differentiation toward the myocardial phenotype. N-glycans were isolated from iPSCs, iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes (iPSC-CM), and original C57BL/6 mouse myocardium (Heart). Their structures were analyzed by a mapping technique based on HPLC elution times and MALDI-TOF/MS spectra. Sixty-eight different N-glycans were isolated; the structures of 60 of these N-glycans were identified. The quantity of high-mannose type (immature) N-glycans on the iPSCs decreased with cardiomyogenic differentiation, but did not reach the low levels observed in the heart. We observed a similar reduction in neutral N-glycans and an increase in fucosylated or sialyl N-glycans. Some structural differences were detected between iPSC-CM and Heart. No N-glycolyl neuraminic acid (NeuGc) structures were detected in iPSC-CM, whereas the heart contained numerous NeuGc structures, corresponding to the expression of cytidine monophosphate-N-acetylneuraminic acid hydroxylase. Furthermore, several glycans containing Galα1-6 Gal, rarely identified in the other cells, were detected in the iPSC-CM. The expression of N-glycan on murine iPSCs changed toward the myocardial phenotype during cardiomyogenic differentiation, leaving the structural differences of NeuGc content or Galα1-6 Gal structures. Further studies will be warranted to reveal the meaning of the difference of N-glycans between the iPSC-CM and the myocardium.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Carbohydrate Conformation
  • Cell Differentiation*
  • Cell Line
  • Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells / cytology
  • Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells / metabolism*
  • Mice
  • Myocardium / metabolism*
  • Myocytes, Cardiac / cytology
  • Myocytes, Cardiac / metabolism*
  • Polysaccharides / metabolism*

Substances

  • Polysaccharides

Grants and funding

YS received the funding to support this work from the Research Center Network for Realization of Regenerative Medicine managed by Centers for Clinical Application Research on Specific Disease/Organ and funded by Japan Science and Technology Agency. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.