Journal of Dental Research, Vol 66, 552-556, Copyright © 1987 by International & American Associations for Dental Research Online Journals
Regulatory aspects of N-linked glycoproteins
E. E. Kousvelari, P. C. Fox and B. J. Baum
Activation of beta-adrenoreceptors in rat parotid acinar cells leads to
copious exocrine protein secretion. Additionally, beta-adrenergic
stimulation dramatically increases specific secretory protein synthesis and
enhances N-linked glycosylation of secretory glycoproteins. Recently,
efforts have been directed toward understanding the mechanisms underlying
these biosynthetic events. We have been particularly interested in the
receptor-mediated regulation of glycosylation. In this report, we evaluate
available mechanistic information from the rat parotid gland and present
initial data examining the ability of various regulatory agents to modulate
N-linked glycosylation in enzymatically-dispersed cell aggregates from
surgical specimens of human parotid glands. We conclude that glycosylation
of human parotid N-linked glycoproteins may be regulated by extracellular
signaling similar to that operative in the rat parotid gland.
