COMPARISON OF L-SELECTIN AND E-SELECTIN LIGAND SPECIFICITIES - THE L-SELECTIN CAN BIND THE E-SELECTIN LIGANDS SIALYL LEX AND SIALYL LEA

The L- and E-selectins are leukocyte and endothelial cell surface molecules which mediate leukocyte-endothelial cell adhesion by interacting with carbohydrate ligands. In the present study we find that L-selectin, like E-selectin, can interact with synthetic neoglycoproteins containing Sialyl Lex (Neu5Acα2-3Galβ1-4[Fucα1-3]GlcNAcβ-R), or Sialyl Lea (Neu5Ac-α2-3Galβ1-3[Fucα1-4]GlcNAcβ-R). Additionally, both the E-selectin and L-selectin can bind the peripheral lymph node addressin, a high endothelial venule ligand for L-selectin. Despite overlapping interactions, the L- and E-selectins discriminate between their native ligands. The peripheral lymph node addressin is a preferential ligand for L-selectin; and furthermore, L-selectin expressing cells do not interact detectably with the cutaneous lymphocyte antigen, a native glycoprotein ligand for E-selectin found on a subset of lymphocytes associated with the skin. © 1992.