Structural characterization of the bovine tracheal chondroitin sulfate chains and binding of Plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocytes

Sequestration of Plasmodium falciparum-infected red blood cells (IRBCs) in the human placenta is mediated by chondroitin 4-sulfate (C4S). A cytoadherence assay using chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans (CSPGs) is widely used for studying C4S-IRBC interactions. Bovine tracheal chondroitin sulfate A (CSA) preparation lacking a major portion of core protein has been frequently used for the assay. Here the CSPG purified from bovine trachea and CSA were assessed for IRBC binding and the CS chains studied in detail for structure - activity relationship. The IRBCs bound at significantly higher density to the CSPG than CSA. The CS chains of CSPG/CSA are heterogeneous with varying levels of 4- and 6-sulfates, which are distributed such that ∼80% of the 4-sulfated disaccharides are present as single and blocks of two or three separated by one to three 6-sulfated disaccharides. The remainder of the 4-sulfated disaccharides is present in blocks composed of 4-12 units, separated by 6-sulfated disaccharides. In the IRBC adherence inhibition analysis, CSA fragments with 88%-92% 4-sulfate were significantly less inhibitory than the intact CSA, indicating that the regions consisting of shorter 4-sulfated blocks efficiently bind IRBCs despite the presence of relatively high levels of 6-sulfate. This is because the 6-sutfated disaccharides have unsubstituted C-4 hydroxyls that are crucial for IRBC binding. The presence of high levels of 6-sulfate, however, significantly interfere with the IRBC binding activity of CSA, which otherwise would more efficiently bind IRBCs. Thus our study revealed the distribution pattern of 4- and 6-sulfate in bovine tracheal CSA and structural basis for IRBC binding.