Gelatinase B is a matrix metalloproteinase (MMP-9) involved in tissue remodeling, development,cancer, and inflammation. Neutrop
hils produce t
hree major forms of (pro)gelatinase B: 92 kDa monomers,
homodimers, and complexes of gelatinase B covalently bound to neutrop
hil gelatinase B-associated lipocalin(NGAL). In contrast to t
he case for ot
her proteinases, little information about t
he glycosylation of anynatural
human MMP is available. Here, bot
h gelatinase B and NGAL were purified from
human perip
heralblood neutrop
hils, and t
he entire contents of t
he released
N- and
O-glycan pools were analyzedsimultaneously using recently developed
hig
h-performance liquid c
hromatograp
hy-based tec
hnology. T
heresults are discussed wit
hin t
he context of t
he domain structure of gelatinase B and a molecular model ofNGAL based on data from t
his study and t
he t
hree-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) structureof t
he protein. More t
han 95% of t
he N-linked glycans attac
hed to bot
h gelatinase B and NGAL werepartially sialylated, core-fucosylated biantennary structures wit
h and wit
hout outer arm fucose. T
he O-linkedglycans, w
hic
h were estimated to comprise approximately 85% of t
he total sugars on gelatinase B, mainlyconsisted of type 2 cores wit
h Gal
![](/images/gifc<font color=)
hars/beta2.gif" BORDER=0 ALIGN="middle">1,4GlcNAc (lactosamine) extensions, wit
h or wit
hout sialic acid orouter arm fucose. T
his paper also contains t
he first report of O-linked glycans attac
hed to NGAL. Alt
houg
hbot
h proteins were isolated from neutrop
hils and contained O-linked glycans mainly wit
h type 2 cores,t
he glycans attac
hed to individual serine/t
hreonine residue(s) in NGAL were significantly smaller t
hant
hose on gelatinase B. In contrast to NGAL, gelatinase B contains a region ric
h in Ser, T
hr, and Protypical of O-glycosylated mucin-like domains.