Sulfated forms of sialyl-LeX containing Gal-6-SO 4 or GlcNAc-6-SO 4 have been implicated as potential recognition determinants on high endothelial venule ligands for L-selectin. The optimal configuration of sulfate esters on the N-acetyllactosamine (Gal134GlcNAc) core of sulfosialyl-Le X , however, remains unsettled. Using a panel of sulfated lactose (Gal134Glc) neoglycolipids as substrates in direct binding assays, we found that 6,6-disulfolactose was the preferred structure for L-selectin, although significant binding to 6-and 6-sulfolactose was observed as well. Binding was EDTA-sensitive and blocked by L-selectin-specific monoclonal antibodies. Surprisingly, 6,6-disulfolactose was poorly recognized by MECA-79, a carbohydrate-and sulfate-dependent monoclonal antibody that binds competitively to L-selectin ligands. Instead, MECA-79 bound preferentially to 6-sulfolactose. The difference in preferred substrates between L-selectin and MECA-79 may explain the variable activity of MECA-79 as an inhibitor of lymphocyte adhesion to high endothelial venules in lymphoid organs. Our results suggest that both Gal-6-SO 4 and GlcNAc-6-SO 4 may contribute to L-selectin recognition, either as components of sulfosialyl-Le X capping groups or in internal structures. By contrast, only GlcNAc-6-SO 4 appears to contribute to MECA-79 binding. L-selectin, the "leukocyte selectin," mediates the tethering and rolling of lymphocytes along high endothelial venules (HEVs) 1 in peripheral lymph nodes, a prerequisite for extravasation of the lymphocytes (1-3). By virtue of a calcium-type lectin domain at its amino terminus, L-selectin functions as a calcium-dependent, carbohydrate-binding receptor that recognizes a set of discrete counter-receptors (generally termed ligands) displayed on the luminal aspect of HEVs (reviewed in Refs. 4 and 5). Several HEV-expressed, L-selectin-reactive ligands (all of which possess mucin-like domains) have been identified as potential physiological ligands for L-selectin (reviewed in Ref. 6). These include GlyCAM-1 (7), CD34 (8, 9), and podocalyxin (10).A large body of evidence has established that the optimal interaction between L-selectin and these HEV-expressed ligands requires sialylation, fucosylation, and carbohydrate sulfation (11)(12)(13)(14)(15)(16)(17). In an attempt to rationalize these requirements in terms of carbohydrate structures, a detailed analysis of the O-linked oligosaccharide side chains of GlyCAM-1 was conducted (18 -20). Sulfation analysis of acid-hydrolyzed glycans revealed monosulfated monosaccharides and disaccharides (Nacetyllactosamine) with equivalent levels of Gal-6-SO 4 and GlcNAc-6-SO 4 . Analysis of the simplest oligosaccharide side chains identified equivalent levels of two novel sulfated isomers of sialyl-Le X (sLe X ), 6Ј-sulfo-sLe X , containing Gal-6-SO 4 , and 6-sulfo-sLe X , containing GlcNAc-6-SO 4 (see Fig. 1), as capping groups of core-2 branched oligosaccharides. The finding of a sLe X motif was significant because this tetrasaccharide binds to all three sel...