Biological significance of cancer-associated sialyl-Tn antigen: Modulation of malignant phenotype in gastric carcinoma cells

Sandra Pinho, Nuno T. Marcos, Bibiana Ferreira, Ana S. Carvalho, Maria J. Oliveira, Filipe Santos-Silva, Anne Harduin-Lepers, Celso A. Reis

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

127 Scopus citations

Abstract

The activation of an abnormal glycosylation pathway in cancer cells leads to the formation of the sialyl-Tn antigen, blocking regular carbohydrate chain elongation. Sialyl-Tn antigen is rarely expressed in normal tissues but is aberrantly expressed in a variety of carcinomas, where it constitutes a marker of poor prognosis. Although the clinical significance of sialyl-Tn is well characterized, a functional role for this glycan and its contribution to cancer progression remain to be elucidated. This study evaluates the capability of sialyl-Tn to modify processes like cell cycle, apoptosis, actin cytoskeleton dynamics, adhesion and motility on ECM components, cell-cell aggregation and invasion. De-novo expression of sialyl-Tn leads to major morphological and cell behavior alterations in gastric carcinoma cells which were reverted by specific antibody blockage. Sialyl-Tn antigen is able to modulate a malignant phenotype inducing a more aggressive cell behavior, such as decreased cell-cell aggregation and increased ECM adhesion, migration and invasion.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)157-170
Number of pages14
JournalCancer Letters
Volume249
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - May 8 2007
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Adhesion
  • Gastric carcinoma
  • Invasion
  • Malignant phenotype
  • Sialyl-Tn
  • Sialyltransferase

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Oncology
  • Cancer Research

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