Expression of alpha-1,3-fucosyltransferase type IV and VII genes is related to poor prognosis in lung cancer.
To date, five alpha-1,3-fucosyltransferase genes (Fuc-TIII, IV, V, VI, and VII) have been cloned. To examine the role of alpha-1,3-fucosyltransferase in the synthesis of sialyl Lewis x and the prognosis of lung cancer, PCR amplification of five fucosyltransferase genes and immunohistochemical staining of sialyl Lewis x were performed in 333 patients with lung cancer who underwent surgical resection from 1980 to 1993. The frequencies of Fuc-TIII/V, Fuc-TVI, Fuc-TIV, and Fuc-TVII expression were 9%, 26%, 75%, and 66%, respectively. The frequency of sialyl Lewis x expression (75%) was comparable to Fuc-TIV and Fuc-TVII expression. However, the grading of sialyl Lewis x staining correlated only with the grading of Fuc-TVII gene amplification. Survival of the patients whose tumors showed strong expression of Fuc-TIV and/or FucT-VII was significantly shorter than that of the patients whose tumors did not express either Fuc-TIV or Fuc-TVII. These results suggest that Fuc-TIV and Fuc-TVII expression may be of prognostic value among patients with lung cancer by participating in the biosynthesis of sialyl Lewis x.
First Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, Tokai University, Kanagawa, Japan.
J
J
Ogawa
H
H
Inoue
S
S
Koide
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001483:Base Sequence; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005647:Fucosyltransferases / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009844:Oligosaccharides / Q000032:analysis; D011379:Prognosis; D000080506:Sialyl Lewis X Antigen
D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D009844:Oligosaccharides; D000080506:Sialyl Lewis X Antigen; D005647:Fucosyltransferases; C031692:galactoside 3-fucosyltransferase