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.
Ogawa
J
J
First Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, Tokai University, Kanagawa, Japan.
Inoue
H
H
Koide
S
S
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