In vitro experimental studies of sialyl Lewis x and sialyl Lewis a on endothelial and carcinoma cells: crucial glycans on selectin ligands.
Extravasation from the blood of malignant tumour cells that form metastasis and leukocytes that go into tissues require contact between selectins and their sialyl Lewis x and sialyl Lewis a (sLe(x) and sLe(a) respectively) decorated ligands. Endothelial cells have been shown to express sLe(x) epitopes in lymph nodes and at sites of inflammation, and this is crucial for the selectin-dependent leukocyte traffic. Besides the ability to synthesize sLe(x) on sialylated N-acetyllactosamine via the action of alpha(1,3)fucosyltransferase(s), endothelial cells can also degrade sLe(x) to Lewis x through the action of alpha(2,3)sialidase(s). In addition, several epithelial tumors possess the machinery to synthesize sLe(x), which facilitates their adhesion to endothelial E- and P-selectin.
Renkonen
R
R
Department of Bacteriology and Immunology, Haartman Institute, University of Helsinki, Finland. Risto.Renkonen@Helsinki.Fl
Mattila
P
P
Majuri
M L
ML
Räbinä
J
J
Toppila
S
S
Renkonen
J
J
Hirvas
L
L
Niittymäki
J
J
Turunen
J P
JP
Renkonen
O
O
Paavonen
T
T
D000818:Animals; D002236:Carbohydrate Conformation; D002240:Carbohydrate Sequence; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000502:physiology*; D005647:Fucosyltransferases / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000503:physiopathology; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000503:physiopathology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009439:Neuraminidase / Q000378:metabolism; D009844:Oligosaccharides / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000737:chemistry; D000080506:Sialyl Lewis X Antigen
D009844:Oligosaccharides; D000080506:Sialyl Lewis X Antigen; C058981:sialyl-Le(a) oligosaccharide; D005647:Fucosyltransferases; C031692:galactoside 3-fucosyltransferase; D009439:Neuraminidase