Expression of three UDP-N-acetyl-alpha-D-galactosamine:polypeptide GalNAc N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferases in adenocarcinoma cell lines.
The levels of mRNA expression of three UDP-N-acetyl-alpha-D-galactosamine:polypeptide GalNAc N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferases (GalNAc-transferases) were quantified for human adenocarcinoma cell lines from pancreas, colon, stomach, and breast. Two of the GalNAc-transferases, GalNAc-T1 and GalNAc-T2, were expressed constitutively and at low levels in most or all cell lines examined. A third GalNAc-transferase, GalNAc-T3, was differentially expressed. Well-differentiated adenocarcinoma cell lines expressed high levels and moderately differentiated cell lines expressed lower levels of GalNAc-T3. Cell lines classified as poorly differentiated failed to express GalNAc-T3 mRNA at levels that could be detected by Northern blot analysis. Differential expression of the GalNAc-T3 protein was confirmed in these cell lines by Western blotting. We propose that glycosylation in tumor cell lines may be regulated in part by differential expression of GalNAc-transferases, and we suggest that GalNAc-T3 gene expression may be a molecular indicator of differentiated adenocarcinoma.
Sutherlin
M E
ME
Eppley Institute for Cancer and Allied Disease, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha 68198-6805, USA.
Nishimori
I
I
Caffrey
T
T
Bennett
E P
EP
Hassan
H
H
Mandel
U
U
Mack
D
D
Iwamura
T
T
Clausen
H
H
Hollingsworth
M A
MA
D000199:Actins / Q000378:metabolism; D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D015153:Blotting, Western; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology; D006801:Humans; D017350:N-Acetylgalactosaminyltransferases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
D000199:Actins; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D017350:N-Acetylgalactosaminyltransferases