Expression of sialyltransferase family members in cervix squamous cell carcinoma correlates with lymph node metastasis.
OBJECTIVE
Altered messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) expression of the four sialyltransferases (STs including ST3Gal I, ST3Gal III, ST3Gal IV, and ST6Gal I) is important in squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix. This study further investigates their changes in mRNA expression of the four STs in FIGO stage IB1 squamous cell carcinoma to assess the extent of sialylation associated with lymph node metastases.


METHODS
Alterations in ST mRNA expression in FIGO IB1 cervical squamous cell carcinomas (n = 79) were examined by semiquantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction.


RESULTS
Both ST6Gal I mRNA and ST3Gal III mRNA expressions were significantly increased in patients with lymph node metastases compared to those without lymph node metastases (P = 0.002 and P = 0.001, respectively, Mann-Whitney U test). Using receiver operating characteristic curves of ST ratio index for accuracy comparison of lymph node metastases, ST3Gal III and ST6Gal I were observed to be fairly interchangeable (area under the curve (AUC) of 3Gal I = 0.810; AUC of 6Gal I = 0.786, significance of difference between AUC = 0.810). High ST6Gal I expression was associated with other invasive properties of cervical cancer, such as deep stromal invasion and presence of lymph-vascular space involvement. ST6Gal I expression seemed to be more enhanced in bigger tumors.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggested that ST3Gal III and ST6Gal I were of importance for the lymph node metastases in FIGO IB1 cervical cancer patients; more specifically, overexpression of ST6Gal I was of crucial relevance for the presence of poor prognostic factors, such as deep stromal invasion and lymph-vascular space involvement and lymph node metastases.
Wang
Peng-Hui
PH
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital and Institute of Clinical Medicine, Taiwan.
Li
Ywan Feng
YF
Juang
Chi-Mou
CM
Lee
Yan-Ru
YR
Chao
Hsiang-Tai
HT
Ng
Heung-Tat
HT
Tsai
Ying-Chieh
YC
Yuan
Chiou-Chung
CC
D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D012372:ROC Curve; D012044:Regression Analysis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012799:Sialyltransferases / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology
D007527:Isoenzymes; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012799:Sialyltransferases