title: Enhanced expression of alpha 2,6-sialyltransferase ST6Gal I in cervical squamous cell carcinoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Increased messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) expression of beta-galactoside alpha 2,6-sialyltransferase I (ST6Gal I) is important in squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the cervix. In many tissues, ST6Gal I is transcriptionally regulated through the use of promoters that originate in the mRNA species that diverge in the 5'-untranslated regions. To clarify the roles of ST6Gal I mRNA species in cervical SCC, we investigated their expression, including a "constitutive" promoter (placental or Y + Z form), "hepatic" promoter (H form), and a specific lymphoblastic promoter (X form), in normal and SCC tissues of the cervix using real-time quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).
  
  
  METHODS
  Expression of the ST6Gal I species was investigated in normal cervical tissue samples (n = 38) and FIGO IB1 cervical SCC samples (n = 38) by relatively quantitative real-time RT-PCR, using primers designed for amplification of a portion of the coding region common to all mRNA species or ones for amplification of the placental transcript, the hepatic transcript, or lymphoblastic transcript.
  
  
  RESULTS
  ST6Gal I mRNA expression was significantly increased in cancerous tissues compared to that in normal tissues (P = 0.004, Mann-Whitney U test; P < 0.001, paired t test). Expression of the Y + Z form did not appear to be affected by cancer transformation, since it was detected at comparable levels in normal and cancerous tissues (P = 0.986), but H form expression was significantly enhanced in cancerous tissues compared to that in normal tissues (P < 0.001, Mann-Whitney U test and paired t test). Surprisingly, the X form could be detected in some patients with and without cancer, but the detection rate was significantly higher in patients with cancer (86.8% vs 52.6%, respectively; P = 0.021, Fisher's exact test). Although the X transcript was detected at a low level compared to the H and Y + Z transcripts, its expression was also significantly enhanced in patients with cancers compared to those without cancers (P < 0.001, Mann-Whitney U test and paired t test).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An increased level of hepatic transcripts may be important in cancer transformation because the transcripts contribute to enhance ST6Gal I expression in cancerous tissues.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital and Institute of Clinical Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Peng Hui
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Wen Ling
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Yan Ru
authors.initials: YR
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Chi Mou
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Juang
authors.forename: Yi Jen
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Hsiang Tai
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Chao
authors.forename: Ying Chieh
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: Chiou Chung
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Yuan
mesh_terms: D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012799:Sialyltransferases / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D000094802:beta-D-Galactoside alpha 2-6-Sialyltransferase
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012799:Sialyltransferases; D000094802:beta-D-Galactoside alpha 2-6-Sialyltransferase