Roles of plasma membrane-associated sialidase NEU3 in human cancers.
Altered sialylation of glycosphingolipids is observed in cancer as a ubiquitous phenotype, leading to the appearance of tumor-associated antigens, aberrant adhesion and disturbance of transmembrane signaling. To understand the pathological significance of aberrant alterations of gangliosides in cancer, our studies have been focused on sialidase, which is responsible for the removal of sialic acids from glycoproteins and glycolipids. Among human sialidases so far identified, sialidase NEU3 is a key enzyme for ganglioside degradation because of its uniqueness both in its localization in the plasma membrane and in specifically hydrolyzing gangliosides. NEU3 is markedly up-regulated in many types of cancers including colon and renal carcinomas and suppresses apoptosis of cancer cells. The present paper briefly summarizes our recent results on the sialidase alterations and their significance in cancer. NEU3 is indeed closely related to malignancy and thus may be a potential target for cancer diagnosis and therapy.
Miyagi
Taeko
T
Biochemistry Division, Miyagi Cancer Center Research Institute, 47-1 Nodayama, Medeshima-shiode, Natori, Miyagi, 981-1293, Japan. miyagi-ta173@pref.miyagi.jp
Wada
Tadashi
T
Yamaguchi
Kazunori
K
D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D002292:Carcinoma, Renal Cell / Q000201:enzymology; D021941:Caveolae / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000187:drug effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D005732:Gangliosides / Q000378:metabolism; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000494:pharmacology; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology; D008954:Models, Biological; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D009439:Neuraminidase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011485:Protein Binding / Q000187:drug effects; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D018631:ras Proteins / Q000378:metabolism
D005732:Gangliosides; D015850:Interleukin-6; C465436:Neu3 protein, human; D009439:Neuraminidase; D018631:ras Proteins