title: Epigenetic silencing of the sulfate transporter gene DTDST induces sialyl Lewisx expression and accelerates proliferation of colon cancer cells.
abstract: Colon cancer cells express the carbohydrate determinant sialyl Lewis(x), while they exhibit markedly decreased the expression of its sulfated derivative, sialyl 6-sulfo Lewis(x). In contrast, normal colonic epithelial cells strongly express sialyl 6-sulfo Lewis(x), but they virtually do not express sialyl Lewis(x). Impaired sulfation was therefore suggested to occur during the course of malignant transformation of colonic epithelial cells and was assumed to be responsible for the increased sialyl Lewis(x) expression in cancers. To elucidate the molecular biological background of the impaired sulfation in cancers, we studied the expression levels of mRNA for 6-O-sulfotransferase isoenzymes, PAPS synthases and transporters, and a cell membrane sulfate transporter, DTDST, in cancer tissues. The most striking decrease in cancer cells compared with nonmalignant epithelial cells was noted in the transcription of the DTDST gene (P = 0.0000014; n = 20). Most cultured colon cancer cells had a diminished DTDST transcription, which was restored when cultured with histone deacetylase inhibitors. Suppression of DTDST transcription under the control of a tet-off inducible promoter resulted in increased sialyl Lewis(x) expression and reduced sialyl 6-sulfo Lewis(x) expression. Unexpectedly, the growth rate of the cancer cells was markedly enhanced when transcription of DTDST was suppressed. These results show that the decrease in the transcription of the sulfate transporter gene is the major cause of decreased expression of sialyl 6-sulfo Lewis(x) and increased expression of sialyl Lewis(x) in colon cancers. The results also suggest that the diminished DTDST expression is closely related to enhanced proliferation of cancer cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Pathology, Aichi Cancer Center, Nagoya, Japan.
authors.forename: Akiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yusa
authors.forename: Keiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Miyazaki
authors.forename: Naoko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kimura
authors.forename: Mineko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Izawa
authors.forename: Reiji
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kannagi
mesh_terms: D027321:Anion Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002087:Butyrates / Q000494:pharmacology; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D047369:Chromatin Immunoprecipitation; D003106:Colon / Q000378:metabolism; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D056572:Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D006655:Histone Deacetylases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D016256:Lewis X Antigen / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009844:Oligosaccharides / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D000080506:Sialyl Lewis X Antigen / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D000076988:Sulfate Transporters; D015238:Sulfotransferases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C086949:6'-sulfated sialyl Lewis x; D027321:Anion Transport Proteins; D002087:Butyrates; D056572:Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors; D016256:Lewis X Antigen; D009844:Oligosaccharides; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C089651:SLC26A2 protein, human; D000080506:Sialyl Lewis X Antigen; D000076988:Sulfate Transporters; D015238:Sulfotransferases; D006655:Histone Deacetylases