title: The role of TF- and Tn-antigens in breast cancer metastasis.
abstract: Almost 40 years ago, researchers found out that the Thomsen-Friedenreich (TF) and the Thomsen nouvelle (Tn) antigens could be detected in carcinoma, but not in healthy tissue. A short time after that it became clear that TF and Tn are precursor molecules of the MN-blood group antigens. In normal tissue TF and Tn are coated by glycosyl structures, thereby forming the glycoproteins which are known to account for the MN-blood group, but in malignant tissue these molecules are uncovered.TF, which has an additional Galectin-residue compared to Tn, is correlated with a more favourable prognosis for patients. On the contrary, patients with Tn-bearing tissues have a worse prognosis for overall and progression-free survival. It is known that TF and Tn are involved in the adhesion of tumour cells to the endothelium via a mechanism recruiting Galectin-3 and MUC-1, which is the first step in metastasis formation. Furthermore, it became clear that this pathway can be blocked by a growing number of molecules, thereby creating ways of therapeutical intervention.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Alexandra C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Kölbl
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich, Munich, Germany. udo.jeschke@med.uni-muenchen.de.
authors.forename: Udo
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Jeschke
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Klaus
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Friese
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Andergassen
mesh_terms: D015295:Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate / Q000378:metabolism*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D015295:Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate; C040286:Tn antigen; C016467:Thomsen-Friedenreich antigen