Characterization of glycosphingolipids from gastrointestinal stromal tumours

Abstract

Gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GISTs) are the major nonepithelial neoplasms of the human gastrointestinal tract with a worldwide incidence between 11 and 15 per million cases annually. In this study the acid and non-acid glycosphingolipids of three GISTs were characterized using a combination of thin-layer chromatography, chemical staining, binding of carbohydrate recognizing ligands, and mass spectrometry. In the non-acid glycosphingolipid fractions of the tumors globotetraosylceramide, neolactotetraosylceramide, and glycosphingolipids with terminal blood group A, B, H, Lex, Lea, Ley and Leb determinants were found. The relative amounts of these non-acid compounds were different in the three tumour samples. The acid glycosphingolipid fractions had sulfatide, and the gangliosides GM3, GD3, GM1, Neu5Acα3neolactotetraosylceramide, GD1a, GT1b and GQ1b. In summary, we have characterized the glycosphingolipids of GISTs and found that the pattern differs in tumours from different individuals. This detailed characterization of glycosphingolipid composition of GISTs could contribute to recognition of new molecular targets for GIST treatment and sub-classification.

Comprehensive characterization of complex glycosphingolipids in human pancreatic cancer tissues

“…( 23 ). In contrast, only a few recent studies showed altered complex GSL in most tumor cells ( 6 , 33 , 34 ). Therefore, this study focuses mainly on tetrasaccharides and larger oligosaccharides with the goal of comparing the GSL profiles of normal and tumor pancreatic tissues and implementing the GSL database for lipidomic analysis.…”

“…Furthermore, GSL with blood group determinants is well known to be synthesized at high levels in the pancreas ( 20 ). Aberrant expression of GSL including alterations in the composition and concentrations of GSL and lipids is a typical hallmark of a wide range of cancers ( 7 , 14 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 ), which has been extensively documented in cancer cell lines ( 22 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 ) or tissues ( 20 , 24 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 ) and also reported in body fluids of cancer patients ( 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 ). Several of the studies mentioned above concluded that the reported dysregulation of lipid metabolism in cancer cells is relevant to distinguish cancer patients from healthy controls, suggesting that changes in lipidomes are strongly associated with cancer progression ( 6 ).…”

Endoscopic full‑thickness resection with clip‑ and snare‑assisted traction for gastric submucosal tumours in the fundus: A single‑centre case series

“…Nevertheless, GISTs have a certain probability of malignant transformation (7). It is estimated that the annual incidence of GIST is approximately 11-15 per million individuals (40,41). Therefore, early diagnosis and treatment are quite significant for GISTs.…”