Ectopic expression of MECA‐79 as a novel prognostic indicator in gastric cancer

Abstract

The aim of this study was to clarify the clinical implications of a unique carbohydrate determinant, MECA-79, in gastric cancer specimens and cells. Immunohistochemical analysis showed that 62 of 225 (27.6%) cases were defined as positive for MECA-79. MECA-79 expression was correlated with depth of invasion, venous invasion, TNM stage, and distant metastasis. In survival analyses, patients with MECA-79 expression had worse prognosis by the log-rank test. Multivariate analysis of the Cox proportional hazard model showed that MECA-79 expression was an independent factor of a worse cancer-specific survival. Among 11 gastric cancer cells, MECA-79 was observed in only MKN7 cells, which also expressed GlcNAc6ST-2 transcript. A knockdown of GlcNAc6ST-2 in MKN7 cells showed a markedly reduced expression of MECA-79, suggesting that GlcNAc-sulfation of MECA-79 is mainly synthesized by GlcNAc6ST-2. Furthermore, real-time RT-PCR analysis revealed that GlcNAc6ST-2 was significantly increased in cancer tissues compared with paired normal mucosa. In conclusion, the expression of MECA-79 could be a useful marker for the prognosis of gastric cancer. Our results might also provide novel perspectives on the biology of MECA-79 and GlcNAc6ST-2 in cancer progression and metastasis.

High endothelial venules are rare in colorectal cancers but accumulate in extra-tumoral areas with disease progression

“…As reported by others, 21 in some cases, the MECA-79 antibody also stained the tumor epithelium. This was not indicative of HEV, as the morphology of the stained cells was clearly not HEV-like and these structures did not co-express the pan-endothelial marker CD31 indicative of a vessel (data not shown).…”

Apical membrane expression of distinct sulfated glycans represents a novel marker of cholangiolocellular carcinoma

“…In malignant tumors, GlcNAc6ST-2-mediated expression of MECA-79 sulfated glycans is not restricted to liver, pancreas or lymph nodes: Kanoh et al 52 report that GlcNAc6ST-2 is expressed in subtypes of ovarian carcinoma such as mucinous, clear cell, and serous papillary carcinomas. Moreover, Okayama et al 53 reported that MECA-79 sulfated glycans were aberrantly expressed in roughly a quarter of gastric adenocarcinoma cases. Recently, we also reported that 20% of bladder urothelial carcinoma cases express MECA-79 sulfated glycans.…”

Role of sialyl 6‐sulfo Lewis X in antitumor immunity against oral squamous cell carcinoma

“…In the present study, sialyl 6‐sulfo LeX was expressed not only on HEV‐like vessels but also on a fraction of OSCC cells. Recently, we and others reported aberrant expression of sialyl 6‐sulfo LeX in certain carcinomas such as gastric adenocarcinoma and bladder urothelial carcinoma . Okayama et al reported that expression of sialyl 6‐sulfo LeX on carcinoma cells was observed in 27.6% of gastric adenocarcinoma cases, and expression of sialyl 6‐sulfo LeX on carcinoma cells was positively correlated with depth of invasion, venous invasion, distant metastasis, and TNM stage.…”

“…Recently, we and others reported aberrant expression of sialyl 6‐sulfo LeX in certain carcinomas such as gastric adenocarcinoma and bladder urothelial carcinoma . Okayama et al reported that expression of sialyl 6‐sulfo LeX on carcinoma cells was observed in 27.6% of gastric adenocarcinoma cases, and expression of sialyl 6‐sulfo LeX on carcinoma cells was positively correlated with depth of invasion, venous invasion, distant metastasis, and TNM stage. By contrast, in our previous study of bladder urothelial carcinoma, we observed expression of sialyl 6‐sulfo LeX on carcinoma cells in 17.9% of cases, and expression of this sulfated glycan on carcinoma cells did not correlate with any clinicopathologic parameters examined .…”