Sialyl Lewis(a): a tumor-associated carbohydrate antigen involved in adhesion and metastatic potential of cancer cells.

Abstract

Neoplastic transformation is often associated with characteristic changes in the expression of the sialyl Lewis(a) and sialyl Lewis(x) antigens, representing typical tumor-associated carbohydrate antigens. High amounts of sialyl Lewis(a) are present in human adenocarcinomas of the colon, pancreas and stomach. A growing amount of data suggests that this carbohydrate structure is the ligand for E-selectin. Sialylated Lewis structures present on the surface of tumor cells are carried by the carbohydrate chains of glycoproteins and glycolipids. There are several lines of evidence showing that sialyl Lewis(a) is responsible for the adhesion of human cancer cells to endothelium. E-selectin present on endothelial cells mediates these interactions. Selectins and their carbohydrate ligands can thus play an important role in the selective homing of tumor cells during metastasis. However, the presence of sialyl Lewis(a) antigen on the surface of tumor cells and their adhesion to E-selectin-expressing cells in in vitro adhesion assay by itself can not be directly related to metastatic properties of all cancer cells.

Changes of the expression of Lewis blood group antigens in glycoproteins of renal cancer tissues.

“…Malignant transformation of tumor is associated with abnormal glycosylation resulting in the expression of altered carbohydrate determinants including sialyl Le a and sialyl Le x antigens (Ugorski et al, 2002). Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is a kidney cancer that originates from the lining of the proximal convoluted tubule.…”

Changes in H5N1 influenza virus hemagglutinin receptor binding domain affect systemic spread

“…The glycan array profiles of VN1203 and VN1203-HA S227N viruses (2) indicate that both viruses bind to the carbohydrate determinant sialyl lewis x [Neu5Ac␣2-3Gal␤1-4(Fuc␣1-3)GlcNAc], but only VN1203 binds to sialyl lewis a [Neu5Ac␣2-3Gal␤1-3(Fuc␣1-4)GlcNAc] (2). Both sialyl lewis x and sialyl lewis a are important in leukocyte rolling and cancer cell metastasis (35,36).…”

Serum N‐glycan analysis in breast cancer patients – Relation to tumour biology and clinical outcome

“…Serum samples from a total of 104 women were included in the current study. The women were recruited during 1995e1998 as part of a large consecutive study (Micrometastases in Mammary cancer e MicMa) designed to explore the biology of micrometastases in breast cancer as previously described (Naume et al, 2007;Wiedswang et al, 2003). The study was approved by the Norwegian Regional Committee for Medical Research Ethics, Health Region II (reference number S-97103).…”

“…Introduction Molecular profiling of tumours to guide cancer care has increasingly been recognized and is used to classify tumours into several main categories (Sorlie et al, 2001;Weigelt et al, 2008) that differ in biology and response to treatment. Clinical practice continues to base decisions on the molecular profiles of the tumour and on the tumour environment, but tumour molecular profiling requires access to tumour samples and therefore relies on an invasive procedure.…”