Correlation between glycoconjugate expression and fucosyltransferase activity in human colorectal carcinoma

Using the surgically extirpated specimens from 9 patients with colorectal carcinoma, fucosyltransferase activities in the carcinoma tissue and the normal mucosa were measured and were compared with the histochemical findings of glycoconjugates which were shown by staining with lectins reacting with blood group antigens and related substances. The fucosyltransferase activities of the carcinoma tissue were well correlated with the overall findings of lectin stainings after neuraminidase treatment. The more intense the carcinoma tissue was stained, the higher the fucosyltransferase activity was shown. However, there were marked differences in the fucosyltransferase activities by the portions measured, depending upon the relative amount of carcinoma tissue and interstitial tissue; in the invasive portion with less carcinoma tissue, the activity was generally low in comparison with that in the surface area where carcinoma tissue was rather abundant. Thus, the morphological and lectin histochemical finding are of paramount importance for the evaluation of glycosyltransferase activity in human colorectal carcinoma.