[Glycolipid alterations in human kidney carcinoma]

Lactosylceramide sulfate and galactosylceramide sulfate were found to be increased markedly in human renal cell carcinoma (adenocarcinoma) as compared to uninvolved tissue, while neither of them were found in human nephroblastoma tissues. Activities of two sulfotransferases toward galactosyl ceramide and lactosylceramide as substrates were significantly elevated in the renal cell carcinoma compared to the uninvolved, endorsing enhanced synthesis of the two sulfatides in the renal cell carcinoma. The levels of elevated activities of two sulfotransferases were parallel in most renal cell carcinomas. In nephroblastoma tissues, the activity of sulfotransferase was not detected or only in trace, if any. No consistent change in the activity of arylsulfatase A which disulfate two sulfatides was observed in nephroblastoma and renal cell carcinoma as compared to that in the uninvolved tissue. In the nephroblastoma and the renal cell carcinoma, neolactosylceramide was detected but not in the uninvolved tissue. The present results show that the increased sulfatide (s) in the renal cell carcinoma and the disappearance of the sulfatides in the nephroblastoma are biochemical characteristics of histologically different carcinoma.