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The influence of membrane mutations on metastasis
Bioscience Reports
|August 1, 1982
Summary
Altering tumor cell surface carbohydrates by selecting for lectin resistance reduced metastasis. Increased fucosyltransferase activity correlated with these changes, suggesting a role in cancer spread.
Area of Science:
- Cancer Biology
- Glycobiology
- Molecular Oncology
Background:
- Tumor cell surface carbohydrates play a role in metastasis.
- Lectin resistance can be used to select for altered cell surface properties.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of surface carbohydrate modifications on the metastatic potential of mouse melanoma cells.
- To identify specific enzymatic changes associated with altered metastasis.
Main Methods:
- Selection of lectin-resistant (wheat germ agglutinin) mouse melanoma cell lines.
- Analysis of surface carbohydrate alterations and associated enzymatic activities (fucosyltransferase, sialyltransferase).
- Selection of revertant cell lines to confirm enzymatic and phenotypic changes.
Main Results:
- Lectin-resistant melanoma cells showed decreased metastasis and significant changes in surface glycopeptides, including loss of sialic acid and addition of fucose.
- An over-60-fold increase in fucosyltransferase activity was identified as the primary enzymatic defect.
- Revertant cell lines exhibited normalized fucosyltransferase activity.
Conclusions:
- Specific alterations in cell surface carbohydrates, particularly fucose incorporation, are linked to reduced metastasis in melanoma.
- Fucosyltransferase activity is a key enzymatic player in regulating tumor cell metastasis.
- Targeting fucosylation may offer a strategy to inhibit cancer cell metastasis.