[Glycosyltransferase inhibitors and study of UDP-galactose-globoside galactosyltransferase]

There is now a large body of evidence indicating that glycoconjugates are involved in a wide variety of processes that influence cell growth, differentiation, cell sociological behavior and response to environmental conditions. The synthesis and expression of this class of compounds appears to be regulated to a large extent by the activities of the glycosyltransferases which are responsible for their biosynthesis. The level of glycosyltransferase activities in cells could be regulated at many levels. Thus, factors that influence transcription and splicing of the transferase genes, stability of the mRNAs, translation, and post-translation processes are all probably involved. Post-translation processes that affect the level of enzyme activity could include proteolytic degradation, glycosylation, phosphorylation, sulfation, acylation, and the presence of activator and inhibitory factors. Although the presence of a least seven different glycosyltransferase inhibitors have been reported, this type of regulation has received relatively little attention. It appears from the data cited in this review that in many instances, cellular inhibitors of glycosyltransferase activities may play a key role in the regulation of transferase activities and the expression of glycoconjugates. This type of post-translational regulation of glycosyltransferase activities deserves increased attention.