Lewis y antigen is expressed in oral squamous cell carcinoma cell lines and tissues, but disappears in the invasive regions leading to the enhanced malignant properties irrespective of sialyl-Lewis x.

Abstract

Expression and implication of carbohydrate antigens in squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) in oral cavity was examined. In the cell lines, type 2H and Lewis y antigens were markedly expressed. In the tissues from SCC patients and benign disorders, type 2H was highly expressed in hyperplasia (96.4 %), displasia (92.9 %) and SCC (100 %). Lewis y was, in turn, expressed mainly in cancer tissues (91.3 %), suggesting that Lewis y is a cancer-associated antigen. Normal oral mucosa showed no expression of these blood group antigens. Surprisingly, Lewis y antigen disappeared in the invasion sites where Ki-67 was definitely stained. Over-expression of Lewis y with manipulation of a fucosyltransferase cDNA resulted in suppression of cell growth and invasion, and knockdown of Lewis y also brought about increased cell growth and invasion. In either situations, no changes in the expression of sialyl-Lewis x could be found. Lowered tumor growth and invasion into surrounding tissues were also shown in Lewis y-positive SCC grafts in nu/nu mice. All these results together with alternative staining between Lewis y and Ki-67 in cancer tissues and FUT1 transfectants suggested that loss of Lewis y is a crucial event for the late stage of SCCs.

• Authors: Hiroshi Hotta, Kazunori Hamamura, Kyoko Yamashita, Hidenobu Shibuya, Noriyo Tokuda, Noboru Hashimoto, Keiko Furukawa, Noriyuki Yamamoto, Hisashi Hattori, Shinya Toyokuni, Minoru Ueda, Koichi Furukawa
• Journal: Glycoconjugate journal (Glycoconj J) Vol. 30 Issue 6 Pg. 585-97 (Aug 2013) ISSN: 1573-4986 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 23242548 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Ki-67 Antigen
• Lewis Blood Group Antigens
• Lewis Y antigen
• Oligosaccharides
• Sialyl Lewis X Antigen
• Fucosyltransferases

Topics

• Animals
• Carcinoma, Squamous Cell (genetics, immunology, metabolism)
• Cell Line, Tumor
• Fucosyltransferases (genetics, metabolism)
• Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
• Humans
• Ki-67 Antigen (genetics, metabolism)
• Lewis Blood Group Antigens (genetics, metabolism)
• Mice
• Mice, Inbred BALB C
• Mouth Mucosa (metabolism, pathology)
• Mouth Neoplasms (genetics, immunology, metabolism)
• Neoplasm Invasiveness
• Neoplasm Transplantation
• Oligosaccharides (genetics, metabolism)
• Organ Specificity
• Sialyl Lewis X Antigen
• Galactoside 2-alpha-L-fucosyltransferase