Dynamics of glycoprotein metabolism in familial polyposis coli-derived colonic epithelial tissue.

Familial polyposis coli is a disease state that offers an opportunity to obtain colon tissue in a predictable manner in terms of identifying putative premalignant markers. Our results support the hypothesis that a sequential series of alterations occur in the dynamics of glycoprotein metabolism as normal colonic mucosa progresses to colon adenocarcinoma. Specifically, both nonmalignant polyps and colon adenocarcinoma tissue expressed diminished glycosylation of proteins, whereas an elevated level of activity for membrane-associated glycosyltransferases does not appear until colon cancer itself develops.