Gene expression of fucosyl- and sialyl-transferases which synthesize sialyl Lewisx, the carbohydrate ligands for E-selectin, in human breast cancer.

The adhesion of circulating cancer cells to vascular endothelium is an important step in the hematogenous metastasis of cancer. Until recently, it has been believed that carbohydrate antigens are expressed on cancer cells, and E-selectin is expressed on endothelial cells to effect this adhesion. We investigated the gene expression of fucosyl-transferase (Fuc-T) and sialyltransferase (ST), which are involved in the synthesis of sialyl Lewisx (s-Lex) in breast cancer by using Northern blot analysis. The concentration of s-Lex in the cancerous portion was increased, compared to that in the adjacent non-cancerous portion. A correlation was found between the concentration of s-Lex and the amount of Fuc-T VI message in 9 cases of breast cancer tissue. Expression of the Fuc-T III message was found in only one case who expressed s-Lea. No expression of the Fuc-T V or VII message was observed. There was no relationship between the concentration of s-Lex and the amount of ST3N and ST4 transcripts. Similar findings were obtained from an analysis using cell lines derived from human breast cancer. When Fuc-T VI gene was transfected to MCF-7 cells, the expression of s-Lex was markedly induced on MCF-7 cells, and the attachment of cancer cells to endothelial cells was enhanced. These findings suggest that Fuc-T VI is chiefly involved in the synthesis of s-Lex on breast cancer cells.