The Cancer-Associated Antigens Sialyl Lewis and Sd: Two Opposite Faces of Terminal Glycosylation

Overview

Journal Cancers (Basel)

Publisher MDPI

Specialty Oncology

Date 2021 Nov 13

PMID 34771437

Citations 13

Authors

Fabio DallOlio

Michela Pucci

Nadia Malagolini

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Terminal carbohydrate structures are particularly relevant in oncology because they can serve as cancer markers and alter the phenotype of cancer cells. The Sd antigen and the sialyl Lewis and sialyl Lewis (sLe and sLe) antigens are terminal structures whose biosynthesis is mutually exclusive. In this review, we describe the main features of the Sd antigen in cancer and its relationship with sLe antigens. Information was obtained from an extensive literature search and from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) public database. The Sd biosynthetic enzyme undergoes downregulation in colorectal (CRC) and stomach cancer, while it is ectopically expressed by a minority of breast cancer (BRCA) patients. High expression of is associated with better prognosis and a less malignant gene expression profile in CRC, while the opposite occurs in BRCA. The regulation of expression in CRC is multifactorial, involving gene methylation and miRNA expression. Forced expression of inhibited sLe/sLe and reduced malignancy and stemness in cells constitutively expressing sLe antigens. However, consistent effects were observed upon forced expression and in cells not expressing sLe antigens. Thus, and the Sd antigen exert a tumor-restraining activity in CRC and probably other gastrointestinal cancers, independently of sLe antigens.

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