Evaluation of serum fucosyltransferases in malignancy

Transcriptional regulation of the fucosyltransferase VI gene in hepatocellular carcinoma cells

The alpha1,3-fucosyltransferase VI (FUT VI) protein is a key enzyme for synthesis of sialyl Lewis X and Lewis X in epithelial cells. Despite its importance, how FUT VI expression is regulated has not previously been elucidated. In this work, we examined transcriptional regulation of the FUT VI gene in hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells. 5'-Rapid amplification of cDNA ends analysis revealed transcription start sites of FUT VI in HepG2 cells at +65 and +278 nucleotides (nt) downstream of the position registered in the Data Base of Human Transcription Start Sites. We determined promoter regions for FUT VI in HepG2 cells using a luciferase reporter gene assay. The promoter activities of constructs located 5'-upstream of the transcription start site decreased when the -186 to -156 and -56 to -19 nt regions were deleted. Site-directed mutagenesis of these regions revealed that two hepatocyte nuclear factor-4 alpha (HNF-4 alpha) and one octamer binding transcription factor-1 (Oct-1) binding sites are essential for FUT VI transcription. Furthermore, transient over-expression of HNF-4 alpha but not Oct-1 enhanced both FUT VI promoter activities and FUT VI mRNA levels in HuH-7 cells. These results suggest that two defined regions in the 5'-flanking region of the FUT VI transcription start site are critical for FUT VI transcription in HepG2 cells.

Occurrence of alpha 1-2-fucosylation in membrane glycoproteins of Morris hepatoma 7777 but not in liver. Aberrant type of fucosylation in a malignant tissue

A comparative study was undertaken to characterize the linkages of L-fucose in N-glycans of plasma membrane glycoproteins from Morris hepatoma 7777, host liver and kidney cortex, as well as from rat serum. After in-vivo radiolabelling of rats with L-[6-3H]fucose, the asparagine-linked carbohydrate chains were released from delipidated plasma membrane glycoproteins, as well as from serum glycoproteins, by enzymic digestion with peptide-N4-(N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminyl)asparagine amidase from Flavobacterium meningosepticum. They were then converted to their corresponding oligosaccharide alditols by reduction with sodium borohydride. Two specific alpha-L-fucosidases from almond emulsin and from Aspergillus niger, combined with affinity HPLC on immobilized Aleuria aurantia lectin were used to study the linkage of L-fucose in the oligosaccharide chains. Fucose alpha 1-2 linked to galactose, was present only in the plasma membrane of hepatoma 7777 (18% of total L-[3H]fucose in N-glycans), but was not expressed in host liver, kidney cortex and serum. None of the investigated sources contained an appreciable amount of fucose alpha 1-3/4 linked to N-acetyl-D-glucosamine. All the radioactively labelled oligosaccharides from host liver, kidney cortex and serum, but only 82% of these oligosaccharides from hepatoma, contained alpha-fucosyl residues linked at the C6 position of the proximal N-acetyl-D-glucosamine.

Use of N-acetyl-2'-O-methyllactosamine as a specific acceptor for the determination of alpha-L-(1----3)-fucosyltransferase in human serum

A synthetic substrate, N-acetyl-2'-O-methyllactosamine, was employed as a specific acceptor for alpha-L-(1----3)-fucosyltransferase from human serum. The fucosyl linkage of the product from this substrate was characterized by hydrolysis with a specific alpha-L-(1----3)/(1----4)-fucosidase. Using this acceptor, the pH optimum for the serum alpha-L-(1----3)-fucosyltransferase was 6.5. The enzyme was activated by Mn2+ or Mg2+ ions and was inhibited by EDTA. The apparent Km for this enzyme using N-acetyl-2'-O-methyllactosamine was 20.4 mM and Vmax was 5.6 pmol/h/ml serum.