Dramatic changes in glycolipid metabolism associated with oncogenic transformation implicate a specific role for membrane glycolipids in regulation of cell growth and cellular recognition. These changes give rise to tumor specific membrane antigens which are useful diagnostically and as potential targets for immunotherapy. Although many examples of these tumor antigens have been documented, not much information is available relating to the mechanism of regulation of biosynthesis which prevents expression of these carbohydrate structures in normal cells and tissues and is activated to produce them in association with oncogenesis. A variety of lacto-series based carbohydrate antigens have been described to occur in human adenocarcinomas. Recent evidence has shown that activation of a normally unexpressed beta 1 leads to 3N-acetyl-glucosaminyltransferase required for lacto-series chain synthesis occurs in colonic epithelial cells and results in accumulation of these antigens. This application proposes to extend these observations to study in detail interactions of this and other enzyme activities associated with the synthesis of a variety of end-stage structures which occur in these tumors. The beta 1 leads to 3N- acetylglucosaminyltransferase which is activated in association with oncogenesis will be extensively studied. This activity will be characterized in adenocarcinoma cell lines, purified to homogeneity from a soluble source such as serum or milk and this enzyme studied in terms of its physical properties, antibodies will be prepared against it and these antibodies will be used in studies to isolate cDNA clones which encode the enzyme. This will then lead to studies of the regulation of gene expression during both development and oncogenesis. These studies will provide further information relating to the biochemical changes occurring in association with oncogenesis which gives rise to an important and potentially useful series of human tumor antigens, lacto-series based carbohydrate antigens.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Type
Modified Research Career Development Award (K04)
Project #
5K04CA001343-05
Application #
2084001
Study Section
Pathology B Study Section (PTHB)
Project Start
1988-09-01
Project End
1993-08-31
Budget Start
1992-09-01
Budget End
1993-08-31
Support Year
5
Fiscal Year
1992
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Pacific Northwest Research Institute
Department
Type
DUNS #
City
Seattle
State
WA
Country
United States
Zip Code
98122
Hu, J; Stults, C L; Holmes, E H et al. (1994) Structural characterization of intermediates in the biosynthetic pathway of neolacto glycosphingolipids: differential expression in human leukaemia cells. Glycobiology 4:251-7
Holmes, E H; Macher, B A (1993) Specificity of fucose transfer to GlcNAc residues of extended chain neolacto-series glycolipids catalyzed by human alpha 1-->3fucosyltransferases: effect of the lipidic environment on the myeloid enzyme form. Arch Biochem Biophys 301:190-9
Holmes, E H (1993) Human Lewis alpha 1-->3/4fucosyltransferase: specificity of fucose transfer to GlcNAc beta 1-->3Gal beta 1-->4Glc beta 1-->1Cer (LcOse3Cer). Glycobiology 3:77-81
Holmes, E H; Greene, T G (1993) De novo synthesis of type 1 lacto-series glycolipids in human colonic adenocarcinoma cells: efficient synthesis of the Le(a) antigen and absence of brefeldin A-induced inhibition of its synthesis in Colo 205 cells. Arch Biochem Biophys 305:328-40
Symington, F W; Holmes, E H; Symington, B E (1992) Human epidermal keratinocyte expression of sialyl-Lewis X. J Invest Dermatol 99:601-7
Levery, S B; Holmes, E H; Harris, D D et al. (1992) 1H NMR studies of a biosynthetic lacto-ganglio hybrid glycosphingolipid: confirmation of structure, interpretation of ""anomalous"" chemical shifts, and evidence for interresidue amide-amide hydrogen bonding. Biochemistry 31:1069-80
Sherwood, A L; Greene, T G; Holmes, E H (1992) Stable expression of a cDNA encoding a human beta 1 --> 3galactosyltransferase responsible for lacto-series type 1 core chain synthesis in non-expressing cells: variation in the nature of cell surface antigens expressed. J Cell Biochem 50:165-77
Sherwood, A L; Holmes, E H (1992) Brefeldin A induced inhibition of de novo globo- and neolacto-series glycolipid core chain biosynthesis in human cells. Evidence for an effect on beta 1-->4galactosyltransferase activity. J Biol Chem 267:25328-36
Holmes, E H (1992) Presence of an essential lysine residue in a GDP-fucose protected site of the alpha 1----3fucosyltransferase from human small cell lung carcinoma NCl-H69 cells. Arch Biochem Biophys 296:562-8
Mandel, U; Orntoft, T F; Holmes, E H et al. (1991) Lewis blood group antigens in salivary glands and stratified epithelium: lack of regulation of Lewis antigen expression in ductal and buccal mucosal lining epithelia. Vox Sang 61:205-14

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