Elevated activity of N -acetylglucosaminyltransferase V in human hepatocellular carcinoma

Abstract

Cell-surface glycoproteins are regarded as candidates for involvement in the spread of tumor cells. N-linked β1-6 branched oligosaccharides may contribute directly to the malignant or metastatic phenotypes of tumor cells. Increased β1-6 branching has been associated with an increased level of N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase V (GlcNAc transferase V), the glycosyltransferase that initiates the β1-6 branching. In this report, 33 pathologically verified hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) specimens, six non-cancerous tissues surrounding HCC and five normal liver specimens have been studied. We have quantified N-linked β1-6 branched oligosaccharides indirectly by measuring GlcNac transferase V activity. The average GlcNac transferase V activities in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), noncancerous tissues surrounding HCC and normal liver tissues were 324.2 ± 269.8, 84.8 ± 20.7 and 7.0 ± 6.2 pmol product h⁻¹ mg protein⁻¹ (P < 0.05) respectively. In addition, the activity was correlated with the TNM classification of HCC. The average activities of GlcNAc transferase V in stages T1, T2–3 and T4 were 77.6 ± 57.8, 369.0 ± 294.7 and 329.9 ± 205.9 pmol product h⁻¹ mg protein h⁻¹ respectively (P < 0.05), showing that the activity of the enzyme in advanced HCC was higher than that in early HCC. Our preliminary results indicated that GlcNAc transferase V activity increased in human HCC and was correlated with its progression.