Expression of UDP-N-acetyl-D-galactosamine: polypeptide N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase-6 in gastric mucosa, intestinal metaplasia, and gastric carcinoma |
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| Authors: | Joana Gomes Nuno T Marcos Nora Berois Eduardo Osinaga Ana Magalh?es Jo?o Pinto-de-Sousa Raquel Almeida Fátima G?rtner Celso A Reis |
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| Institution: | Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology, University of Porto (IPATIMUP), Rua Dr. Roberto Frias s/n, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal. |
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| Abstract: | Aberrant mucin O-glycosylation is often observed in cancer and is characterized by the expression of immature simple mucin-type carbohydrate antigens. UDP-N-acetyl-d-galactosamine:polypeptide N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase-6 (ppGalNAc-T6) is one of the enzymes responsible for the initial step in O-glycosylation. This study evaluated the expression of ppGalNAc-T6 in human gastric mucosa, intestinal metaplasia, and gastric carcinomas. Our results showed that ppGalNAc-T6 is expressed in normal gastric mucosa and in intestinal metaplasia. A heterogeneous expression and staining pattern for this enzyme was observed in gastric carcinomas. ppGalNAc-T6 was expressed in 79% of the cases, and its expression level was associated with the presence of venous invasion. Our results provide evidence that ppGalNAc-T6 is an IHC marker associated with venous invasion in gastric carcinoma and may contribute to the understanding of the molecular mechanisms that underlie aberrant glycosylation in gastric carcinogenesis and in gastric carcinoma. |
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| Keywords: | mucin O-glycosylation ppGalNAc-T6 gastric mucosa intestinal metaplasia gastric carcinoma |
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