Changes in composition and sulfation patterns of glycoaminoglycans in renal cell carcinoma

Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) are heterogeneous, linear, highly charged, anionic polysaccharides consisting of repeating disaccharides units. GAGs have some biological significance in cancer progression (invasion and metastasis) and cell signaling. In different cancer types, GAGs undergo specific structural changes. In the present study, in depth investigation of changes in sulfation pattern and composition of GAGs, heparan sulfate (HS)/heparin (HP), chondroitin sulfate (CS)/dermatan sulfate and hyaluronan (HA) in normal renal tissue (NRT) and renal cell carcinoma tissue (RCCT) were evaluated. The statistical evaluation showed that alteration of the HS (HS_NRT = 415.1 ± 115.3; HS_RCCT = 277.5 ± 134.3), and CS (CS_NRT = 35.3 ± 12.3; CS_RCCT = 166.7 ± 108.8) amounts (in ng/mg dry tissue) were statistically significant (p < 0.05). Sulfation pattern in NRT and RCCT was evaluated to reveal disaccharide profiles. Statistical analyses showed that RCCT samples contain significantly increased amounts (in units of ng/mg dry tissue) of 4S_CS (NRT = 25.7 ± 9.4; RCCT = 117.1 ± 73.9), SE_CS (NRT = 0.7 ± 0.3; RCCT = 4.7 ± 4.5), 6S_CS (NRT = 6.1 ± 2.7; RCCT = 39.4 ± 34.7) and significantly decreased amounts (in units of ng/mg dry tissue) of NS6S_HS (RCCT = 28.6 ± 6.5, RCCT = 10.2 ± 8.0), NS2S_HS (RCCT = 44.2 ± 13.8; RCCT = 27.2 ± 15.0), NS_HS (NRT = 68.4 ± 15.8; RCCT = 50.4 ± 21.2), 2S6S_HS (NRT = 1.0 ± 0.4; RCCT = 0.4 ± 0.3), and 6S_HS (NRT = 60.6 ± 17.5; RCCT = 24.9 ± 12.3). If these changes in GAGs are proven to be specific and sensitive, they may serve as potential biomarkers in RCC. Our findings are likely to help us to show the direction for further investigations to be able to bring different diagnostic and prognostic approaches in renal tumors.