Glycosylation of proteins in healthy and pathological human renal tissues

Cancer development is connected with improper glycosylation of proteins. There are alterations in synthesis and expression of sugar structures. These changes can be important not only at early steps of tumor development but also in next stages connected with cancer invasiveness and its ability to form metastases. Oligosaccharide structures of glycans in tumors deviate from normal cells. Particularly relatively increased degrees of branching and sialylation of N-glycans, enhanced presentation of short-chain mucin-type O-glycans with sialylation and alterations in the expression of blood group ABO and Lewis epitopes can be observed. The main aim of our study was to assess changes in glycosylation of proteins in healthy, intermediate and cancer renal tissues. The study was performed on tissues taken from 15 clinical patients. The relative amounts of sugar structures of proteins with molecular mass above 30 kDa were determined by ELISA test with biotinylated lectins highly specific to proper sugar antigens. Higher expresion of all examined structures was revealed in cancer tissues. Increased levels of sialic acid, fucose, T and Tn antigens, in comparison with healthy state, are characteristic alterations of cancers cell

The Role of Tobacco Smoke in Bladder and Kidney Carcinogenesis: A Comparison of Exposures and Meta-analysis of Incidence and Mortality Risks.

Context Tobacco smoke includes a mix of carcinogens implicated in the etiology of bladder cancer (BC) and renal cell cancer (RCC). Objective We reviewed the impact of tobacco exposure on BCC and RCC incidence and mortality, and whether smoking cessation decreases the risk. Evidence acquisition A systematic review of original articles in English was performed in August 2013. Meta-analysis of risks was performed using adjusted risk ratios where available. Publication bias was assessed using Begg and Egger tests. Evidence synthesis We identified 2683 papers, of which 114 fulfilled our inclusion criteria, of which 90 studies investigated BC and 24 investigated RCC. The pooled relative risk (RR) of BC incidence was 2.57 (95% confidence interval [CI] 2.37–2.78) for all smokers, 3.37 (3.01–3.78) for current smokers, and 1.98 (1.76–2.22) for former smokers. The corresponding pooled RR of BC disease-specific mortality (DSM) was 1.79 (1.40–2.29), 1.89 (1.29–2.78) and 1.66 (1.10–2.52). The pooled RR of RCC incidence was 1.27 (1.18–135) for all smokers, 1.29 (1.14–1.46) for current smokers, and 1.14 (1.06–1.22) for former smokers. The corresponding RCC DSM risk was 1.20 (1.02–1.41), 1.32 (1.08–1.62), and 1.01 (0.85–1.18). Conclusions We present an up-to-date review of tobacco smoking and BC and RCC incidence and mortality. Tobacco smoking significantly increases the risk of BC and RCC incidence. BC incidence and DSM risk are greatest in current smokers and lowest in former smokers, indicating that smoking cessation confers benefit. We found that secondhand smoke exposure is associated with a significant increase in BC risk. Patient summary Tobacco smoking affects the development and progression of bladder cancer and renal cell cancer. Smoking cessation reduces the risks of developing and dying from these common cancers. We quantify these risks using the most up-to-date results published in the literature

Glycosylation of mucins present in gastric juice: the effect of helicobacter pylori eradication treatment

It is suggested that gastric mucins, and in particular some specific glycan structures that can act as carbohydrate receptors, are involved in the interactions with Helicobacter pylori adhesins. The main aim of our study was to evaluate glycosylation pattern of glycoproteins of gastric juice before and at the end of eradication therapy. Gastric juices were taken from 13 clinical patients and subjected to analysis. Pooled fractions of the void volume obtained after gel filtration were subjected to ELISA tests. To assess the relative amounts of carbohydrate structures, lectins and monoclonal antibodies were used. Changes in the level of MUC 1 and MUC 5AC mucins and of carbohydrate structures, which are suggested to be receptors for Helicobacter pylori adhesins, were observed by the end of the eradication treatment. Our results support the idea about the involvement of MUC 5AC and MUC 1 with some specific sugar structures in the mechanism of Helicobacter pylori infection

Changes of the expression of Lewis blood group antigens in glycoproteins of renal cancer tissues

Sialic acid and sialyl Lewisa/x are found on N- and O-glycans of many human malignant cells. Carbohydrate antigens can be used as tumor markers, and an increase of their levels in cancer cells is associated with tumor progression. The aim of this study was to assess the level of some Lewis blood group antigens on glycoproteins in tumor (cancer tissue), intermediate zone (adjacent to tumor tissue), and normal renal cortex/medulla (uninvolved by tumor). The study was performed on tissues taken from 30 patients. Relative amounts of sugar structures of proteins with molecular masses above 30 kDa were determined by ELISA-like test with biotinylated lectins: MAA (Maackia amurensis), SNA (Sambucus nigra), and monoclonal antibodies anti-sialyl Lewisa/x.. Higher expression of all examined structures was revealed in cancer tissues. Significant increases were observed for sialic acid linked α 2-3 in cancer tissues when compared to healthy ones and also among intermediate and healthy tissues. The sialic acid linked α 2-6 and sialyl Lewisx structures were significantly increased in cancerous cells when compared to normal and intermediate renal tissue. In case of sialyl Lewisa antigen, a significant difference was discovered between normal and intermediate tissue. Our results confirm that the examined Lewis antigens can be involved in tumor development. Their increase in cancer tissues can suggest their specific role in the process