Aberrant α1→2Fucosyltransferases Found in Human Colorectal Carcinoma Involved in the Accumulation of Leb and Y Antigens in Colorectal Tumors

Evidence indicates that the presence of aberrant α 1→2fucosylation pathways is responsible for the accumulation of large quantities of Le^b and Y antigens in human colorectal carcinoma. Significantly higher activities of α 1→2 as well as α 1→3 and α 1→4fucosyltransferases were found in most of the tissues from carcinoma than in the adjacent normal tissues and in healthy subjects. α 1→2Fucosyl-transferases associated with the synthesis of Le^b (Fucal→2Gal β 1→3[Fucc1→4]GlcNAc β ) and Y (Fuc α 1→2Ga1 β→ 4[Fuc α 1→3]GlcNAc β ) structures from Le^→ (GaI β 1→3[Fucal→4]GlcNAcβ) and X (Galβ1→4[Fuc α 1→3]GlcNAc β ) ones, respectively, were demonstrated in colorectal carcinomas and in colorectal carcinoma cell lines (COLO201, LS174T and SW1116). The activation of α 1→2fucosyltransferase with such new substrate specificities in colorectal carcinoma might result in the preferential synthesis of Le^b and Y structures from Le^→ and X rather than from H type 1 and H type 2 structures.