Abnormal expression of carbohydrate chain and its mechanism in endometrial cancer

An increased rate of expression of Lewis group antigens, particularly Lewisb antigen, was observed in endometrial cancers compared with its expression in normal endometria. In order to elucidate the expression mechanism of Lewisb antigen in endometrial cancer, the level of fucosyltransferase (FT) was examined. The levels of alpha 1-2FT alpha 1-3FT and alpha 1-4FT were higher in endometrial cancer than those in normal endometrium. Endometrial cancer with a poor prognosis tended to react poorly to anti-endometrial cancer monoclonal antibody designated MSN-1, suggesting the possibility that the reactivity to MSN-1 is useful as a new prognostic factor for endometrial cancer. Cells of uterine endometrial cancer cell line SNG-II were classified into two groups according to their reactivity with MSN-1, whose antigen recognized is mainly Lewisb antigen. Using these classified cells of endometrial cancer cell line, it has revealed that the cells which strongly express H type antigen have more tendency to attach to endothelial cells and to cause metastasis than the cells which strongly express Lewisb antigen.