Clinical significance of GalNAcylated glycans in cholangiocarcinoma: Values for diagnosis and prognosis

• Published in: Clinica chimica acta 2018-02, Vol.477, p.66-71
• Main Authors: Saentaweesuk, Waraporn, Silsirivanit, Atit, Vaeteewoottacharn, Kulthida, Sawanyawisuth, Kanlayanee, Pairojkul, Chawalit, Cha'on, Ubon, Indramanee, Somsiri, Pinlaor, Somchai, Boonmars, Thidarut, Araki, Norie, Wongkham, Chaisiri
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Bile duct cancer; Biomarker; Carbohydrate antigen; GalNAc-transferase; Glycosylation; Lectin
• ISSN: 0009-8981; 1873-3492
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cca.2017.12.005

Cancer cells exhibited the aberrant cancer-associated glycans that are potential biomarkers for diagnosis and monitoring of the cancer. In this study, Sophora japonica agglutinin (SJA) was used to detect SJA-specific N-acetylgalactosamine-associated glycans (SNAG) in liver tissues and sera from cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) patients. Whether SNAG could be the diagnostic and prognostic markers for CCA was evaluated. SJA-histochemistry revealed that SNAG was undetec2 in normal bile ducts but was highly expressed in hyperplastic/dysplastic bile ducts and CCA. SNAG was negative in hepatocytes and hepatoma tissues indicating SNAG as a differential marker of CCA and hepatoma. SJA-histochemistry of CCA hamster tissues revealed the involvement of SNAG in the early pathogenesis of bile duct epithelia and CCA development. A SJA-based ELISA was successfully developed to determine SNAG in serum. Serum-SNAG from CCA patients was significantly higher than those of non-CCA control groups with the diagnostic values of 59.5% sensitivity and 73.6% specificity, comparable to those of serum CA19-9. High levels of serum SNAG (≥69AU/ml) indicated poor survival of CCA patients. Taken together, SNAG was first demonstrated here to be a glycobiomarker for diagnosis and prognosis of CCA. Association of SNAG with pathogenesis of bile ducts and CCA development were suggested. (198). •SJA-specific N-acetylgalactosamine glycan (SNAG) was elevated in CCA tissues.•SNAG histochemistry can differentiate CCA from HCC.•SJA-sandwich ELISA was developed to detect SNAG in serum.•High serum-SNAG was related with shorter survival of CCA patients.•Serum-SNAG could be used as diagnostic and prognostic markers for CCA.