Increased expression of sialyl Lewis X or A antigens on metastatic cancer cells leads to their selectin-mediated extravasation. Profound fucosylation of the serum microenvironment may be a factor that interrupts adhesion and influences the formation of metastases. In this study we quantitatively analyzed fucosylation of serum glycoproteins in small-cell and non-small-cell lung cancer patients. Fucosylation of four chosen glycoprotein bands was measured as the reactivity with Aleuria aurantia lectin on nitrocellulose blots, preceded by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Relative fucosylation and fucosylation coefficients were calculated by densitometric analysis. Fucosylated oligosaccharides were observed in higher amounts in cancer sera when compared to sera from healthy individuals in all bands analyzed. Glycoproteins of a molecular mass of 29 kDa appear to carry more fucose residues than the 42-kDa band, comprising alpha(1)-acid glycoprotein and haptoglobin. Glycans of the 26-kDa band were fucosylated to a higher extent in non-small-cell vs. small-cell lung cancer. The results suggest that the extent of fucosylation could be a useful marker for estimation of the glycosylation status of serum proteins in cancer patients. Cluster analysis leads to the preliminary suggestion that the fucosylation status could serve as a predictive factor for patient survival.

Further detailed studies may lead up to indicate the biomarkers useful in the management of male reproductive tract disorders.

For human infertility both male and female factors may be equally important. Searching for molecular biomarkers of male infertility, neglected for decades, and the attempts to explain regulatory mechanisms of fertilization become thus extremely important. Apart from examination of the structure and function of male gametes, also the possible importance of seminal plasma components should be considered. In this article we discuss data that indicate for the substantial significance of active seminal plasma components for conception and achievement of healthy pregnancy. Seminal plasma impact on the storage and cryopreservation of human and animal sperm and regulatory role of glycodelin on human sperm capacitation as well as hypothesized course of female immune response to allogenic sperm and conceptus has been discussed. The possible involvement of carbohydrates in molecular mechanism of fetoembryonic defense has been also mentioned.

Carbohydrates are known to mediate some events involved in successful fertilization. Although some studies on the glycosylation of seminal plasma proteins are available, the total glycan profile was rarely analyzed as a feature influencing fertilization potential. In this work we aimed to compare some glycosylation traits in seminal plasma glycoproteins of fertile and infertile men. The following findings emerge from our studies: (1) in human seminal plasma the presence and alterations of O-linked glycans were observed; (2) the expression of SNA-reactive sialic acid significantly differs between asthenozoospermia and both normozoospermic (fertile and infertile) groups; (3) the expression of PHA-L-reactive highly branched N-glycans was significantly lower in oligozoospermic patients than in both normozoospermic groups. Indication of the appropriate lectins that would enable the possibly precise determination of the glycan profile seems to be a good supplement to mass spectrum analysis. Extension of the lectin panel is useful for the further research.

Typical acute phase proteins, haptoglobin and AGP, exhibit different glycosylation profiles in lung cancer. Alterations observed in haptoglobin reflected the disease process better than those in AGP. Comparison of haptoglobin and AGP glycosylation to that observed in total serum suggests that some efficient carriers of disease-altered glycoproteins still remain unidentified.