ST3Gal IV is one of the principal sialyltransferases responsible for the biosynthesis of α2, 3-sialic acid to the termini N-glycans or O-glycans of glycoproteins and glycolipids. It has been reported that ST3Gal IV expression is associated with gastric carcinoma, pancreatic adenocarcinoma and breast cancer. While the expression and functions of ST3Gal IV in cervical cancer are still poorly understood. In this study, we found that ST3Gal IV was downregulated in human cervical cancer tissues compared to normal cervix tissues, and ST3Gal IV expression was negatively associated with the pathological grade of cervical cancer. ST3Gal IV upregulation inhibited the growth and proliferation of cervical cancer HeLa and SiHa cells in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, ST3Gal IV overexpression enhanced the expression of several Notch pathway components such as Jagged1, Notch1, Hes1 and Hey1, while cell cycle protein expression like Cyclin D1, Cyclin E1, CDK2 and CDK4 were decreased. These results indicate that expression of ST3Gal IV is reduced in cervical cancer and plays a negative role in cell proliferation via Notch/p21/CDKs signaling pathway. Thus, sialyltransferase ST3Gal IV might be a target for the diagnosis and therapy of cervical cancer.
Bladder cancer (BLCA) is the most common malignant tumor of the urinary system, with distant metastasis of the tumor being the main cause of death. The identification of an effective biomarker may provide a novel direction for BLCA diagnosis and treatment. The aim of the present study was to screen the BLCA-related genes involved in sialyl transferase (ST) dysregulation and to investigate the functional mechanisms of α-2,8-ST1 (ST8SIA1) in BLCA cells. Data from The Cancer Genome Atlas and Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis databases suggested that the mRNA expression levels of ST8SIA1 were decreased in BLCA tissues compared with normal tissues, which was also demonstrated using immunohistochemistry and western blot analysis. The expression levels of ST8SIA1 were negatively associated with the pathological grade and invasiveness of BLCA. Western blot analysis revealed that the expression levels of ST8SIA1 were lower in BLCA cell lines than in a normal urothelial cell line. CCK-8, flow cytometry, wound healing, colony formation and Transwell assays indicated that ST8SIA1 overexpression attenuated the proliferation, migration and invasion of T24 and 5637 BLCA cells. Further experiments revealed that ST8SIA1 could inhibit the phosphorylation of Janus kinase (JAK)2 and STAT3, as well as decrease the expression levels of JAK/STAT pathway-targeting signal molecules, including MMP2, proliferating cell nuclear antigen, cyclin D1 and Bcl2 in two BLCA cell lines. In conclusion, to the best of our knowledge, the present study was the first to indicate that the antitumor effect of ST8SIA1 in BLCA cells was mediated by the JAK/STAT signaling pathway, and the results provided a novel target for the diagnosis and treatment of BLCA.
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