The expression of keratan sulfate in malignant melanoma enhances the adhesion and invasion activity of melanoma cells. Issue 10 (10th July 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Tachibana, Kota; Ohkawa, Yuki; Kanto, Noriko; Maeda, Kento; Ohe, Shuichi; Isei, Taiki; Harada, Yoichiro; Taniguchi, Naoyuki
• Is Part Of: Journal of dermatology. Volume 49:Issue 10(2022)
• Page Start: 1027
• Page End: 1036
• Publication Date: 2022-07-10
• Subjects: cell adhesion -- glycan -- invasion -- keratan sulfate -- melanoma -- paxillin; Dermatology -- Periodicals; Dermatology -- Japan -- Periodicals; Skin -- Diseases -- Periodicals; 616.5005
• DOI: 10.1111/1346-8138.16506
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0385-2407

Abstract

Abstract: Mammals express a wide variety of glycans that include N‐glycans, O‐glycans, proteoglycans, glycolipids, etc. Glycan expression can modulate the cellular functions, and hence is strongly involved in the onset and progression of numerous diseases. Here, we report the relevance of the ectopic expression of keratan sulfate (KS) glycan chains in human malignant melanomas. Using a human melanoma cell line, we found that the KS enhanced the invasiveness of the cells but caused no change in the growth rate of the cells. The phosphorylation of paxillin, a focal adhesion‐associated adaptor protein, was strong at the region where KS was expressed in the melanoma tissues, indicating that KS stimulated the phosphorylation of paxillin. We also observed that KS enhanced the adhesion of melanoma cells and this was accompanied by a greatly increased level of phosphorylation of paxillin. These data suggest that the expression of KS contributes to the development of malignant phenotypes such as strong cell adhesion and the invasiveness of melanoma cells.