EXPRESSION OF ALPHA-1,3-FUCOSYL-TRANSFERASE TYPE-IV AND TYPE-VII GENES IS RELATED TO POOR-PROGNOSIS IN LUNG-CANCER

To date, five alpha-1,3-fucosyltransferase genes (Fuc-TIII, IV, V, VI, and VII) have been cloned, To examine the role of alpha-1,3-fucosyltr ansferase in the synthesis of sialyl Lewis x and the prognosis of lung cancer, PCR amplification of five fucosyltransferase genes and immuno histochemical staining of sialyl Lewis x were performed in 333 patient s with lung cancer who underwent surgical resection from 1980 to 1993. The frequencies of Fuc-TIII/V, Fuc-TVI, Fuc-TIV, and Fuc-TVII express ion were 9%, 26%, 75%, and 66%, respectively, The frequency of sialyl Lewis x expression (75%) was comparable to Fuc-TIV and Fuc-TVII expres sion, However, the grading of sialyl Lewis x staining correlated only with the grading of Fuc-TVII gene amplification, Survival of the patie nts whose tumors showed strong expression of Fuc-TIV and/or FucT-VII w as significantly shorter than that of the patients whose tumors did no t express either Fuc-TIV or Fuc-TVII. These results suggest that Fuc-T IV and Fuc-TVII expression may be of prognostic value among patients w ith lung cancer by participating in the biosynthesis of sialyl Lewis x .