CELL-CELL INTERACTIONS INFLUENCE OLIGOSACCHARIDE MODIFICATIONS ON MUCINS AND OTHER LARGE GLYCOPROTEINS

Intratumoral phenotypic diversity is well documented with regard to tu mor associated carbohydrate antigens (TACA). The factors which control the expression of these cell-surface oligosaccharides on different ce lls of the same tumor are not understood. We investigated the expressi on of a panel of mucin associated oligosaccharides in cell lines growi ng at different surface densities (number of cells per cm(2) of growth flask). Results show that the apparent expression of extended Le(a)-L e(x), Le(a) and Le(x), sialyl Le(a), Tn and sialyl Tn varies with dens ity of growth by an invasive human squamous cell lung carcinoma cell l ine (NU6-1), a benign variant (NE-18) and the human lung epithelial ce ll line BEAS-2B. The results indicate that one of the factors influenc ing the apparent expression of mucin-associated oligosaccharides is ce ll-cell interactions.