BLOCKING ADHESION OF CANCER-CELLS TO ENDOTHELIAL-CELL TYPES BY S-AGALACTIAE TYPE-SPECIFIC POLYSACCHARIDES

By using immortalized and normal endothelial cells, we were able to de tect inhibitory effects of type specific polysaccharides from Streptoc occus agalactiae on adhesion of cancer cells to endothelial cells, whi ch is an essential step of cancer metastasis. The inhibition was proba bly due to specific structures of the bacterial polysaccharides, since the structures of the saccharides are very similar to those of cancer specific sialyl Lewis carbohydrates (sialyl Le(a) and Le(x)) which bi nd to ELAM-1 of endothelial cells. This result indicated that the bact erial polysaccharides from S. agalactiae could be very useful and hope ful as cancer metastasis inhibitors.