Regulation of sialyl Lewis antigen expression in colon cancer cells by sialidase NEU4.

Sialyl Lewis antigens, sialyl Lewis a and sialyl Lewis x, are utilized as tumor markers, and their increase in cancer is associated with tumor progression by enhancement of cancer cell adhesion to endothelial E-selectin. However, regulation mechanisms are not fully understood. We previously demonstrated that NEU4 is the only sialidase efficiently acting on mucins and it is down-regulated in colon cancer. To elucidate the significance of NEU4 down-regulation, we investigated sialyl Lewis antigens as endogenous substrates for the sialidase. NEU4 was found to hydrolyze the antigens in vitro and decrease cell surface levels much more effectively than other sialidases. Western blot, thin layer chromatography, and metabolic inhibition studies of desialylation products revealed NEU4 to preferentially catalyze sialyl Lewis antigens expressed on O-glycans. Cell adhesion to and motility and growth on E-selectin were significantly reduced by NEU4. E-selectin stimulation of colon cancer cells enhanced cell motility through activation of the p38/Hsp27/actin reorganization pathway, whereas NEU4 attenuated the signaling. On immunocytochemical analysis, some NEU4 molecules were localized at cell surfaces. Under hypoxia conditions whereby the antigens were increased concomitantly with several sialyl- and fucosyltransferases, NEU4 expression was markedly decreased. These results suggest that NEU4 plays an important role in control of sialyl Lewis antigen expression and its impairment in colon cancer.