Polypeptide N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase 6 disrupts mammary acinar morphogenesis through O-glycosylation of fibronectin

Neoplasia. 2011 Apr;13(4):320-6. doi: 10.1593/neo.101440.

Abstract

A high expression of short and immature O-glycans is one of the prominent features of breast cancer cells, which would be attributed to the upregulated expression of glycosyltransferases. Therefore, a detailed elucidation of glycosyltransferases and their substrate(s) may improve our understandings for their roles in mammary carcinogenesis. Here we report that overexpression of polypeptide N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase 6 (GALNT6), a glycosyltransferase involved in the initial step of O-glycosylation, has transformational potentials through disruptive acinar morphogenesis and cellular changes similar to epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in normal mammary epithelial cell, MCF10A. As one of the critical O-glycan substrates, we identified fibronectin that was O-glycosylated in vivo and thereby stabilized by GALNT6. Because knockdown of fibronectin abrogated the disruptive proliferation caused by introduction of GALNT6 into epithelial cells, our findings suggest that GALNT6-fibronectin pathway should be a critical component for breast cancer development and progression.

MeSH terms

  • Breast Neoplasms / genetics
  • Breast Neoplasms / pathology
  • Carcinoma / genetics
  • Carcinoma / pathology
  • Cell Line
  • Disease Progression
  • Female
  • Fibronectins / metabolism*
  • Gene Knockdown Techniques
  • Glycosylation
  • Humans
  • Isoenzymes / genetics
  • Isoenzymes / metabolism
  • Isoenzymes / physiology
  • Mammary Glands, Human / anatomy & histology
  • Mammary Glands, Human / growth & development*
  • Mammary Glands, Human / metabolism*
  • Mammary Glands, Human / pathology
  • Models, Biological
  • Morphogenesis / genetics*
  • N-Acetylgalactosaminyltransferases / antagonists & inhibitors
  • N-Acetylgalactosaminyltransferases / genetics
  • N-Acetylgalactosaminyltransferases / metabolism
  • N-Acetylgalactosaminyltransferases / physiology*
  • Polypeptide N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase
  • Protein Stability
  • Transfection

Substances

  • Fibronectins
  • Isoenzymes
  • N-Acetylgalactosaminyltransferases