Differential expression of β1,3galactosyltransferases in human colon cells derived from adenocarcinomas or normal mucosa1

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Abstract
Two β1,3galactosyltransferases are detected in human colon cells: one corresponds to β3GalT1, the other (β3GalTx) is found to be different from any cloned β3GalT since in vitro it utilizes GlcNAc very efficiently under specific reaction conditions. Expression of β3GalT1 transcript is high in normal colon mucosa and control neuroectodermal cells, which do not express sialyl‐Lewis a antigen, and low in colon adenocarcinoma cells, as assessed by competitive RT‐PCR. β3GalTx activity is high in adenocarcinoma cells expressing sialyl‐Lewis a and undetectable in all other cells, suggesting differential involvement and opposite regulation of such enzymes during carcinogenesis.