Lectin Treatment Affects Malignant Characteristics of TPC-1 Papillary Thyroid Cancer Cells

Abstract

Objective: Abnormal glycosylation is a universal aspect of cancer cells. The altered glycosylation pattern has been originatedfrom changings in expression of glycosylation enzymes which are up-regulating in reply to some oncoproteins in thebiosynthetic pathway of glycans. In this study, it was aimed to show the presence of terminal α-2,3, α-2,6 sialic acid andα-1,6/α-1,2 fucose motifs in TPC-1 papillary thyroid cancer cells. Also it was aimed to examine the changes in viability andmobility of the cells after exogenously specific lectin treatment.Materials and Methods: In this study, the presence of terminal sugar residues in glycan chains on the cell surface wasdemonstrated using lectin histochemistry and lectin blotting techniques in TPC-1 cells. The changes in the cell viability andproliferation after lectin treatment were assessed using the WST-1 test. The Changes in the cell mobility after lectin treatment,however, were assessed using the wound healing test.Results: α-2,3, α-2,6 sialic acid and α-1,6/α-1,2 fucose motifs were widespread in the surface of TPC-1 cells. MAL-II (Maackiaamurensis Lectin II) treatment increased the cell proliferation and mobility of TPC-1 cells. Although SNA (Sambucus nigraAglutinin) and AAL (Aleuria aurantia Lectin) treatment did not significantly affect the cell proliferation, SNA and AAL treatmentsupported the mobility of TPC-1 cells.Conclusion: Lectin treatment affect cancerous properties differently depending on the cell type. Also lectin treatment cansupport the malignant behaviour of cancer. For this reason, it is necessary to understand the mechanisms of the lectin effecton the cancer cells.