Change of isoforms' spectra of alpha-L-fucosidase from human skin fibroblasts in intracellular storage of nonhydrolyzable substances

Glycobiology: progress, problems, and perspectives

This review highlights different aspects of glycobiology with analysis of recent progress in the study of biosynthesis, degradation, and biological role of glycoconjugates and of hereditary diseases related to the metabolism of these compounds. In addition, the review presents some analysis of the papers of other authors who have contributed to this special issue.

Changes on the Caco-2 secretome through differentiation analyzed by 2-D differential in-gel electrophoresis (DIGE)

Colorectal cancer is still a major health burden worldwide, and its diagnosis has not improved in recent years due to a lack of appropriate diagnostic serum markers. Aiming to find new diagnostic proteins, we applied the proteomic DIGE technology to analyze changes in the secretome before/after differentiation of the colon adenocarcinoma Caco-2 cell line, an accepted in vitro model to study colorectal tumorigenesis. When the secretomes from undifferentiated (tumor-like) and differentiated cells (resembling healthy enterocytes) were compared, we found 96 spots differentially expressed. After MS/MS analysis, 22 spots corresponding to 15 different proteins were identified. Principal component analysis demonstrated these 22 spots could serve as a discriminatory panel between the tumor-like and normal-like cells. Among the identified proteins, the translationally-controlled tumor protein (TCTP), the transforming growth factor-beta-induced protein ig-h3 (TGFβIp), and the Niemann-Pick disease type C2 protein (NPC2) are interesting candidates for future studies focused on their utility as serum biomarkers of colorectal cancer.

The multiple cases of Fabry disease in a Russian family caused by an E341K amino acid substitution in the alpha-galactosidase A

A large Russian family with multiple cases of Fabry disease in several generations is presented. Fourteen family members were clinico-biochemically examined. Among 12 adult children (19-32 years old) of one couple, five sons manifested angiokeratotic skin lesions and other Fabry symptoms. Biochemical studies including an enzyme assay, the analysis of glycosphingolipid excretion and isoelectric focusing of a patient leukocyte extract allowed us to identify Fabry disease in four affected brothers and to establish the heterozygous status of their mother. The analysis of genomic DNA of four patients and their mother revealed a novel E341K missense mutation caused by a G to A transition (codon 341 GAA-AAA) in the alpha-galactosidase A gene.