[Change in acylneuraminic acid content of T-lymphocytes and in plasma in breast cancer]

Abstract

Increased sialic acid levels reflecting tumor burden are found on the surface of T-lymphocytes and in the plasma of patients with carcinoma of the mammary gland. The data of the determinations of sialic acid content and distribution on T-cells, using microanalytical methods such as HPLC and a colorimetric test, show that the total sialic acid content is increased by about 60% and that nearly 80-90% of the sialic acids consist of N-acetyl-9-O-acetyl-neuraminic acid, in comparison to the healthy controls (not containing O-acetylated neuraminic acid). Investigations on lymphocytes of malignant melanoma patients show similar changes of sialic acid content and distribution on the cell surface. Increased sialic acid levels are also found in the plasma of patients with cancer but no O-acetylated derivative can be found. Furthermore the examinations show that the separation of the T-lymphocytes from the total lymphocyte fraction is not required. Determination of sialic acids in the total lymphocyte fraction can be a simplification in carrying out further diagnostic investigations. A high level of sialic acids as "antirecognition factor" seems to be not only a marker of tumor cells but also an attribute of T-lymphocytes, involved in the defence against the malignoma (malignant melanoma, breast cancer). Considering the possible contribution of sialic acid to the immunoregulatory protective mechanism during the first stage of pregnancy, sialic acid content and distribution on T-cells of pregnant women are investigated. Both an increase and a change in the distribution of sialic acids can be excluded.