[Structural alterations of the N-linked sugar chains of glycoproteins produced by tumor cells and their clinical application].
Enrichment of complex type N-linked sugar chains containing the Gal beta 1----4GlcNAc beta 1----6(Gal beta 1----4GlcNAc beta 1----2)Man group was found to be the structural background of Warren-Glick phenomenon. This alteration is induced by enhanced expression of N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase V in malignant cells. The phenomenon is positively correlated with the tumorigenicity and the potency of blood-borne metastasis of tumor cells. Further investigation of the surface sugar chains of lectin mutants of mouse B16 melanoma revealed that the occurrence of sialylated tetraantennary sugar chains is essential for the metastasis of tumor cells.