Fucosylglycolipid Metabolism in Oncornavirus-transformed Cell Lines

Abstract

CONSIDERABLE evidence suggests that modifications of the cell surface are responsible for cardinal properties acquired by malignant cells¹. Investigations of these membrane changes have centred on the heterosaccharide moiety of both proteins and lipids². The status of glycolipids in a wide range of cultured cells transformed by DNA oncogenic viruses has been examined^3–9. Such viral transformations usually resulted in incomplete elongation of the lipid carbohydrate chain, often attributable to a reduction in the activities of certain of the glycosyl transferases^10,11. Sometimes incomplete synthesis of gangliosides was accompanied by accumulation of a precursor glycolipid². Related biochemical lesions were induced by Rous sarcoma virus (RSV), the only RNA oncogenic virus thoroughly examined¹². The work cited concentrated on the chief surface membrane glycolipids, the gangliosides containing sialic acid and their neutral glycolipid precursors¹³. The glycosphingolipids containing fucose, prominent blood group haptens^14–17 and surface components of cultured cells¹⁸ have not been implicated in virus-induced oncogenesis, until this report which used a number of RNA oncogenic virus systems.