Loss and Recovery of Mgat3 and GnT-III Mediated E-cadherin N-glycosylation Is a Mechanism Involved in Epithelial-Mesenchymal-Epithelial Transitions

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2012

Authors

Pinho, SS (Author) Other; Oliveira, P (Author) Other; Cabral, J (Author) Other; Carvalho, S (Author) Other; Huntsman, D (Author) Other; Gaerter, F (Author) Other; Seruca, R (Author) FMUP; Celso Reis (Author) ICBAS; Oliveira, C (Author) Other

Journal

Title: PLoS ONE

Vol. 7 No. 4

Final page: e33191

ISSN: 1932-6203

Publisher: Public Library of Science

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 78 Citations

Scopus - 86 Citations

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-002-C3R

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0033191

Abstract (EN): Background: N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase-III (GnT-III) is a glycosyltransferase encoded by Mgat3 that catalyzes the addition of beta 1,4-bisecting-N-acetylglucosamine on N-glycans. GnT-III has been pointed as a metastases suppressor having varying effects on cell adhesion and migration. We have previously described the existence of a functional feedback loop between E-cadherin expression and GnT-III-mediated glycosylation. The effects of GnT-III-mediated glycosylation on E-cadherin expression and cellular phenotype lead us to evaluate Mgat3 and GnT-III-glycosylation role during Epithelial-Mesenchymal- Transition (EMT) and the reverted process, Mesenchymal-Epithelial-Transition (MET). Methodology/Principal Findings: We analyzed the expression profile and genetic mechanism controlling Mgat3 expression as well as GnT-III-mediated glycosylation, in general and specifically on E-cadherin, during EMT/MET. We found that during EMT, Mgat3 expression was dramatically decreased and later recovered when cells returned to an epithelial-like phenotype. We further identified that Mgat3 promoter methylation/demethylation is involved in this expression regulation. The impact of Mgat3 expression variation, along EMT/MET, leads to a variation in the expression levels of the enzymatic product of GnT-III (bisecting GlcNAc structures), and more importantly, to the specific modification of E-cadherin glycosylation with bisecting GlcNAc structures. Conclusions/Significance: Altogether, this work identifies for the first time Mgat3 glycogene expression and GnT-III-mediated glycosylation, specifically on E-cadherin, as a novel and major component of the EMT/MET mechanism signature, supporting its role during EMT/MET.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 9