Aberrant fucosylation of glycosphingolipids in human hepatocellular carcinoma tissues

Abstract Backgrounds & Aims Glycosylation promoting or inhibiting tumour cell invasion and metastasis is of crucial importance in current cancer research. Tumour‐associated carbohydrate antigens are predominantly expressed on the tumour cell surface. Glycosphingolipids ( GSL s) are members of the family. To perform glycosphingolipidomic assays on neutral GSL s obtained from solid hepatocellular carcinoma ( HCC ) tissues and paired peritumoural tissues by linear ion trap quadrupole‐electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. Methods Qualitative and quantitative analysis of fucosylated neutral GSL s was performed in the positive ion mode on the LTQ ‐ XL mass spectrometer and MALDI ‐ TOF ‐ MS . Results A group of fucosylated neutral GSL s in HCC was found to be expressed higher in the tumour tissues, as their proportion in total cellular GSL s was 3.3‐fold higher in the tumour tissues than in the peritumoural tissues (P < 0.01). Moreover, qualitative analysis of the aberrant fucosylated GSL s were completed, and seven types of fucosylated GSL s that contained terminal Fuca2Gal‐ structure were identified by mass spectrometry. Conclusions Our results may lead to improved immunotherapy of HCC and contribute to understanding the role of aberrant fucosylated GSL s in the development and progress of HCC in following studies.