PhD Scientific Days 2024

Poster Session L - Health Sciences 1.

Analysis of Chondroitin Sulfate and Heparan Sulfate Glycosaminoglycans in Human Tissues with Different Type of Lung Cancer

Text of the abstract

Analysis of Chondroitin Sulfate and Heparan Sulfate Glycosaminoglycans in Human Tissues with Different Type of Lung Cancer

Introduction:
Lung cancer, the second most commonly diagnosed cancer has the highest mortality rate among all tumor types. Carbohydrates are utilized as diagnostic biomarkers in various cancers. During tumor development, glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) undergo changes in their abundance and structure.
Aims:
Our objective was to conduct a comprehensive quantitative and qualitative glycomic study on samples of small cell lung cancer and different subtypes of non-small cell lung cancer, analyzing both tumor and tumor adjacent regions.
Methods:
GAG chains were digested using bacterial lyases in multiple cycles on the tissue surface. The resulting chondroitin sulfate (CS) and heparan sulfate (HS) disaccharides were extracted from the tissue surface and purified. The analysis was performed on self-packed capillary columns with hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography and weak anion exchange (HILIC-WAX) mixed mode resin with ammonium formate salt gradient using mass spectrometry detection in negative ionization mode.
Results:
Significant changes were observed in the content and sulfation patterns of GAGs. Although the alterations between the lung tumor phenotypes were not as remarkable, some differences could be identified. The abundance of CS was doubled in tumor samples, while the total content of HS did not show significant changes. Additionally, the average degree of sulfation significantly increased in all examined tumor phenotypes. Comparing adenocarcinoma samples to other lung tumor phenotypes, the CS 6-O-/4-O-sulfation ratio was increased. O-sulfated HS components were elevated in the tumor samples.
Conclusion:
Our results emphasize the importance of exploring the role of GAGs in lung cancer development, as several alterations were identified between tumor and tumor-adjacent tissue samples, as well as among different lung tumor phenotypes.
Funding:
Funding from the National Research, Development and Innovation Office (FK131603) is acknowledged. PD acknowledges the Semmelweis 250+ Excellence PhD Scholarship.

E-mail: pal.domonkos@phd.semmelweis.hu
University: Semmelweis University
Supervisor: Dr. Lilla Turiák