| Abstract: | Polylactosamine chains, which consist of repeats of the disaccharide βGal(1→4)βGlcNAc(1 →3), are characteristic developmental and tumor associated carbohydrate markers found attached to both glycoproteins and glycolipids.1,2 In addition to the accumulation of such sequences in a number of diseases, these structures are the immediate biosynthetic precursors to poly-Lex determinants, {--βGal(1 →4)αFuc(1 →3)βGlcNAc(1 →3)--)n, which are recognized also as tumor associated antigens,3-4 particularly in adenocarcinomas.5 |
