O-linked N-acetylglucosamine transferase (OGT) is overexpressed and promotes O-linked protein glycosylation in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

The aim of this present study was to explore the expression and clinical significance of O-linked N-acetylglu-cosamine (O-GlcNAc) transferase (OGT) and enzymatic O-linked glycosylation (O-GlcNAcation) through the addition of O-linked-β-N-acetylglucosamine in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. OGT expression and O-GlcNAcation in 40 samples from patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma was detected by im-munohistochemical staining with anti-OGT antib ody and O-GlcNAc-specific antibody RL₂, respectively. The relationship between pathological and clinical factors of patients was analyzed. We found that the expression of OGT was higher in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma samples compared to the normal tissues. RL₂ antibody level was positively correlated with OGT expression, and the metastasis of lymph node, which means the level of O-GlcNAcation was high and related to the metastasis of lymph node in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. In conclusion, OGT activation is the main reason for promoting the level of O-GlcNAcation in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. O-GlcNAcylation may play an important role in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.