Japan Science and Technology Agency

Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Inc.

Local Government of Aichi Prefecture

Shunsuke Kurei

Reiji Kannagi

Mineko Izawa

Kazue Watanabe

Naoko Kimura

[PROBLEMS] To provide examination methods and reagents able to detect efficiently cancer patients and patients at high risk of cancer. [MEANS FOR SOLVING PROBLEMS] Significant differences in the distribution of GlcNAc-6-sulfotransferase isozymes, sulfation enzymes of sugar residues, between non-carcinoma tissues and carcinoma tissues or adenoma tissues were discovered. The discovery is evidently applicable to detect carcinomas and adenomas (except colorectal carcinomas and colorectal adenomas) specifically by assaying a certain range of GlcNAc-6-sulfated sugar residue groups in tissues of patients and in fecal samples. Examination of carcinomas and adenomas is possible by the use of antibodies reacting specifically with GlcNAc-6-sulfated sugar residues specifically synthesized by enzymes present in carcinoma and adenoma tissues.

Growing community of inventors

Nagano, Japan

Shunsuke Kurei