Hyaluronic acid regulates cellular UDP-GlcNAc levels through CD44 to affect glycosylation and cell biological functions.

ABSTRACT: Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a key component of the extracellular matrix. Higher HA levels are strongly associated with poor prognosis in advanced cancer. Notably, the biosynthesis of N-glycans, O-GlcNAc, and HA all depend on UDP-GlcNAc as the essential donor substrate. Therefore, there may be functional relationships among different glycan types, although the specific mechanisms behind these interactions remain unclear. We established knockout (KO) cell lines for hyaluronan synthase 2 (HAS2) and CD44 in HeLa and PANC-1 cell lines, which express relatively high levels of HAS2. Results from cell proliferation, Transwell, wound-healing, and colony assays showed that proliferation, migration, and clonogenic capacity were significantly reduced in HAS2- or CD44-KO cells compared to wild-type cells.

SUBMITTER: Wang Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12830202 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature