Inhibitory Effects of Oriental Medicinal Herbs on Enzymatic Activity of Sialyltransferases (ST3Gal I and ST6Gal I) Associated with Cancer

In many cases of human cancer, the appearance of hypersialylated glycan structures is related to a precise stage of the disease ; this may depend on the elebated sialyltransferase activity during carcinogenesis. The aim of this study was to investigate the inhibitory effects of Oriental medicinal herbs on enzymatic activities of two kinds ofsialyltransferase, Gal $\beta$ 1,3GalNAc$\alpha$2,3-sialyltransferase(ST3Gal I) and Gal $\beta$ 1,4GlcNAc $\alpha$2,6-sialyltransterases(ST6Gal I), which are well known as glycosyltransterases associated with cancer. The aqueous extracts of Scutellaria Baicalensis Georgi, Coptidis Rhizoma, Glycyrrhiza urlensis Fisch, Bupleuri Radix and Platycodi Radix were prepared and tested, respectively. At concentration of 100$\mu$g, Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch showed the highest inhibitory effects(about 42% and 57%, respectively) on ST3Gal Iand ST6Gal Iactivities. ST3GAl I was inhibited about 23% by Scutellaria baicalensi G댁햐, but not by the other samples, whereas ST6Gal I was inhibited about 20% and 40%,respectively, by Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi and Bupleuri Radix. All inhibitory effects were obtained in a concentration-dependent manner.