There is increasing evidence that inflammation may affect glycosylation and sulfation of
various glycoproteins. The present study reports the effect of tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α),
a proinflammatory cytokine, on the glycosyl-and sulfotransferases of the human bronchial
mucosa responsible for the biosynthesis of Lewis x epitope and of its sialylated and/or
sulfated derivatives, which are expressed in human bronchial mucins. Fragments of
macroscopically normal human bronchial mucosa were exposed to TNF-α at a concentration …