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10 sources retrieved · Most recent: April 2026 · Index updated 14 days ago
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ST6GAL1
ST6 beta-galactoside alpha-2,6-sialyltransferase 1
Chromosome 3 · 3q27.3
NCBI Gene: 6480Ensembl: ENSG00000073849.17HGNC: HGNC:10860UniProt: P15907
144PubMed Papers
20Diseases
0Drugs
0Pathogenic Variants
DATA QUALITY
✓ Experimental GO Evidence✓ Swiss-Prot Reviewed
protein bindingsialylationsialyltransferase activityprotein homodimerization activityCOVID-19type 2 diabetes mellitusneurodegenerative diseasediabetes mellitus
✦AI Summary

ST6GAL1 is a sialyltransferase that catalyzes α2,6-sialylation of N-glycosylated proteins in the Golgi apparatus 1. The enzyme transfers sialic acid to galactose-containing acceptors on glycoproteins, generating neuraminidase-sensitive cell-surface differentiation antigens and conferring anti-inflammatory properties to immunoglobulin Fc regions [UniProt annotation]. ST6GAL1 has context-dependent roles in cancer biology. In prostate cancer, ST6GAL1 upregulation promotes bone metastasis by modifying the pre-metastatic niche and promoting immunosuppressive macrophages 1. Similarly, in colorectal cancer, ST6GAL1-mediated sialylation stabilizes PD-L1, driving immunosuppression and poor prognosis, while ST6GAL1 inhibition enhances anti-PD-L1 therapy efficacy 2. In pancreatic cancer, ST6GAL1 promotes acinar-to-ductal metaplasia through EGFR activation 3. However, in breast cancer, hyposialylation—loss of ST6GAL1 activity—promotes chemotherapy evasion and metastatic seeding of quiescent tumor cell clusters 4. In hepatocellular carcinoma, ST6GAL1 unexpectedly inhibits metastasis by sialylating MCAM, reducing its surface expression 5. In glioma, lower ST6GAL1 expression correlates with poor prognosis 6. These findings reveal ST6GAL1's role in immunomodulation and tumor progression varies by cancer type, representing both therapeutic target and biomarker potential.

Sources cited
1
ST6GAL1 is a sialyltransferase that catalyzes α2,6-sialylation of N-glycosylated proteins in the Golgi apparatus .
PMID: 38772281
2
Similarly, in colorectal cancer, ST6GAL1-mediated sialylation stabilizes PD-L1, driving immunosuppression and poor prognosis, while ST6GAL1 inhibition enhances anti-PD-L1 therapy efficacy .
PMID: 40847469
3
In pancreatic cancer, ST6GAL1 promotes acinar-to-ductal metaplasia through EGFR activation .
PMID: 37643018
4
However, in breast cancer, hyposialylation—loss of ST6GAL1 activity—promotes chemotherapy evasion and metastatic seeding of quiescent tumor cell clusters .
PMID: 37272843
5
In hepatocellular carcinoma, ST6GAL1 unexpectedly inhibits metastasis by sialylating MCAM, reducing its surface expression .
PMID: 36528750
6
In glioma, lower ST6GAL1 expression correlates with poor prognosis .
PMID: 39120072
Disease Associationsⓘ20
COVID-19Open Targets
0.55Moderate
type 2 diabetes mellitusOpen Targets
0.50Moderate
neurodegenerative diseaseOpen Targets
0.49Moderate
diabetes mellitusOpen Targets
0.47Moderate
diabetic neuropathyOpen Targets
0.38Weak
severe acute respiratory syndromeOpen Targets
0.37Weak
influenzaOpen Targets
0.34Weak
breast cancerOpen Targets
0.31Weak
IGA glomerulonephritisOpen Targets
0.31Weak
schizophreniaOpen Targets
0.29Weak
nephrotic syndromeOpen Targets
0.29Weak
drug-induced liver injuryOpen Targets
0.29Weak
response to COVID-19 vaccineOpen Targets
0.27Weak
liver diseaseOpen Targets
0.25Weak
SplenomegalyOpen Targets
0.24Weak
squamous cell carcinomaOpen Targets
0.22Weak
placenta praeviaOpen Targets
0.21Weak
partial epilepsyOpen Targets
0.21Weak
esophageal carcinomaOpen Targets
0.21Weak
urinary tract obstructionOpen Targets
0.20Weak
Pathogenic Variants
No pathogenic variants reported on ClinVar for this gene.
View on ClinVar ↗
Related Genes
B4GALT1Protein interaction99%B4GALT2Protein interaction95%B4GALT3Protein interaction95%ST6GAL2Protein interaction91%MGAT5Protein interaction74%ST3GAL1Shared pathway67%
Tissue Expression6 tissues
Liver
100%
Heart
10%
Brain
6%
Lung
6%
Bone Marrow
3%
Ovary
2%
Gene Interaction Network
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ST6GAL1B4GALT1B4GALT2B4GALT3ST6GAL2MGAT5ST3GAL1
PROTEIN STRUCTURE
Preparing viewer…
PDB6QVS · 1.60 Å · X-ray
View on RCSB ↗
Constraintⓘ
LOEUFⓘ
0.73LoF Tolerant
pLIⓘ
0.01Tolerant
Observed/Expected LoF0.50 [0.35–0.73]
RankingsWhere ST6GAL1 stands among ~20K protein-coding genes
  • #3,183of 20,598
    Most Researched144 · top quartile
  • #5,705of 17,882
    Most Constrained (LOEUF)0.73
Genes detectedST6GAL1
Sources retrieved10 papers
Response time—
📄 Sources
10▼
1
Sialic acid blockade inhibits the metastatic spread of prostate cancer to bone.
PMID: 38772281
EBioMedicine · 2024
1.00
2
ST6GAL1-Mediated Sialylation Stabilizes PD-L1 and Drives Immunosuppressive Tumor Microenvironment in Colorectal Cancer.
PMID: 40847469
Adv Sci (Weinh) · 2025
0.90
3
Dynamic Glycoprotein Hyposialylation Promotes Chemotherapy Evasion and Metastatic Seeding of Quiescent Circulating Tumor Cell Clusters in Breast Cancer.
PMID: 37272843
Cancer Discov · 2023
0.80
4
ST6GAL1 sialyltransferase promotes acinar to ductal metaplasia and pancreatic cancer progression.
PMID: 37643018
JCI Insight · 2023
0.70
5
Evaluation of ST6Gal1 expression and clinicopathological significance in human glioma.
PMID: 39120072
Clin Neuropathol · 2024
0.60