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GeneE
9 sources retrieved · Most recent: April 2026 · Index updated 15 days ago
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ST8SIA3
ST8 alpha-N-acetyl-neuraminide alpha-2,8-sialyltransferase 3
Chromosome 18 · 18q21.31
NCBI Gene: 51046Ensembl: ENSG00000177511.6HGNC: HGNC:14269UniProt: O43173
12PubMed Papers
20Diseases
0Drugs
0Pathogenic Variants
DATA QUALITY
✓ Experimental GO Evidence✓ Swiss-Prot Reviewed
alpha-N-acetylneuraminate alpha-2,8-sialyltransferase activityglycoprotein metabolic processglycoprotein biosynthetic processoligosaccharide metabolic processalcohol drinkingAbnormality of the integumentchronic ulcer of skinFuchs' endothelial dystrophy
✦AI Summary

ST8SIA3 is a sialyltransferase that catalyzes the transfer of sialic acid onto terminal sialic acid residues of glycoproteins and glycolipids, forming oligosialic and polysialic acid structures 123. The enzyme preferentially modifies N-linked oligosaccharides of glycoproteins, including FETUB and AHSG, as well as alpha-2,3-sialylated glycosphingolipids such as ganglioside GM3 13. In the striatum, ST8SIA3 mediates formation of disialylated and trisialylated glycotopes that regulate protein distribution in lipid rafts and modulate striatal function. Disease relevance is substantial: ST8SIA3 expression is elevated in glioblastoma cancer stem cells, where it synthesizes the A2B5 epitope recognized by A2B5 antibodies, promoting proliferation, migration, clonogenicity, and tumorigenesis 45. ST8SIA3 is also aberrantly methylated and dysregulated in melanoma, hepatocellular carcinoma, breast and cervical cancers 6, as well as endometrial cancer where it functions as a hub gene in lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA regulatory networks 7. Additionally, ST8SIA3 participates in cardiac reprogramming and spinal cord injury recovery processes 89. Clinically, ST8SIA3 represents a promising therapeutic target in glioblastoma and an emerging biomarker for multiple malignancies.

Sources cited
1
ST8SIA3 catalyzes sialic acid transfer forming oligosialic/polysialic acid on N-linked oligosaccharides and glycosphingolipids
PMID: 10766765
2
ST8SIA3 transfers sialic acid with preference for specific N-glycan acceptor substrates
PMID: 26192331
3
ST8SIA3 synthesizes polysialic acid on glycoproteins including AHSG and ganglioside GM3
PMID: 9826427
4
ST8SIA3 synthesizes A2B5 epitope; overexpression increases proliferation, migration, clonogenicity and tumor growth in glioblastoma
PMID: 31466399
5
ST8SIA3-induced A2B5 expression is crucial for glioblastoma cancer stem cell proliferation, migration, and tumorigenesis
PMID: 37511403
6
ST8SIA3 shows aberrant methylation and altered expression in melanoma, hepatocellular, breast and cervical cancers
PMID: 26794090
7
ST8SIA3 is a hub gene upregulated in endometrial cancer and associated with survival outcomes
PMID: 35832124
8
lncRNA-ST8SIA3 enhances cardiac reprogramming
PMID: 26462179
9
ST8SIA3 is positively coexpressed with DCX and involved in neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction in neural regeneration
PMID: 34685545
10
ST8SIA3 functions as HIF-1α target gene regulating hypoxic adaptation through vascular and metabolic pathways
PMID: 31887331
Disease Associationsⓘ20
alcohol drinkingOpen Targets
0.40Weak
Abnormality of the integumentOpen Targets
0.30Weak
chronic ulcer of skinOpen Targets
0.27Weak
corneal dystrophyOpen Targets
0.21Weak
Fuchs' endothelial dystrophyOpen Targets
0.21Weak
diverticular diseaseOpen Targets
0.17Weak
post term pregnancyOpen Targets
0.16Weak
ovarian neoplasmOpen Targets
0.15Weak
headache disorderOpen Targets
0.06Suggestive
glioblastoma multiformeOpen Targets
0.04Suggestive
atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumorOpen Targets
0.04Suggestive
lung carcinomaOpen Targets
0.04Suggestive
HeadacheOpen Targets
0.03Suggestive
central nervous system cancerOpen Targets
0.03Suggestive
hypertensionOpen Targets
0.03Suggestive
ependymomaOpen Targets
0.03Suggestive
endometrial cancerOpen Targets
0.03Suggestive
ovarian dysfunctionOpen Targets
0.03Suggestive
essential hypertensionOpen Targets
0.02Suggestive
migraine disorderOpen Targets
0.02Suggestive
Pathogenic Variants
No pathogenic variants reported on ClinVar for this gene.
View on ClinVar ↗
Related Genes
NCAM1Protein interaction80%ST8SIA4Shared pathway56%ST8SIA6Shared pathway50%ST6GALNAC3Shared pathway50%ST6GALNAC5Shared pathway50%ST6GALNAC6Shared pathway50%
Tissue Expression6 tissues
Brain
100%
Liver
1%
Bone Marrow
0%
Lung
0%
Ovary
0%
Heart
0%
Gene Interaction Network
Click a node to explore
ST8SIA3NCAM1ST8SIA4ST8SIA6ST6GALNAC3ST6GALNAC5ST6GALNAC6
PROTEIN STRUCTURE
Preparing viewer…
PDB5BO7 · 1.85 Å · X-ray
View on RCSB ↗
Constraintⓘ
LOEUFⓘ
0.73LoF Tolerant
pLIⓘ
0.02Tolerant
Observed/Expected LoF0.48 [0.33–0.73]
RankingsWhere ST8SIA3 stands among ~20K protein-coding genes
  • #16,585of 20,598
    Most Researched12
  • #5,752of 17,882
    Most Constrained (LOEUF)0.73
Genes detectedST8SIA3
Sources retrieved9 papers
Response time—
📄 Sources
9▼
1
Deciphering the Action of Neuraminidase in Glioblastoma Models.
PMID: 37511403
Int J Mol Sci · 2023
1.00
2
Non-coding RNAs in cardiac regeneration.
PMID: 26462179
Oncotarget · 2015
0.89
3
Glycolipids Recognized by A2B5 Antibody Promote Proliferation, Migration, and Clonogenicity in Glioblastoma Cells.
PMID: 31466399
Cancers (Basel) · 2019
0.78
4
Glyco-genes change expression in cancer through aberrant methylation.
PMID: 26794090
Biochim Biophys Acta · 2016
0.67
5
The Restorative Effect of Human Amniotic Fluid Stem Cells on Spinal Cord Injury.
PMID: 34685545
Cells · 2021
0.56