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Tn antigen refers to the monosaccharide structure N-acetylgalactosamine (GalNAc) linked to serine or threonine by a glycosidic bond, considered as an antigen. The initials stand for Thomsen-nouveau. Tn antigen is expressed in most carcinomas.
Addition of an additional galactose monosaccharide creates a disaccharide antigen: the Thomsen-Friedenreich antigen (Gal(b1-3)GalNAc). The sialyl Tn antigen (STn antigen) is formed by elongation with sialic acid (Neu5Ac(α2-6)GalNAc) rather than galactose.
References
- I. Brockhausen, H. Schachter, P. Stanley, Essentials of Glycobiology, 2nd edition. A. Varki, R. Cummings, J. Esko, Eds, Cold Spring Harbor (NY): Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press; 2009. Chapter 9, O-GalNAc Glycans
- Zhou, Qun (6 December 2016). Recent Progress in Glycotherapy. Bentham Science Publishers. p. 8. ISBN 978-1-68108-391-9.