The effect of retinoid induced suppression of in vitro invasive ability of A549 human lung carcinoma cells on sialyltransferase activity and sialic acid content was investigated. Inhibition by retinol acetate of cell invasive potential was accompanied by a significant decrease in the enzyme activity of intact cells as well as total and cell surface neuraminidase-releasable sialic acid contents. Moreover, reversibility of the invasion-suppressed A549 cell phenotype resulted in a return of invasion potential, sialyltransferase activity and surface sialic acid content to invasive cell levels. These findings suggest that membrane-bound sialic acid plays a role in invasiveness of A549 cells.