Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 16, 2026

Glycomics-Guided Glycoproteomics Facilitates Comprehensive Profiling of the Glycoproteome in Complex Tumor Microenvironments
10:59

Glycomics-Guided Glycoproteomics Facilitates Comprehensive Profiling of the Glycoproteome in Complex Tumor Microenvironments

Published on: February 7, 2025

Glycoimmunomics of human cancer: current concepts and future perspectives

Mepur H Ravindranath1, Paul Yesowitch, Cindy Sumobay

  • 1Department of Glycoimmunotherapy, John Wayne Cancer Institute, Saint John's Health Center, Santa Monica, CA 90404-2302, USA. ravindranathm@jwci.org

Future Oncology (London, England)
|March 27, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Understanding tumor-associated glycoantigens is crucial for effective cancer treatment. This review highlights glycoimmunomics as a promising field for discovering new cancer biomarkers and therapies.

Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Immunology
  • Oncology

Background:

  • Neoplastic transformation involves complex intracellular and extracellular molecular changes.
  • Current cancer research and therapies predominantly focus on proteins and peptides, neglecting other crucial molecules.
  • A comprehensive understanding of all molecules associated with tumor progression is essential for developing successful cancer treatment strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the unique immunomics of tumor-associated glycoantigens.
  • To emphasize the potential of glycoimmunomics in identifying novel cancer biomarkers and therapeutic targets.
  • To advocate for a broader focus on diverse molecular changes in cancer research.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review focusing on tumor-associated glycoantigens and their immunobiology.
  • Analysis of existing research gaps in cancer molecular profiling.
  • Exploration of the emerging field of glycoimmunomics.

Main Results:

  • Glycoantigens and lipoantigens, integral to cancer progression, have been historically understudied compared to proteins and peptides.
  • The unique immunogenic properties of tumor-associated glycoantigens offer significant potential for diagnostic and therapeutic applications.
  • Glycoimmunomics integrates the study of carbohydrates and the immune system, providing a novel framework for cancer research.

Conclusions:

  • Elucidating the full spectrum of molecular changes, particularly glycoantigens, is vital for advancing cancer treatment strategies.
  • The field of glycoimmunomics holds significant promise for the development of clinically important biomarkers and novel cancer therapies.
  • Further research into tumor-associated glycoantigens is warranted to fully leverage their potential in cancer management.

More Related Videos

Glycan Node Analysis: A Bottom-up Approach to Glycomics11:36

Glycan Node Analysis: A Bottom-up Approach to Glycomics

Published on: May 22, 2016

Microfluidic Co-Culture Models for Dissecting the Immune Response in in vitro Tumor Microenvironments07:46

Microfluidic Co-Culture Models for Dissecting the Immune Response in in vitro Tumor Microenvironments

Published on: April 30, 2021

Related Concept Videos

Psychoneuroimmunology: Diabetes and Cancer01:19

Psychoneuroimmunology: Diabetes and Cancer

Chronic stress has been linked to both the onset and progression of serious health conditions, including Type 2 diabetes and cancer. Type 2 diabetes, a widespread chronic illness, is closely associated with obesity and insulin resistance, both of which often worsen under stress. Studies indicate that men experiencing high levels of chronic stress face a 45% higher risk of developing diabetes compared to those with minimal stress. Stress triggers physiological responses that elevate blood...
Genomics02:02

Genomics

Genomics is the science of genomes: it is the study of all the genetic material of an organism. In humans, the genome consists of information carried in 23 pairs of chromosomes in the nucleus, as well as mitochondrial DNA. In genomics, both coding and non-coding DNA is sequenced and analyzed. Genomics allows a better understanding of all living things, their evolution, and their diversity. It has a myriad of uses: for example, to build phylogenetic trees, to improve productivity and...
Adaptive Mechanisms in Cancer Cells02:53

Adaptive Mechanisms in Cancer Cells

Cancer cells accumulate genetic changes at an abnormally rapid rate due to the defects in the DNA repair mechanisms. From an evolutionary perspective, such genetic instability is advantageous for cancer development. Mutant cell lines accumulate a series of beneficial mutations that contribute to their progression into cancer.
Some of the advantages that cancer cells have on normal cells include - enhanced ability to divide without terminally differentiating, induce new blood vessel formation,...
Adaptive Mechanisms in Cancer Cells02:53

Adaptive Mechanisms in Cancer Cells

Cancer cells accumulate genetic changes at an abnormally rapid rate due to the defects in the DNA repair mechanisms. From an evolutionary perspective, such genetic instability is advantageous for cancer development. Mutant cell lines accumulate a series of beneficial mutations that contribute to their progression into cancer.
Some of the advantages that cancer cells have on normal cells include - enhanced ability to divide without terminally differentiating, induce new blood vessel formation,...
Tumor Immunotherapy01:27

Tumor Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy is a treatment that boosts or manipulates the immune system to fight diseases, including cancer. For instance, by stimulating an immune response through vaccinations against viruses that cause cancers, like hepatitis B virus and human papillomavirus, these diseases can be prevented. Nonetheless, some cancer cells can avoid the immune system due to their rapid mutation and division. The immune response to many cancers involves three phases: elimination, equilibrium, and escape.
Combination Therapies and Personalized Medicine02:50

Combination Therapies and Personalized Medicine

Combining two or more treatment methods increases the life span of cancer patients while reducing damage to vital organs or tissue from the overuse of a single treatment. Combination therapy also targets different cancer-inducing pathways, thus reducing the chances of developing resistance to treatment.
The combination of the drug acetazolamide and sulforaphane is a good example of combination therapy to treat cancer. The cells in the interior of a large tumor often die due to the hypoxic and...