Recent progress in carbohydrate biosynthesis and function in relation to tumor biology

Recent development in carbohydrate markers and functions are described. Identification of carbohydrate epitope for cancer-specific antibody is introduced. This novel approach involves the key glycosyltransferases that synthesize tumor-associated carbohydrate-antigens and elucidate the biosynthetic pathways. This is the true determination of carbohydrate ligands and glycan array is secondary to determine the epitope. Tumor suppressor activity of carbohydrate is described. Cell surface carbohydrate, which expressed in normal cells is diminished on cancer cells, function as a tumor suppressor. Glycans attached to α-dystroglycan function as laminin-binding glycans. In cancer cells, oncogene downregulates laminin-binding glycans and they do not bind to laminin in extracellular matrix, making cells to mobile. Thus, laminin-binding glycans function to suppress the cell mobility, thereby suppressing tumor formation in normal cells. This article summarizes the recent progress in the regulation of carbohydrate function in cancer cells. Since the review is short and not comprehensive, other several important topics may be missing.