Glypicans as Cancer Therapeutic Targets

Glypicans are a group of cell-surface glycoproteins in which heparan sulfate (HS) glycosaminoglycan chains are covalently linked to a protein core. The glypican gene family is broadly conserved across animal species and plays important roles in biological processes. Glypicans can function as coreceptors for multiple signaling molecules known for regulating cell growth, motility, and differentiation. Some members of the glypican family, including glypican 2 (GPC2) and glypican 3 (GPC3), are expressed in childhood cancers and liver cancers, respectively. Antibody-based therapies targeting glypicans are being investigated in preclinical and clinical studies, with the goal of treating solid tumors that do not respond to standard therapies. These studies may establish glypicans as a new class of therapeutic targets for treating cancer.