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Targeting Aberrant Sialylation to Treat Cancer

Jennifer Munkley1, Emma Scott2

  • 1Institute of Genetic Medicine, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 3BZ, UK. Jennifer.munkley@ncl.ac.uk.

Medicines (Basel, Switzerland)
|October 17, 2019
PubMed

Insights

Cancer cell surface glycans, particularly sialylated glycans, drive tumor progression and metastasis. Targeting these aberrant sialic acid structures offers promising new therapeutic strategies for cancer treatment.

Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Oncology
  • Glycobiology

Background:

  • Cell surface carbohydrates (glycans) are frequently altered in cancer, influencing tumor progression and metastasis.
  • Aberrant glycan expression is implicated in all hallmarks of cancer.
  • Understanding cancer glycobiology, especially sialic acid modifications, presents therapeutic opportunities.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To summarize alterations in sialic acid biology within cancer.
  • To discuss advancements in targeting sialic acid for cancer therapeutics.

Main Methods:

  • Review of current literature on cancer glycobiology and sialic acid.
  • Analysis of emerging technologies for sialic acid-targeted therapies.

Main Results:

  • Upregulation of cancer-associated sialylated glycans is a key change in tumors.
  • Abnormal sialylation contributes to tumor growth, metastasis, and immune evasion.
  • Glycan-based targeting strategies are under clinical investigation.

Conclusions:

  • Targeting sialic acid moieties holds significant therapeutic potential in oncology.
  • Advances in understanding and targeting cancer glycans are paving the way for novel treatments.
Keywords:
cancerglycansglycosylationimmunotherapysialic acidsialylationtherapeutics

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