Related Experiment Video

Updated: Oct 2, 2025

Polymalic Acid-based Nano Biopolymers for Targeting of Multiple Tumor Markers: An Opportunity for Personalized Medicine?
14:20

Polymalic Acid-based Nano Biopolymers for Targeting of Multiple Tumor Markers: An Opportunity for Personalized Medicine?

Published on: June 13, 2014

16.8K

Glycans as Targets for Drug Delivery in Cancer

Francisca Diniz1,2,3, Pedro Coelho1,2,3, Henrique O Duarte1,2

  • 1i3S-Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal.

Cancers
|February 25, 2022
PubMed

Insights

Targeting cancer-associated glycans with novel drug delivery strategies like nanoparticles and antibody-drug conjugates can improve anti-cancer drug efficacy and reduce side effects. These approaches enhance precision medicine for personalized cancer treatment.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Nanotechnology
  • Drug Delivery

Background:

  • Cancer cells exhibit altered glycosylation, presenting aberrant glycans on their surface.
  • These aberrant glycans serve as specific molecular targets for novel anti-cancer drug delivery strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review innovative strategies for targeting cancer-associated glycans.
  • To highlight the potential of monoclonal antibodies, antibody-drug conjugates, and nanoparticles in cancer therapy.

Main Methods:

  • Review of current literature on glycan-targeting strategies in cancer therapy.
  • Analysis of nanoparticle applications, including vaccines and targeted delivery systems.
  • Discussion of antibody-drug conjugates and monoclonal antibodies for glycan targeting.

Main Results:

  • Monoclonal antibodies, antibody-drug conjugates, and nanoparticles demonstrate specificity for cancer-associated glycans.
  • Nanoparticles offer versatile applications, including targeted drug delivery and cancer vaccines.
  • These targeted approaches enhance drug delivery to the tumor microenvironment.

Conclusions:

  • Targeting cancer-associated glycans represents a promising strategy for improving anti-cancer drug efficacy.
  • Nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems hold significant potential for personalized cancer treatment.
  • These advancements are crucial for the pharmaceutical and clinical sectors in developing novel cancer therapies.
Keywords:
antibodiescancerdrug deliveryglycansglycosylationnanoparticles

More Related Videos

Author Spotlight: Innovative Cancer Therapies with Iron Oxide Nanoparticles for Glioblastoma Treatment09:02

Author Spotlight: Innovative Cancer Therapies with Iron Oxide Nanoparticles for Glioblastoma Treatment

Published on: September 27, 2024

2.8K
Glycan Node Analysis: A Bottom-up Approach to Glycomics11:36

Glycan Node Analysis: A Bottom-up Approach to Glycomics

Published on: May 22, 2016

10.7K

Related Concept Videos

Targeted Cancer Therapies02:57

Targeted Cancer Therapies

The targeted cancer therapies, also known as “molecular targeted therapies,” take advantage of the molecular and genetic differences between the cancer cells and the normal cells. It needs a thorough understanding of the cancer cells to develop drugs that can target specific molecular aspects that drive the growth, progression, and spread of cancer cells without affecting the growth and survival of other normal cells in the body.
There are several types of targeted therapies against...
7.9K
Targets for Drug Action: Overview01:26

Targets for Drug Action: Overview

Drugs target macromolecules to modify ongoing cellular processes. Primary drug targets include receptors, ion channels, transporters, and enzymes.
Receptors are either membrane-spanning or intracellular proteins, which upon binding a ligand, get activated and transmit the signal downstream to elicit a response. Drugs bind receptors, either mimicking the action of endogenous ligands or blocking the receptor activity to bring about a modified response. Nearly 35% of approved drugs target the G...
7.8K
Proteoglycans01:05

Proteoglycans

Glycans, a class of complex heterogeneous molecules, can be covalently attached to proteins to form glycosylated proteins that regulate various physiological and pathological processes. Glycosylated proteins or glycoproteins comprise N-linked and O-linked oligosaccharides. O-glycosylation is the most common type of protein glycosylation. Here, glycans attach to the oxygen atom of the hydroxyl groups of Serine or Threonine residues. O-linked glycosylation occurs later in protein processing,...
4.1K
Protein Glycosylation01:25

Protein Glycosylation

Glycosylation, the most common post-translational modification for proteins, serves diverse functions. Adding sugars to proteins makes the proteins more resistant to proteolytic digestion. Glycosylated proteins can act as markers and receptors to promote cell-cell adhesion. Additionally, they have many essential quality control functions in the cell, such as correct protein folding and facilitating transport of misfolded proteins to the cytosol, which can be degraded.
Glycosylation occurs in...
7.5K
Transducer Mechanism: Enzyme-Linked Receptors01:27

Transducer Mechanism: Enzyme-Linked Receptors

Enzyme-linked receptors are cell-surface receptors acting as an enzyme or associating with an enzyme intracellularly. They make excellent drug targets. Drugs can bind to the extracellular ligand-binding domain or directly affect their enzymatic domain and alter their activity.
Major types that are helpful drug targets include:
3.0K
Glycocalyx and its Functions01:14

Glycocalyx and its Functions

The glycocalyx is a carbohydrate-rich, fuzzy-appearing layer on the outer surface of the cell membrane. It is highly hydrophilic, because of this it attracts large amounts of water to the cell's surface. This aids the cell's interaction with the watery environment and also helps it to obtain substances dissolved in the water. It is also important for cell identification, self/non-self determination, and embryonic development and is used in cell-to-cell attachments to form tissues.
6.3K