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O-GlcNAcylation in cancer development and immunotherapy
Xue-Fen He1, Xiaoli Hu2, Gao-Jing Wen1
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wenzhou Third Clinical Institute Affiliated to Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou People's Hospital, Wenzhou, 325000, Zhejiang, China.
Cancer Letters
|June 6, 2023
Summary
O-linked N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) modification, regulated by O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT), drives cancer progression and drug resistance. Targeting O-GlcNAcylation offers a promising strategy for treating human malignancies.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Molecular Biology
- Cancer Biology
Background:
- O-linked β-D-N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) is a dynamic posttranslational modification (PTM) on Ser/Thr residues.
- O-GlcNAcylation regulates critical cellular processes like metabolism, cell cycle, and signal transduction.
- Dysregulation of O-GlcNAcylation is implicated in various diseases, notably cancer.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the biological functions and molecular mechanisms of O-GlcNAcylation in tumorigenesis.
- To discuss the role of O-GlcNAcylation in tumor immunotherapy.
- To highlight therapeutic strategies targeting O-GlcNAcylation for cancer treatment.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of existing research on O-GlcNAcylation and cancer.
- Analysis of O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT) and O-GlcNAcase (OGA) roles in cancer.
- Exploration of O-GlcNAcylation's impact on cancer hallmarks and immunotherapy.
Main Results:
- Elevated OGT expression and hyper-O-GlcNAcylation are common in many cancers.
- O-GlcNAcylation influences glucose metabolism, proliferation, metastasis, invasion, angiogenesis, migration, and drug resistance.
- O-GlcNAcylation plays a significant role in tumor immune evasion and response to immunotherapy.
Conclusions:
- Targeting O-GlcNAcylation by regulating OGT can suppress oncogenesis.
- O-GlcNAcylation is a key regulator of cancer cell phenotypes and tumor microenvironment.
- Inhibiting O-GlcNAcylation presents a promising therapeutic avenue for human malignancies.
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