Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 12, 2025

Tumor Transplantation for Assessing the Dynamics of Tumor-Infiltrating CD8+ T Cells in Mice
07:36

Tumor Transplantation for Assessing the Dynamics of Tumor-Infiltrating CD8+ T Cells in Mice

Published on: June 12, 2021

6.6K

O-GlcNAcylation at the center of antitumor immunity

Graham A Heieis1, Bart Everts1

  • 1Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA Leiden, the Netherlands.

Current Opinion in Biotechnology
|October 20, 2023
PubMed

Insights

O-GlcNAcylation, a process dysregulated in tumors, negatively impacts antitumor immunity in both cancer cells and immune cells. Targeting this modification offers a promising strategy for novel cancer therapies.

Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Immunology
  • Cancer Biology

Background:

  • O-GlcNAcylation is a post-translational modification frequently dysregulated in cancer.
  • Its role in the immune system, particularly within the tumor microenvironment, remains largely unexplored.
  • Understanding O-GlcNAcylation's impact on immune responses is crucial for developing new cancer therapies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review recent discoveries on O-GlcNAcylation in the context of tumors and the immune system.
  • To elucidate the role of O-GlcNAcylation in regulating antitumor immune responses.
  • To explore the therapeutic potential of targeting O-GlcNAcylation in cancer treatment.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review and synthesis of recent findings.
  • Analysis of O-GlcNAcylation's impact on tumor cells.
  • Evaluation of O-GlcNAcylation's effects on immune cells within the tumor microenvironment.

Main Results:

  • Emerging evidence suggests O-GlcNAcylation negatively impacts antitumor immunity.
  • Dysregulated O-GlcNAcylation in tumors can impair anti-cancer immune responses.
  • O-GlcNAcylation in immune cells also appears to suppress antitumor immunity.

Conclusions:

  • O-GlcNAcylation plays a significant, often detrimental, role in antitumor immunity.
  • Targeting O-GlcNAcylation in both cancer cells and immune cells presents a dual therapeutic strategy.
  • Interference with O-GlcNAcylation holds promise for enhancing cancer treatment outcomes.

More Related Videos

Generation of Orthotopic Pancreatic Tumors and Ex vivo Characterization of Tumor-Infiltrating T Cell Cytotoxicity06:16

Generation of Orthotopic Pancreatic Tumors and Ex vivo Characterization of Tumor-Infiltrating T Cell Cytotoxicity

Published on: December 7, 2019

12.8K
Analysis of Human T Cell Activity in an Allogeneic Co-Culture Setting of Pre-Treated Tumor Cells09:01

Analysis of Human T Cell Activity in an Allogeneic Co-Culture Setting of Pre-Treated Tumor Cells

Published on: March 7, 2025

394

Related Concept Videos

Tumor Immunotherapy01:27

Tumor Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy is a treatment that boosts or manipulates the immune system to fight diseases, including cancer. For instance, by stimulating an immune response through vaccinations against viruses that cause cancers, like hepatitis B virus and human papillomavirus, these diseases can be prevented. Nonetheless, some cancer cells can avoid the immune system due to their rapid mutation and division. The immune response to many cancers involves three phases: elimination, equilibrium, and escape.
538
Adaptive Mechanisms in Cancer Cells02:53

Adaptive Mechanisms in Cancer Cells

Cancer cells accumulate genetic changes at an abnormally rapid rate due to the defects in the DNA repair mechanisms. From an evolutionary perspective, such genetic instability is advantageous for cancer development. Mutant cell lines accumulate a series of beneficial mutations that contribute to their progression into cancer.
Some of the advantages that cancer cells have on normal cells include - enhanced ability to divide without terminally differentiating, induce new blood vessel formation,...
5.8K
Cytotoxic T Cells-mediated Immune Response01:27

Cytotoxic T Cells-mediated Immune Response

Cytotoxic T cells are a vital component of the immune system. They have the remarkable ability to identify and target antigens on infected or abnormal cells. These antigens often originate from intracellular pathogens such as viruses or abnormal proteins cancer cells produce.
Immunological surveillance is the ability of immune cells to monitor and eliminate infected cells with intracellular pathogens, neoplastically transformed cells, and cells with non-self antigens. Cytotoxic T cells and NK...
933
The Tumor Microenvironment02:17

The Tumor Microenvironment

Every normal cell or tissue is embedded in a complex local environment called stroma, consisting of different cell types, a basal membrane, and blood vessels. As normal cells mutate and develop into cancer cells, their local environment also changes to allow cancer progression. The tumor microenvironment (TME) consists of a complex cellular matrix of stromal cells and the developing tumor. The cross-talk between cancer cells and surrounding stromal cells is critical to disrupt normal tissue...
6.6K
Antigens Involved in Adaptive Immunity01:26

Antigens Involved in Adaptive Immunity

An antigen is any substance the immune system identifies as foreign and potentially harmful to the body, prompting an immune response. Antigens have two functional properties: immunogenicity and reactivity. Immunogenicity is the ability of an antigen to stimulate a specific immune response. At the same time, reactivity describes the antigen's ability to react with the cells and antibodies produced in response to it.
Complete Antigens
Complete antigens possess both immunogenicity and...
511
Immune Surveillance by NK Cells and Phagocytes01:25

Immune Surveillance by NK Cells and Phagocytes

Immune surveillance is an integral part of the innate immune system, involving the continuous monitoring of peripheral tissues to detect and respond to pathogens, infected cells, or cancerous cells. This surveillance is conducted primarily by natural killer (NK) cells and phagocytes, which employ distinct but complementary mechanisms to identify and eliminate threats.
Natural Killer Cells: The Fast Responders
NK cells are large granular lymphocytes found in the blood and lymphatic system. These...
1.4K