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Sugar symphony: glycosylation in cancer metabolism and stemness

Venkatesh Varadharaj1, Wyatt Petersen2, Surinder K Batra3

  • 1Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA.

Trends in Cell Biology
|October 27, 2024
PubMed

Insights

Glycosylation, a key protein modification, significantly impacts cancer metabolism and stemness. Understanding these glycan changes offers new therapeutic strategies for cancer treatment.

Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Molecular Biology
  • Cancer Research

Background:

  • Glycosylation is a crucial eukaryotic modification generating diverse glycoconjugates.
  • Aberrant glycosylation is increasingly recognized for its role in human diseases, especially cancer.
  • Cancer cells exhibit altered metabolic pathways and complex interactions within the tumor microenvironment.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the influence of differential glycosylation on cancer metabolism and stemness.
  • To explore the interplay between glycosylation, cancer cell communication, and the tumor microenvironment.
  • To highlight emerging avenues in glycobiology for cancer research.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of recent studies in glycosylation and cancer biology.
  • Analysis of the role of glycosyltransferases in cancer.
  • Exploration of the tumor microenvironment's components and their interaction with cancer cells.

Main Results:

  • Differential glycosylation patterns are linked to altered cancer cell metabolism.
  • Glycans play a role in cancer stem cell (CSC) properties and tumor initiation.
  • Interactions between cancer cells, CSCs, cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), and immune cells are modulated by glycosylation.

Conclusions:

  • Glycosylation is a critical regulator of cancer's metabolic reprogramming and stemness.
  • Targeting glycosylation pathways presents novel therapeutic opportunities in oncology.
  • Further research in glycobiology is essential for advancing cancer treatment strategies.
Keywords:
glycoconjugateglycosyltransferasemetabolismstemness

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