Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 13, 2026

Author Spotlight: Dendritic Cells Maturation Using Sialidases-Based Enzymatic Treatment of the Cell Surface
13:36

Author Spotlight: Dendritic Cells Maturation Using Sialidases-Based Enzymatic Treatment of the Cell Surface

Published on: October 20, 2023

4.2K

Dysregulated Sialylation in Cancer: From Immunosuppressive Microenvironment to Siglec-Targeted Therapeutics

Yuecheng Zhang1, Zhengyao Gao2, Yuhan Zhang2

  • 1Key Laboratory of Analytical Technology and Detection of Yan'an, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Yan'an University, Yan'an 716000, China.

Biomolecules
|October 29, 2025
PubMed

Insights

Targeting sialic acid metabolism offers a novel strategy for cancer therapy. This review explores aberrant sialylation in cancer, the sialic acid-Siglec axis in immunotherapy, and nanomaterial-based therapeutic platforms for precision medicine.

Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Cell Biology
  • Oncology

Background:

  • Sialic acid is crucial for cell recognition and signaling, and its aberrant expression is linked to cancer development.
  • Dysregulated sialylation disrupts cell communication and promotes oncogenic signaling, making it a key factor in carcinogenesis.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the physiological biosynthesis and pathological dysregulation of sialic acid.
  • To examine the sialic acid-Siglec axis as an immune checkpoint in cancer immunotherapy.
  • To synthesize current therapeutic strategies targeting the sialic acid-Siglec axis, including nanomaterial-based platforms.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of sialic acid biosynthesis, metabolism, and its role in cancer.
  • Analysis of the sialic acid-Siglec axis in comparison to PD-1/PD-L1 immune checkpoints.
  • Synthesis of therapeutic strategies and clinical translation of nanomaterial-based platforms.

Main Results:

  • Aberrant sialylation is a driver of malignant transformation and disrupted cell communication.
  • The sialic acid-Siglec axis presents functional similarities and differences with the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway in cancer immunity.
  • Nanomaterial-based platforms show promise for clinical translation in targeting the sialic acid-Siglec axis.

Conclusions:

  • Targeting sialic acid metabolism is a promising strategy for cancer diagnosis and therapy.
  • Understanding the sialic acid-Siglec axis can inform novel cancer immunotherapy approaches.
  • Nanomaterial-based interventions offer potential for glycobiology-guided precision medicine in oncology.
Keywords:
TMEsialic acidsialic acid-siglec axistherapeutic

More Related Videos

Studying the Effects of Tumor-Secreted Paracrine Ligands on Macrophage Activation using Co-Culture with Permeable Membrane Supports07:44

Studying the Effects of Tumor-Secreted Paracrine Ligands on Macrophage Activation using Co-Culture with Permeable Membrane Supports

Published on: November 28, 2019

8.0K
Analysis of Human T Cell Activity in an Allogeneic Co-Culture Setting of Pre-Treated Tumor Cells09:04

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

Published on: March 7, 2025

1.4K

Related Concept Videos

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...
7.6K
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...
8.6K
Receptor Downregulation in MVBs01:15

Receptor Downregulation in MVBs

Multivesicular bodies (MVBs) are mature endosomes that sort ubiquitinated proteins and then fuse with lysosomes to degrade the sorted proteins. Epidermal growth factor (EGF) and its receptor (EGFR) form a complex that can be internalized through endocytosis, sorted into an MVB, and later degraded.
The EGFR can initiate signaling pathways that  lead to cell proliferation, migration, and differentiation. Overexpression of EGFR  stimulates cells to proliferate. Excessive  EGFR...
2.8K
mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression03:03

mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression

The mammalian target of rapamycin or mTOR protein was discovered in 1994 due to its direct interaction with rapamycin. The protein gets its name from a yeast homolog called TOR. The mTOR protein complex in mammalian cells plays a major role in balancing anabolic processes such as the synthesis of proteins, lipids, and nucleotides and catabolic processes, such as autophagy in response to environmental cues, such as availability of nutrients and growth factors.
The mTOR pathway or the...
4.6K