Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 24, 2026
09:14
Static Adhesion Assay for the Study of Integrin Activation in T Lymphocytes
Published on: June 13, 2014
Sweetening the bonds: how O-GlcNAcylation modulates cell adhesion
Wen-Hui Lou1,2, Guo-Hong Qiao1, Zi-Jun Wei2
1The Affiliated Yixing Hospital of Jiangsu University, Yixing, 214200, China.
Acta Pharmacologica Sinica
|June 22, 2026
Summary
O-GlcNAcylation, a protein modification sensing nutrients and stress, regulates cell adhesion by altering adhesion complexes. This glycosylation impacts cell-matrix and cell-cell interactions, influencing development and diseases like cancer.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Cell Biology
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- O-GlcNAcylation is a dynamic post-translational modification crucial for nutrient and stress sensing.
- Cell adhesion is vital for tissue structure and mechanotransduction.
- Emerging evidence links O-GlcNAcylation to the regulation of cell adhesion processes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the role of O-GlcNAcylation in orchestrating cell adhesion.
- To investigate how O-GlcNAcylation modulates cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions.
- To understand the implications of O-GlcNAcylation in adhesion plasticity and disease.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of O-GlcNAcylation's impact on adhesion complex composition and signaling.
- Investigation of crosstalk between O-GlcNAcylation and phosphorylation in adhesion.
- Examination of O-GlcNAcylation's regulation of key adhesion molecules like FAK, Zyxin, and integrins.
Main Results:
- O-GlcNAcylation modulates the composition and signaling of adhesion complexes.
- This modification regulates both cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions.
- O-GlcNAcylation fine-tunes focal adhesion turnover by impacting FAK, Zyxin, and integrins.
Conclusions:
- O-GlcNAcylation plays a significant role in regulating cell adhesion and plasticity.
- Dysregulation of O-GlcNAcylation impacts development, immunity, and diseases such as cancer and neurodegeneration.
- Targeting glycosylation-dependent adhesion signaling offers potential therapeutic strategies.
Related Concept Videos
01:17Intracellular Signaling Affects Focal Adhesions
Integrins act both as extracellular input receivers and as intracellular processing activators. As their name suggests, integrins are entirely integrated into the membrane structure. Their hydrophobic membrane-spanning regions interact with the phospholipid bilayer's hydrophobic region. These membrane receptors provide extracellular attachment sites for effectors like hormones and growth factors. They activate intracellular response cascades when their effectors are bound and active.
Some...
Some...
01:14Cell Adhesion in Plants
Plants have rigid cell walls that are made up of cell wall polysaccharides that mediate cell-cell adhesion. The primary cell walls of plants consist of two independent and interacting polysaccharide networks: a pectin matrix that embeds the second network comprising cellulose and hemicelluloses.
Pectins are complex heteropolymers mainly composed of negatively-charged α-D-glucopyranosyl uronic acid and some neutral glycosyl residues such as α-L-rhamnopyranose, α-L-arabinofuranose, and...
Pectins are complex heteropolymers mainly composed of negatively-charged α-D-glucopyranosyl uronic acid and some neutral glycosyl residues such as α-L-rhamnopyranose, α-L-arabinofuranose, and...
01:31Immunoglobulin-like Cell Adhesion Molecules
Immunoglobulin-like cell adhesion molecules or Ig-CAMs are a versatile group of cell surface glycoproteins belonging to the immunoglobulin protein superfamily. Ig-CAMs possess the characteristic immunoglobulin protein domains and other domains such as the fibronectin type III domain. The Ig domains are glycosylated to varying degrees in different Ig-CAMs.
Ig-CAMs exhibit either homophilic binding (to other Ig-CAMs) or heterophilic binding (to other ligands such as integrins). While most Ig-CAMs...
Ig-CAMs exhibit either homophilic binding (to other Ig-CAMs) or heterophilic binding (to other ligands such as integrins). While most Ig-CAMs...
01:20Cell Adhesion Molecules - Types and Functions
Cell adhesion molecules (CAMs) are pivotal to multicellularity and the coordinated functioning of tissues and organ systems. They enable physical interactions between cells and provide mechanical strength to tissues. They also function as receptors for signal transmission across the plasma membrane. The CAMs are broadly classified into four families - integrins, cadherins, selectins, and immunoglobulin-like CAMs (IgCAMs).
CAM Families
The Integrin family of proteins is primarily involved in a...
CAM Families
The Integrin family of proteins is primarily involved in a...
01:20Cell Adhesion Molecules - Types and Functions
Cell adhesion molecules (CAMs) are pivotal to multicellularity and the coordinated functioning of tissues and organ systems. They enable physical interactions between cells and provide mechanical strength to tissues. They also function as receptors for signal transmission across the plasma membrane. The CAMs are broadly classified into four families - integrins, cadherins, selectins, and immunoglobulin-like CAMs (IgCAMs).
CAM Families
The Integrin family of proteins is primarily involved in a...
CAM Families
The Integrin family of proteins is primarily involved in a...
01:24Overview of Cell-Matrix Interactions
The extracellular matrix or ECM holds cells together to form a tissue and allows the cells within the tissue to communicate. ECM comprises proteins such as fibronectin, collagen, laminin, etc. The most abundant protein in this space is collagen. Collagen fibers are interwoven with carbohydrate-containing protein molecules called proteoglycans. ECM allows cell migration and provides a structural scaffold at cell adhesion that anchors the cell when the extracellular matrix proteins interact with...