Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 25, 2026
11:36
Glycan Node Analysis: A Bottom-up Approach to Glycomics
Published on: May 22, 2016
Cancer-associated alterations in O-GalNAc glycosylation
José Pires1, Eric Rochat1, Ieva Bagdonaite1
1Copenhagen Center for Glycocalyx Research, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3B, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark.
Glycobiology
|June 24, 2026
Summary
Aberrant O-GalNAc glycans are key cancer antigens driving tumor progression and immune evasion. Novel therapies targeting these glycans, like antibody-drug conjugates, show promise for precision oncology.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Glycobiology
- Immunology
Background:
- Aberrant O-GalNAc glycans (Tn, STn, T) are tumor-associated antigens common in carcinomas but rare in healthy tissues.
- Cancer-associated O-glycans present a heterogeneous mix of truncated and elongated structures influencing tumor hallmarks.
- These glycans mediate interactions with glycan-binding proteins, impacting immune evasion and cancer progression.
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight the significance of aberrant O-GalNAc glycans in cancer.
- To discuss their role in driving tumor formation and immune evasion.
- To explore novel therapeutic strategies targeting these glycans.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on O-GalNAc glycans in cancer.
- Analysis of the role of aberrant glycans in tumor hallmarks.
- Evaluation of current and emerging therapeutic approaches.
Main Results:
- Aberrant O-GalNAc glycans are consistently expressed in carcinomas and contribute to adhesion, signaling, dissemination, and immune evasion.
- Truncated O-glycans are stable across cancer stages, making them attractive therapeutic targets.
- O-glycan-directed therapies, including antibody-drug conjugates, demonstrate strong preclinical efficacy.
Conclusions:
- Aberrant O-GalNAc glycans are crucial drivers of cancer progression and immune evasion.
- Targeting these glycans offers a promising avenue for precision oncology.
- Advancements in multi-specific antibodies, bio-orthogonal chemistry, and AI will refine safety, selectivity, and patient stratification for glycan-based therapies.
Related Concept Videos
01:05Proteoglycans
Glycans, a class of complex heterogeneous molecules, can be covalently attached to proteins to form glycosylated proteins that regulate various physiological and pathological processes. Glycosylated proteins or glycoproteins comprise N-linked and O-linked oligosaccharides. O-glycosylation is the most common type of protein glycosylation. Here, glycans attach to the oxygen atom of the hydroxyl groups of Serine or Threonine residues. O-linked glycosylation occurs later in protein processing,...
01:24Oligosaccharide Assembly
Protein glycosylation starts in the ER lumen and continues in the Golgi apparatus. Glycosyltransferases catalyze the addition of sugar molecules or glycosylation of proteins. Usually, these enzymes add sugars to the hydroxyl groups of selected serine or threonine residues to form O-linked glycans or the amino groups of asparagine residues to form N-linked glycans. Different positions on the same polypeptide chain can contain differently linked glycans.
Multiple sugar molecules that may or may...
Multiple sugar molecules that may or may...
01:25Protein Glycosylation
Glycosylation, the most common post-translational modification for proteins, serves diverse functions. Adding sugars to proteins makes the proteins more resistant to proteolytic digestion. Glycosylated proteins can act as markers and receptors to promote cell-cell adhesion. Additionally, they have many essential quality control functions in the cell, such as correct protein folding and facilitating transport of misfolded proteins to the cytosol, which can be degraded.
Glycosylation occurs in...
Glycosylation occurs in...
01:33Cancer-Critical Genes I: Proto-oncogenes
Genes usually encode proteins necessary for the proper functioning of a healthy cell. Mutations can often cause changes to the gene expression pattern, thereby altering the phenotype.
When the function of certain critical genes, especially those involved in cell cycle regulation and cell growth signaling cascades, gets disrupted, it upsets the cell cycle progression. Such cells with unchecked cell cycles start proliferating uncontrollably and eventually develop into tumors.
Such genes that act...
When the function of certain critical genes, especially those involved in cell cycle regulation and cell growth signaling cascades, gets disrupted, it upsets the cell cycle progression. Such cells with unchecked cell cycles start proliferating uncontrollably and eventually develop into tumors.
Such genes that act...
01:33Cancer-Critical Genes I: Proto-oncogenes
Genes usually encode proteins necessary for the proper functioning of a healthy cell. Mutations can often cause changes to the gene expression pattern, thereby altering the phenotype.
When the function of certain critical genes, especially those involved in cell cycle regulation and cell growth signaling cascades, gets disrupted, it upsets the cell cycle progression. Such cells with unchecked cell cycles start proliferating uncontrollably and eventually develop into tumors.
Such genes that act...
When the function of certain critical genes, especially those involved in cell cycle regulation and cell growth signaling cascades, gets disrupted, it upsets the cell cycle progression. Such cells with unchecked cell cycles start proliferating uncontrollably and eventually develop into tumors.
Such genes that act...
03:03mTOR 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...
The mTOR pathway or the...