title: NMR structural studies of oligosaccharides related to cancer processes.
abstract: A summary of spectroscopic methods for structural and conformational elucidation of bioactive carbohydrates based on nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) is described. The formation of carbohydrate-protein complexes is often the initial step of biological responses. Therefore, knowledge about the structural factors that stabilize the complex may be relevant and contribute to predict the structural/conformational requirements of new drugs acting as agonists. Two examples of medical significance in the cancer research field are discussed (1) conformational studies of glycoconjugates related to antitumour vaccines (2) conformational analysis of glycosaminoglycans and the interaction heparin-fibroblast growth factor (FGF).
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas, CSIC, Ramiro de Maeztu 9, 28040 Madrid, Spain. jjbarbero@cib.csic.es
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jiménez-Barbero
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Díaz
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Nieto
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019496:Cancer Vaccines; D002236:Carbohydrate Conformation; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D006001:Glycoconjugates / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D006025:Glycosaminoglycans / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D006493:Heparin / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008958:Models, Molecular; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control; D009844:Oligosaccharides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D011485:Protein Binding
chemical_list: D019496:Cancer Vaccines; D006001:Glycoconjugates; D006025:Glycosaminoglycans; D009844:Oligosaccharides; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors; D006493:Heparin