title: Hyaluronan oligosaccharides as a potential anticancer therapeutic.
abstract: Hyaluronan (HA) polysaccharide has differential effects on cells depending on polymer size. One of the more exciting findings is that small chains or oligosaccharides of HA (6-18 sugar units), but not large polymers, will kill many types of cancer cells by triggering apoptosis while leaving normal cells unaffected. Even chemoresistant cells become drug-sensitive when co-treated with HA oligosaccharides. Overall, these observations form the basis for new anticancer therapeutics.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, Medical University of South Carolina, 173 Ashley Avenue, Charleston, South Carolina 29425, USA. toolebp@musc.edu
authors.forename: Bryan P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Toole
authors.forename: Shibnath
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ghatak
authors.forename: Suniti
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Misra
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D018432:Drug Resistance, Multiple / Q000187:drug effects; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors / Q000378:metabolism; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D009844:Oligosaccharides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011485:Protein Binding
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors; D009844:Oligosaccharides; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid