Glycodelin in reproductive endocrinology and hormone-related cancer.
Glycodelin is an endocrine-regulated glycoprotein that has significant effects on immune cells, apoptosis, reproduction, cell adhesion, differentiation and cancer. In reproduction, glycodelin contributes to capacitation and immunoprotection of spermatozoa, and it modulates sperm-oocyte binding, acrosome reaction and implantation. In endocrine-related cancer, the differentiation inducing effects of glycodelin are accompanied by growth restriction of malignant cells, decreased expression of oncogenes, increased expression of tumour suppressor genes and morphological reversion of the malignant phenotype. This review features these properties and clinical connections, highlighting the role of glycosylation in biological actions.
Seppälä
M
M
Department of Clinical Chemistry, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Central Hospital, Biomedicum Helsinki, 4th Floor, Helsinki 00029 HUS, Finland. mseppala@welho.com
Koistinen
H
H
Koistinen
R
R
Hautala
L
L
Chiu
P C
PC
Yeung
W S
WS
D004703:Endocrine System / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D000071816:Glycodelin; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D012098:Reproduction / Q000502:physiology*
D000071816:Glycodelin; D006023:Glycoproteins; C045246:PAEP protein, human; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins