title: Recent advances in developing synthetic carbohydrate-based vaccines for cancer immunotherapies.
abstract: Cancer cells can often be distinguished from healthy cells by the expression of unique carbohydrate sequences decorating the cell surface as a result of aberrant glycosyltransferase activity occurring within the cell; these unusual carbohydrates can be used as valuable immunological targets in modern vaccine designs to raise carbohydrate-specific antibodies. Many tumor antigens (e.g., GM2, Le(y), globo H, sialyl Tn and TF) have been identified to date in a variety of cancers. Unfortunately, carbohydrates alone evoke poor immunogenicity, owing to their lack of ability in inducing T-cell-dependent immune responses. In order to enhance their immunogenicity and promote long-lasting immune responses, carbohydrates are often chemically modified to link to an immunogenic protein or peptide fragment for eliciting T-cell-dependent responses. This review will present a summary of efforts and advancements made to date on creating carbohydrate-based anticancer vaccines, and will include novel approaches to overcoming the poor immunogenicity of carbohydrate-based vaccines.
authors.affiliation: Alberta Glycomics Centre, Department of Chemistry, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada.
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hevey
authors.forename: Chang-Chun
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Ling
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D019496:Cancer Vaccines / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002241:Carbohydrates / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D057786:Peptidomimetics; D011506:Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D019496:Cancer Vaccines; D002241:Carbohydrates; D010455:Peptides; D057786:Peptidomimetics; D011506:Proteins