title: Aiming at the sweet side of cancer: aberrant glycosylation as possible target for personalized-medicine.
abstract: One of the frontiers in cancer personalized-medicine aims at glycosylation. Cells are covered with a dense sugar coat of glycolipids, glycoproteins and free glycans. In cancer, the characteristic cell surface glycosylation is frequently transformed due to altered expression of glycan-modifying enzymes. This often leads to aberrant expression of sialic acids (Sia) that cap glycan-chains. Additionally, dietary intake of the non-human Sia N-glycolylneuraminic acid (Neu5Gc) leads to natural metabolic-glycoengineering of human carcinomas that accumulate and express Neu5Gc. This Sia provokes a polyclonal anti-Neu5Gc xeno-autoantibodies response that can exacerbate cancer. This review highlights cancer-associated changes in Sia expression and their potential for personalized-theranostics.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Research and Immunology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel. Electronic address: vkaravani@post.tau.ac.il.
authors.forename: Vered
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Padler-Karavani
mesh_terms: D006031:Glycosylation; D006801:Humans; D019158:N-Acetylneuraminic Acid / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D057285:Precision Medicine
chemical_list: D011134:Polysaccharides; D019158:N-Acetylneuraminic Acid
keywords: Antibodies; Cancer; Neu5Gc; Personalized-medicine; Sialic acids