Tumor-Associated Glycans and Immune Surveillance.
Changes in cell surface glycosylation are a hallmark of the transition from normal to inflamed and neoplastic tissue. Tumor-associated carbohydrate antigens (TACAs) challenge our understanding of immune tolerance, while functioning as immune targets that bridge innate immune surveillance and adaptive antitumor immunity in clinical applications. T-cells, being a part of the adaptive immune response, are the most popular component of the immune system considered for targeting tumor cells. However, for TACAs, T-cells take a back seat to antibodies and natural killer cells as first-line innate defense mechanisms. Here, we briefly highlight the rationale associated with the relative importance of the immune surveillance machinery that might be applicable for developing therapeutics.
Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute and Department of Pathology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA.
Behjatolah
B
Monzavi-Karbassi
Stephan Angeloff Institute of Microbiology, BAS, Sofia 1113, Bulgaria.
Anastas
A
Pashov
Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute and Department of Pathology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA. tke@uams.edu.
Thomas
T
Kieber-Emmons
TACA; cancer; carbohydrate; glycans; immunotherapy; mimics; monoclonal antibodies; tumor; vaccine