title: Glyco-nano-oncology: Novel therapeutic opportunities by combining small and sweet.
abstract: Recent efforts toward defining the molecular features of the tumor microenvironment have revealed dramatic changes in the expression of glycan-related genes including glycosyltransferases and glycosidases. These changes affect glycosylation of proteins and lipids not only in cancer cells themselves, but also in cancer associated-stromal, endothelial and immune cells. These glycan alterations including increased frequency of β1,6-branched N-glycans and bisecting N-glycans, overexpression of tumor-associated mucins, preferred expression of T, Tn and sialyl-Tn antigen and altered surface sialylation, may contribute to tumor progression by masking or unmasking specific ligands for endogenous lectins, including members of the C-type lectin, siglec and galectin families. Differential expression of glycans or glycan-binding proteins could be capitalized for the identification of novel biomarkers and might provide novel opportunities for therapeutic intervention. This review focuses on the biological relevance of lectin-glycan interactions in the tumor microenvironment (mainly illustrated by the immunosuppressive and pro-angiogenic activities of galectin-1) and the design of functionalized nanoparticles for pharmacological delivery of multimeric glycans, lectins or selective inhibitors of lectin-glycan interactions with antitumor activity.
authors: Laboratorio de Inmunopatología, Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Vuelta de Obligado 2490, C1428ADN Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors: Pablo F
authors: PF
authors: Hockl
authors: Gerencia Química, Centro Atómico Constituyentes (CAC), Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica (CNEA), Avenida General Paz 1499, 1650 San Martín, Argentina.
authors: Alejandro
authors: A
authors: Wolosiuk
authors: Laboratorio de Inmunopatología, Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Vuelta de Obligado 2490, C1428ADN Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors: Juan M
authors: JM
authors: Pérez-Sáez
authors: Gerencia Química, Centro Atómico Constituyentes (CAC), Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica (CNEA), Avenida General Paz 1499, 1650 San Martín, Argentina.
authors: Andrea V
authors: AV
authors: Bordoni
authors: Laboratorio de Inmunopatología, Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Vuelta de Obligado 2490, C1428ADN Buenos Aires, Argentina; Instituto de Histología y Embriología de Mendoza (IHEM), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Casilla de correo 56, 5500 Mendoza, Argentina.
authors: Diego O
authors: DO
authors: Croci
authors: Gerencia Química, Centro Atómico Constituyentes (CAC), Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica (CNEA), Avenida General Paz 1499, 1650 San Martín, Argentina.
authors: Yamili
authors: Y
authors: Toum-Terrones
authors: Instituto de Nanosistemas, Universidad Nacional de General San Martín, Av. 25 de Mayo y Francia, 1650 San Martín, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Intendente Güiraldes 2160, C1428EGA Buenos Aires, Argentina. Electronic address: galo.soler.illia@gmail.com.
authors: Galo J A A
authors: GJ
authors: Soler-Illia
authors: Laboratorio de Inmunopatología, Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Vuelta de Obligado 2490, C1428ADN Buenos Aires, Argentina; Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Intendente Güiraldes 2160, C1428EGA Buenos Aires, Argentina. Electronic address: gabyrabi@gmail.com.
authors: Gabriel A
authors: GA
authors: Rabinovich
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006031:Glycosylation; D006801:Humans; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D036103:Nanotechnology; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D059016:Tumor Microenvironment
keywords: Cancer; Drug delivery; Galectins; Glycobiology; Nanotechnology; Theranostics