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Vlodavsky I, Hilwi M, Kayal Y, Soboh S, Ilan N. Impact of heparanase-2 (Hpa2) on cancer and inflammation: Advances and paradigms. FASEB J 2024; 38:e23670. [PMID: 38747803 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202400286r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2024] [Revised: 04/09/2024] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
HPSE2, the gene-encoding heparanase 2 (Hpa2), is mutated in urofacial syndrome (UFS), a rare autosomal recessive congenital disease attributed to peripheral neuropathy. Hpa2 lacks intrinsic heparan sulfate (HS)-degrading activity, the hallmark of heparanase (Hpa1), yet it exhibits a high affinity toward HS, thereby inhibiting Hpa1 enzymatic activity. Hpa2 regulates selected genes that promote normal differentiation, tissue homeostasis, and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, resulting in antitumor, antiangiogenic, and anti-inflammatory effects. Importantly, stress conditions induce the expression of Hpa2, thus establishing a feedback loop, where Hpa2 enhances ER stress which, in turn, induces Hpa2 expression. In most cases, cancer patients who retain high levels of Hpa2 survive longer than patients bearing Hpa2-low tumors. Experimentally, overexpression of Hpa2 attenuates the growth of tumor xenografts, whereas Hpa2 gene silencing results in aggressive tumors. Studies applying conditional Hpa2 knockout (cHpa2-KO) mice revealed an essential involvement of Hpa2 contributed by the host in protecting against cancer and inflammation. This was best reflected by the distorted morphology of the Hpa2-null pancreas, including massive infiltration of immune cells, acinar to adipocyte trans-differentiation, and acinar to ductal metaplasia. Moreover, orthotopic inoculation of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) cells into the pancreas of Hpa2-null vs. wild-type mice yielded tumors that were by far more aggressive. Likewise, intravenous inoculation of cancer cells into cHpa2-KO mice resulted in a dramatically increased lung colonization reflecting the involvement of Hpa2 in restricting the formation of a premetastatic niche. Elucidating Hpa2 structure-activity-relationships is expected to support the development of Hpa2-based therapies against cancer and inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Israel Vlodavsky
- Technion Integrated Cancer Center, Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion, Haifa, Israel
| | - Maram Hilwi
- Technion Integrated Cancer Center, Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion, Haifa, Israel
| | - Yasmin Kayal
- Technion Integrated Cancer Center, Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion, Haifa, Israel
| | - Soaad Soboh
- Technion Integrated Cancer Center, Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion, Haifa, Israel
| | - Neta Ilan
- Technion Integrated Cancer Center, Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion, Haifa, Israel
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Kocabay S, Alagöz MA, Akkaya B. Investigation of inhibitory effect of sulfated chitosan oligomer on human heparanase enzyme: in silico and in vitro studies. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2024:1-9. [PMID: 38410992 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2024.2317421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/04/2024] [Indexed: 02/28/2024]
Abstract
Deaths from cancer are widespread worldwide and the numbers continue to increase day by day. During the disease progression of cancer in cells, many of its metabolic activities change. Increased heparanase enzyme release is just one example. Following heparanase enzyme activity, many molecules interact with the remodeling of glycosaminoglycan structures, which triggers the release of different enzymes, cytokines, and growth factors, including fibroblast growth factors (FGF1 and FGF2), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), hepatocyte growth factor, transforming growth factor β and platelet-derived growth factor. These are the most important factors in metastasis due to the formation of new vascular structures caused by those elements. To reduce tumor growth and metastasis, various drugs have been designed by modifying chitosan and its derivatives. In this study, we used chitosan oligomer (A), sulfated chitosan oligomer (ShCsO) (B), heparin (C), phosphate monomer (D1) of PI-88 and sulfate monomer (D2) of PI-88 as heparanase inhibitors. We modified the chitosan oligomer with chlorosulfonic acid to synthesize ShCsO to investigate its inhibitory effects on human serum heparanase. Also examined were molecular docking; molecular dynamics (MD); adsorption, distribution, metabolism, elimination and toxicity (ADMET); and target prediction. ShCsO decreased enzyme activity at a concentration of 0.0001 mg/mL. The docking scores of A, B and C from in silico studies were -6.254, -6.936 and -6.980 kcal/mol, respectively, and the scores for the two different PI-88 monomers were -5.741 and -5.824 kcal/mol. These results show that ShCsO may be a potential drug candidate for treating cancer.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samet Kocabay
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Science and Literature, Inonu University, Malatya, Türkiye
| | - M Abdullah Alagöz
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Inonu University, Malatya, Türkiye
| | - Birnur Akkaya
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Science, Sivas Cumhuriyet University, Sivas, Türkiye
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Milusev A, Ren J, Despont A, Shaw J, Längin M, Bender M, Abicht JM, Mokelke M, Radan J, Neumann E, Kemter E, Klymiuk N, Ayares D, Wolf E, Reichart B, Sorvillo N, Rieben R. Glycocalyx dynamics and the inflammatory response of genetically modified porcine endothelial cells. Xenotransplantation 2023; 30:e12820. [PMID: 37735958 DOI: 10.1111/xen.12820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Revised: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023]
Abstract
Xenotransplantation is a promising approach to reduce organ shortage, while genetic modification of donor pigs has significantly decreased the immunogenic burden of xenotransplants, organ rejection is still a hurdle. Genetically modified pig organs are used in xenotransplantation research, and the first clinical pig-to-human heart transplantation was performed in 2022. However, the impact of genetic modification has not been investigated on a cellular level yet. Endothelial cells (EC) and their sugar-rich surface known as the glycocalyx are the first barrier encountering the recipient's immune system, making them a target for rejection. We have previously shown that wild type venous but not arterial EC were protected against heparan sulfate (HS) shedding after activation with human serum or human tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF𝛼). Using a 2D microfluidic system we investigated the glycocalyx dynamics of genetically modified porcine arterial and venous EC (Gal𝛼1,3 Gal knock-out, transgenic for human CD46 and thrombomodulin, GTKO/hCD46/hTM) after activation with human serum or human TNF𝛼. Interestingly, we observed that GTKO/hCD46/hTM arterial cells, additionally to venous cells, do not shed HS. Unscathed HS on GTKO/hCD46/hTM EC correlated with reduced complement deposition, suggesting that protection against complement activation contributes to maintaining an intact glycocalyx layer on arterial EC. This protection was lost on GTKO/hCD46/hTM cells after simultaneous perfusion with human serum and human TNF𝛼. HS shedding on arterial cells and increased complement deposition on both arterial and venous cells was observed. These findings suggest that GTKO/hCD46/hTM EC revert to a proinflammatory phenotype in an inflammatory xenotransplantation setting, potentially favoring transplant rejection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastasia Milusev
- Department for BioMedical Research (DBMR), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Graduate School for Cellular and Biomedical Sciences (GCB), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Jianfang Ren
- Department for BioMedical Research (DBMR), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Graduate School for Cellular and Biomedical Sciences (GCB), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Alain Despont
- Department for BioMedical Research (DBMR), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Jane Shaw
- Department for BioMedical Research (DBMR), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Matthias Längin
- Department of Anaesthesiology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Martin Bender
- Department of Anaesthesiology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Jan-Michael Abicht
- Department of Anaesthesiology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Maren Mokelke
- Walter Brendel Centre of Experimental Medicine, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Julia Radan
- Walter Brendel Centre of Experimental Medicine, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Elisabeth Neumann
- Walter Brendel Centre of Experimental Medicine, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Elisabeth Kemter
- Chair for Molecular Animal Breeding and Biotechnology, Gene Center and Department of Veterinary Sciences, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
- Center for Innovative Medical Models (CiMM), LMU Munich, Oberschleissheim, Germany
| | - Nikolai Klymiuk
- Center for Innovative Medical Models (CiMM), LMU Munich, Oberschleissheim, Germany
- I. Department of Medicine, MRI,Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | | | - Eckhard Wolf
- Chair for Molecular Animal Breeding and Biotechnology, Gene Center and Department of Veterinary Sciences, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
- Center for Innovative Medical Models (CiMM), LMU Munich, Oberschleissheim, Germany
| | - Bruno Reichart
- Walter Brendel Centre of Experimental Medicine, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Nicoletta Sorvillo
- Department for BioMedical Research (DBMR), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Robert Rieben
- Department for BioMedical Research (DBMR), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
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Hogwood J, Gray E, Mulloy B. Heparin, Heparan Sulphate and Sepsis: Potential New Options for Treatment. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2023; 16:271. [PMID: 37259415 PMCID: PMC9959362 DOI: 10.3390/ph16020271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2022] [Revised: 01/22/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Sepsis is a life-threatening hyperreaction to infection in which excessive inflammatory and immune responses cause damage to host tissues and organs. The glycosaminoglycan heparan sulphate (HS) is a major component of the cell surface glycocalyx. Cell surface HS modulates several of the mechanisms involved in sepsis such as pathogen interactions with the host cell and neutrophil recruitment and is a target for the pro-inflammatory enzyme heparanase. Heparin, a close structural relative of HS, is used in medicine as a powerful anticoagulant and antithrombotic. Many studies have shown that heparin can influence the course of sepsis-related processes as a result of its structural similarity to HS, including its strong negative charge. The anticoagulant activity of heparin, however, limits its potential in treatment of inflammatory conditions by introducing the risk of bleeding and other adverse side-effects. As the anticoagulant potency of heparin is largely determined by a single well-defined structural feature, it has been possible to develop heparin derivatives and mimetic compounds with reduced anticoagulant activity. Such heparin mimetics may have potential for use as therapeutic agents in the context of sepsis.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Hogwood
- National Institute for Biological Standards and Control, Blanche Lane, South Mimms EN6 3QG, UK
| | - Elaine Gray
- Sackler Institute of Pulmonary Pharmacology, Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, King’s College London, Stamford St., London SE1 9NH, UK
| | - Barbara Mulloy
- Sackler Institute of Pulmonary Pharmacology, Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, King’s College London, Stamford St., London SE1 9NH, UK
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Richter JR, Sanderson RD. The glycocalyx: Pathobiology and repair. Matrix Biol Plus 2023; 17:100128. [PMID: 36793504 PMCID: PMC9923180 DOI: 10.1016/j.mbplus.2023.100128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Jillian R. Richter
- Department of Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
- Corresponding author.
| | - Ralph D. Sanderson
- Department of Pathology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
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The effects of female sexual hormones on the endothelial glycocalyx. CURRENT TOPICS IN MEMBRANES 2023; 91:89-137. [PMID: 37080682 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ctm.2023.02.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/12/2023]
Abstract
The glycocalyx is a layer composed of carbohydrate side chains bound to core proteins that lines the vascular endothelium. The integrity of the glycocalyx is essential for endothelial cells' performance and vascular homeostasis. The neuroendocrine and immune systems influence the composition, maintenance, activity and degradation of the endothelial glycocalyx. The female organism has unique characteristics, and estrogen and progesterone, the main female hormones are essential to the development and physiology of the reproductive system and to the ability to develop a fetus. Female sex hormones also exert a wide variety of effects on other organs, including the vascular endothelium. They upregulate nitric oxide synthase expression and activity, decrease oxidative stress, increase vasodilation, and protect from vascular injury. This review will discuss how female hormones and pregnancy, which prompts to high levels of estrogen and progesterone, modulate the endothelial glycocalyx. Diseases prevalent in women that alter the glycocalyx, and therapeutic forms to prevent glycocalyx degradation and potential treatments that can reconstitute its structure and function will also be discussed.
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Mineralocorticoid receptor-antagonism prevents COVID-19-dependent glycocalyx damage. Pflugers Arch 2022; 474:1069-1076. [PMID: 35867189 PMCID: PMC9304794 DOI: 10.1007/s00424-022-02726-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2022] [Revised: 06/24/2022] [Accepted: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Proinflammatory cytokines target vascular endothelial cells during COVID-19 infections. In particular, the endothelial glycocalyx (eGC), a proteoglycan-rich layer on top of endothelial cells, was identified as a vulnerable, vasoprotective structure during infections. Thus, eGC damage can be seen as a hallmark in the development of endothelial dysfunction and inflammatory processes. Using sera derived from patients suffering from COVID-19, we could demonstrate that the eGC became progressively worse in relation to disease severity (mild vs severe course) and in correlation to IL-6 levels. This could be prevented by administering low doses of spironolactone, a well-known and highly specific aldosterone receptor antagonist. Our results confirm that SARS-CoV-2 infections cause eGC damage and endothelial dysfunction and we outline the underlying mechanisms and suggest potential therapeutic options.
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Szeremeta A, Jura-Półtorak A, Zoń-Giebel A, Olczyk K, Komosińska-Vassev K. TNF-α Inhibitors in Combination with MTX Reduce Circulating Levels of Heparan Sulfate/Heparin and Endothelial Dysfunction Biomarkers (sVCAM-1, MCP-1, MMP-9 and ADMA) in Women with Rheumatoid Arthritis. J Clin Med 2022; 11:jcm11144213. [PMID: 35887981 PMCID: PMC9320287 DOI: 10.3390/jcm11144213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2022] [Revised: 07/13/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Sulfated glycosaminoglycans (sGAGs) are likely to play an important role in the development and progression of rheumatoid arthritis (RA)-associated atherosclerosis. The present study investigated the effect of anti-tumor necrosis factor-α (anti-TNF-α) therapy in combination with methotrexate on plasma sGAG levels and serum markers of endothelial dysfunction. Among sGAG types, plasma chondroitin/dermatan sulfate (CS/DS) and heparan sulfate/heparin (HS/H) were characterized using electrophoretic fractionation. Serum levels of soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) and asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) were measured by immunoassays. The measurements were carried out four times: at baseline and after 3, 9 and 15 months of anti-TNF-α therapy. All analyzed parameters, excluding ADMA, were significantly elevated in patients with RA before the implementation of biological therapy compared to healthy subjects. Performed anti-TNF-α treatment led to a successive decrease in HS/H levels toward normal values, without any effect on CS/DS levels in female RA patients. The treatment was also effective at lowering the serum levels of sVCAM-1, MCP-1, MMP-9 and ADMA. Moreover, a significant positive correlation was found between the circulating HS/H and the 28 joint disease activity score based on the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (DAS28-ESR, r = 0.408; p <0.05), MCP-1 (r = 0.398; p <0.05) and ADMA (r = 0.396; p <0.05) in patients before the first dose of TNF-α inhibitor. In conclusion, a beneficial effect of anti-TNF-α therapy on cell-surface heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs)/HS turnover and endothelial dysfunction was observed in this study. This was manifested by a decrease in blood HS/H levels and markers of endothelial activation, respectively. Moreover, the decrease in the concentration of HS/H in the blood of patients during treatment, progressing with the decline in disease activity, indicates that the plasma HS/H profile may be useful for monitoring the efficacy of anti-TNF-α treatment in patients with RA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Szeremeta
- Department of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Diagnostics, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences in Sosnowiec, Medical University of Silesia, Jedności 8, 41-200 Sosnowiec, Poland; (A.J.-P.); (K.O.); (K.K.-V.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +48-32-364-11-50
| | - Agnieszka Jura-Półtorak
- Department of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Diagnostics, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences in Sosnowiec, Medical University of Silesia, Jedności 8, 41-200 Sosnowiec, Poland; (A.J.-P.); (K.O.); (K.K.-V.)
| | - Aleksandra Zoń-Giebel
- Department of Rheumatology and Rehabilitation, Specialty Hospital No. 1, Żeromskiego 7, 41-902 Bytom, Poland;
| | - Krystyna Olczyk
- Department of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Diagnostics, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences in Sosnowiec, Medical University of Silesia, Jedności 8, 41-200 Sosnowiec, Poland; (A.J.-P.); (K.O.); (K.K.-V.)
| | - Katarzyna Komosińska-Vassev
- Department of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Diagnostics, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences in Sosnowiec, Medical University of Silesia, Jedności 8, 41-200 Sosnowiec, Poland; (A.J.-P.); (K.O.); (K.K.-V.)
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Drost CC, Rovas A, Osiaevi I, Rauen M, van der Vlag J, Buijsers B, Salmenov R, Lukasz A, Pavenstädt H, Linke WA, Kümpers P. Heparanase Is a Putative Mediator of Endothelial Glycocalyx Damage in COVID-19 - A Proof-of-Concept Study. Front Immunol 2022; 13:916512. [PMID: 35757776 PMCID: PMC9226442 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.916512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2022] [Accepted: 05/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a systemic disease associated with injury (thinning) of the endothelial glycocalyx (eGC), a protective layer on the vascular endothelium. The aim of this translational study was to investigate the role of the eGC-degrading enzyme heparanase (HPSE), which is known to play a central role in the destruction of the eGC in bacterial sepsis. Excess activity of HPSE in plasma from COVID-19 patients correlated with several markers of eGC damage and perfused boundary region (PBR, an inverse estimate of glycocalyx dimensions of vessels with a diameter 4-25 µm). In a series of translational experiments, we demonstrate that the changes in eGC thickness of cultured cells exposed to COVID-19 serum correlated closely with HPSE activity in concordant plasma samples (R = 0.82, P = 0.003). Inhibition of HPSE by a nonanticoagulant heparin fragment prevented eGC injury in response to COVID-19 serum, as shown by atomic force microscopy and immunofluorescence imaging. Our results suggest that the protective effect of heparin in COVID-19 may be due to an eGC-protective off-target effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolin Christina Drost
- Department of Medicine D, Division of General Internal and Emergency Medicine, Nephrology, and Rheumatology, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Alexandros Rovas
- Department of Medicine D, Division of General Internal and Emergency Medicine, Nephrology, and Rheumatology, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Irina Osiaevi
- Department of Medicine A, Division of Hematology, Oncology, Hemostaseology and Pneumology, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Matthias Rauen
- Department of Medicine D, Division of General Internal and Emergency Medicine, Nephrology, and Rheumatology, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Johan van der Vlag
- Department of Nephrology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Baranca Buijsers
- Department of Nephrology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Rustem Salmenov
- Department of Nephrology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Alexander Lukasz
- Department of Medicine D, Division of General Internal and Emergency Medicine, Nephrology, and Rheumatology, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Hermann Pavenstädt
- Department of Medicine D, Division of General Internal and Emergency Medicine, Nephrology, and Rheumatology, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Wolfgang A Linke
- Institute of Physiology II, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Philipp Kümpers
- Department of Medicine D, Division of General Internal and Emergency Medicine, Nephrology, and Rheumatology, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany
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Basu A, Patel NG, Nicholson ED, Weiss RJ. Spatiotemporal diversity and regulation of glycosaminoglycans in cell homeostasis and human disease. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 2022; 322:C849-C864. [PMID: 35294848 PMCID: PMC9037703 DOI: 10.1152/ajpcell.00085.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) are long, linear polysaccharides that are ubiquitously expressed on the cell surface and in the extracellular matrix of all animal cells. These complex carbohydrates play important roles in many cellular processes and have been implicated in many disease states, including cancer, inflammation, and genetic disorders. GAGs are among the most complex molecules in biology with enormous information content and extensive structural and functional heterogeneity. GAG biosynthesis is a nontemplate-driven process facilitated by a large group of biosynthetic enzymes that have been extensively characterized over the past few decades. Interestingly, the expression of the enzymes and the consequent structure and function of the polysaccharide chains can vary temporally and spatially during development and under certain pathophysiological conditions, suggesting their assembly is tightly regulated in cells. Due to their many key roles in cell homeostasis and disease, there is much interest in targeting the assembly and function of GAGs as a therapeutic approach. Recent advances in genomics and GAG analytical techniques have pushed the field and generated new perspectives on the regulation of mammalian glycosylation. This review highlights the spatiotemporal diversity of GAGs and the mechanisms guiding their assembly and function in human biology and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amrita Basu
- 1Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia
| | - Neil G. Patel
- 1Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia,2Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia
| | - Elijah D. Nicholson
- 2Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia
| | - Ryan J. Weiss
- 1Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia,2Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia
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