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Al-Alem L, Prendergast JM, Clark J, Zarrella B, Zarrella DT, Hill SJ, Growdon WB, Pooladanda V, Spriggs DR, Cramer D, Elias KM, Nazer RI, Skates SJ, Behrens J, Dransfield DT, Rueda BR. Sialyl-Tn serves as a potential therapeutic target for ovarian cancer. J Ovarian Res 2024; 17:71. [PMID: 38566237 PMCID: PMC10985924 DOI: 10.1186/s13048-024-01397-1] [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: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ovarian cancer remains the deadliest of the gynecologic cancers in the United States. There have been limited advances in treatment strategies that have seen marked increases in overall survival. Thus, it is essential to continue developing and validating new treatment strategies and markers to identify patients who would benefit from the new strategy. In this report, we sought to further validate applications for a novel humanized anti-Sialyl Tn antibody-drug conjugate (anti-STn-ADC) in ovarian cancer. METHODS We aimed to further test a humanized anti-STn-ADC in sialyl-Tn (STn) positive and negative ovarian cancer cell line, patient-derived organoid (PDO), and patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models. Furthermore, we sought to determine whether serum STn levels would reflect STn positivity in the tumor samples enabling us to identify patients that an anti-STn-ADC strategy would best serve. We developed a custom ELISA with high specificity and sensitivity, that was used to assess whether circulating STn levels would correlate with stage, progression-free survival, overall survival, and its value in augmenting CA-125 as a diagnostic. Lastly, we assessed whether the serum levels reflected what was observed via immunohistochemical analysis in a subset of tumor samples. RESULTS Our in vitro experiments further define the specificity of the anti-STn-ADC. The ovarian cancer PDO, and PDX models provide additional support for an anti-STn-ADC-based strategy for targeting ovarian cancer. The custom serum ELISA was informative in potential triaging of patients with elevated levels of STn. However, it was not sensitive enough to add value to existing CA-125 levels for a diagnostic. While the ELISA identified non-serous ovarian tumors with low CA-125 levels, the sample numbers were too small to provide any confidence the STn ELISA would meaningfully add to CA-125 for diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS Our preclinical data support the concept that an anti-STn-ADC may be a viable option for treating patients with elevated STn levels. Moreover, our STn-based ELISA could complement IHC in identifying patients with whom an anti-STn-based strategy might be more effective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linah Al-Alem
- Vincent Center for Reproductive Biology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
- Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | | | - Justin Clark
- Siamab Therapeutics, Inc, Newton, MA, 02458, USA
| | - Bianca Zarrella
- Vincent Center for Reproductive Biology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Dominique T Zarrella
- Vincent Center for Reproductive Biology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Sarah J Hill
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
- Division of Molecular and Cellular Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Whitfield B Growdon
- Vincent Center for Reproductive Biology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
- Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Venkatesh Pooladanda
- Vincent Center for Reproductive Biology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
- Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - David R Spriggs
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit St, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
- Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Daniel Cramer
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Epidemiology Center, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Kevin M Elias
- Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | | | - Steven J Skates
- Biostatistics Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Jeff Behrens
- Siamab Therapeutics, Inc, Newton, MA, 02458, USA
| | | | - Bo R Rueda
- Vincent Center for Reproductive Biology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.
- Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
- Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.
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Hou X, Liu S, Liu J, Zhou J, Liang Y, Cui L. The performance of Carbohydrate Antigen 125-Thomsen-nouveau and anti-Müllerian hormone combined with CA125, Human epididymis protein 4 and Risk of Malignancy Algorithm in diagnosis for patients with Epithelial ovarian cancer. Clin Biochem 2023; 119:110615. [PMID: 37517433 DOI: 10.1016/j.clinbiochem.2023.110615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Revised: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES We examined the blood concentrations of Carbohydrate Antigen 125-Thomsen-nouveau (CA125-Tn) and anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) patients to evaluate their potential diagnostic utility together with CA125, human epididymis protein 4 (HE4) and Risk of Malignancy Algorithm (ROMA). DESIGN & METHODS 50 healthy subjects, 45 EOC patients, 22 patients with borderline ovarian tumors (BOT), 21 patients with benign ovarian tumor (BET) and 45 patients with chocolate cyst of ovary (CCO) were studied. Blood levels of CA125, HE4, CA125-Tn and AMH were measured, and the ROMA value was calculated. We compared the differences in the levels of these biomarkers among groups. Additionally, a total of 10 testing strategies were established for comparison to maximize the diagnostic value. RESULTS The levels of CA125, HE4, CA125-Tn and ROMA value were significantly higher in EOC group compared with either the disease control (DC) group (BOT group, BET group and CCO group) or healthy control (HC) group (p < 0.001). In addition, they had better discriminatory performance with an area under the receiver operator characteristic curve (AUC) 0.93; 0.93; 0.93; 0.85, respectively (p < 0.001) compared with the AUC value of AMH 0.67 (p < 0.001). Among all 10 testing strategies, both single-positive of ROMA and double-positive of any 2 markers showed better Youden index (0.82, 0.79, respectively) and kappa value (κ) (0.82, 0.81, respectively). CONCLUSIONS CA125-Tn and AMH can be treated as useful biomarkers of EOC when combined with CA125, HE4 and ROMA, because when any two biomarkers of them are positive, the value of EOC diagnosis is maximized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiuzhu Hou
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, China; Core Unit of National Clinical Research Center for Laboratory Medicine, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, China.
| | - Shanshan Liu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, China; Core Unit of National Clinical Research Center for Laboratory Medicine, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, China.
| | - Jing Liu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, China; Core Unit of National Clinical Research Center for Laboratory Medicine, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, China.
| | - Jiansuo Zhou
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, China; Core Unit of National Clinical Research Center for Laboratory Medicine, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, China.
| | - Yongming Liang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, China; Core Unit of National Clinical Research Center for Laboratory Medicine, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, China.
| | - Liyan Cui
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, China; Core Unit of National Clinical Research Center for Laboratory Medicine, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, China.
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Matsumoto Y, Ju T. Aberrant Glycosylation as Immune Therapeutic Targets for Solid Tumors. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:3536. [PMID: 37509200 PMCID: PMC10377354 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15143536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Revised: 07/01/2023] [Accepted: 07/02/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Glycosylation occurs at all major types of biomolecules, including proteins, lipids, and RNAs to form glycoproteins, glycolipids, and glycoRNAs in mammalian cells, respectively. The carbohydrate moiety, known as glycans on glycoproteins and glycolipids, is diverse in their compositions and structures. Normal cells have their unique array of glycans or glycome which play pivotal roles in many biological processes. The glycan structures in cancer cells, however, are often altered, some having unique structures which are termed as tumor-associated carbohydrate antigens (TACAs). TACAs as tumor biomarkers are glycan epitopes themselves, or glycoconjugates. Some of those TACAs serve as tumor glyco-biomarkers in clinical practice, while others are the immune therapeutic targets for treatment of cancers. A monoclonal antibody (mAb) to GD2, an intermediate of sialic-acid containing glycosphingolipids, is an example of FDA-approved immune therapy for neuroblastoma indication in young adults and many others. Strategies for targeting the aberrant glycans are currently under development, and some have proceeded to clinical trials. In this review, we summarize the currently established and most promising aberrant glycosylation as therapeutic targets for solid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasuyuki Matsumoto
- Office of Biotechnology Products, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD 20993, USA
| | - Tongzhong Ju
- Office of Biotechnology Products, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD 20993, USA
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Fatima GN, Fatma H, Saraf SK. Vaccines in Breast Cancer: Challenges and Breakthroughs. Diagnostics (Basel) 2023; 13:2175. [PMID: 37443570 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics13132175] [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: 04/17/2023] [Revised: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer is a problem for women's health globally. Early detection techniques come in a variety of forms ranging from local to systemic and from non-invasive to invasive. The treatment of cancer has always been challenging despite the availability of a wide range of therapeutics. This is either due to the variable behaviour and heterogeneity of the proliferating cells and/or the individual's response towards the treatment applied. However, advancements in cancer biology and scientific technology have changed the course of the cancer treatment approach. This current review briefly encompasses the diagnostics, the latest and most recent breakthrough strategies and challenges, and the limitations in fighting breast cancer, emphasising the development of breast cancer vaccines. It also includes the filed/granted patents referring to the same aspects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gul Naz Fatima
- Division of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Babu Banarasi Das Northern India Institute of Technology, Lucknow 226028, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Hera Fatma
- Division of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Babu Banarasi Das Northern India Institute of Technology, Lucknow 226028, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Shailendra K Saraf
- Division of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Babu Banarasi Das Northern India Institute of Technology, Lucknow 226028, Uttar Pradesh, India
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Khilji SK, Op 't Hoog C, Warschkau D, Lühle J, Goerdeler F, Freitag A, Seeberger PH, Moscovitz O. Smaller size packs a stronger punch - Recent advances in small antibody fragments targeting tumour-associated carbohydrate antigens. Theranostics 2023; 13:3041-3063. [PMID: 37284439 PMCID: PMC10240822 DOI: 10.7150/thno.80901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Attached to proteins, lipids, or forming long, complex chains, glycans represent the most versatile post-translational modification in nature and surround all human cells. Unique glycan structures are monitored by the immune system and differentiate self from non-self and healthy from malignant cells. Aberrant glycosylations, termed tumour-associated carbohydrate antigens (TACAs), are a hallmark of cancer and are correlated with all aspects of cancer biology. Therefore, TACAs represent attractive targets for monoclonal antibodies for cancer diagnosis and therapy. However, due to the thick and dense glycocalyx as well as the tumour micro-environment, conventional antibodies often suffer from restricted access and limited effectiveness in vivo. To overcome this issue, many small antibody fragments have come forth, showing similar affinity with better efficiency than their full-length counterparts. Here we review small antibody fragments against specific glycans on tumour cells and highlight their advantages over conventional antibodies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sana Khan Khilji
- Department of Biomolecular Systems, Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, 14476 Potsdam, Germany
- Institute of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Freie Universität Berlin, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Charlotte Op 't Hoog
- Department of Biomolecular Systems, Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, 14476 Potsdam, Germany
- Graduate School of Life Sciences, Utrecht University, 3584 CH Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - David Warschkau
- Department of Biomolecular Systems, Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, 14476 Potsdam, Germany
- Institute of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Freie Universität Berlin, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Jost Lühle
- Department of Biomolecular Systems, Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, 14476 Potsdam, Germany
- Institute of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Freie Universität Berlin, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Felix Goerdeler
- Department of Biomolecular Systems, Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, 14476 Potsdam, Germany
- Institute of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Freie Universität Berlin, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Anika Freitag
- Department of Biomolecular Systems, Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, 14476 Potsdam, Germany
- Institute of Chemistry, University of Potsdam, 14476 Potsdam, Germany
| | - Peter H. Seeberger
- Department of Biomolecular Systems, Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, 14476 Potsdam, Germany
- Institute of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Freie Universität Berlin, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Oren Moscovitz
- Department of Biomolecular Systems, Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, 14476 Potsdam, Germany
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6
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A roadmap for translational cancer glycoimmunology at single cell resolution. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2022; 41:143. [PMID: 35428302 PMCID: PMC9013178 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-022-02335-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2022] [Accepted: 03/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer cells can evade immune responses by exploiting inhibitory immune checkpoints. Immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapies based on anti-CTLA-4 and anti-PD-1/PD-L1 antibodies have been extensively explored over the recent years to unleash otherwise compromised anti-cancer immune responses. However, it is also well established that immune suppression is a multifactorial process involving an intricate crosstalk between cancer cells and the immune systems. The cancer glycome is emerging as a relevant source of immune checkpoints governing immunosuppressive behaviour in immune cells, paving an avenue for novel immunotherapeutic options. This review addresses the current state-of-the-art concerning the role played by glycans controlling innate and adaptive immune responses, while shedding light on available experimental models for glycoimmunology. We also emphasize the tremendous progress observed in the development of humanized models for immunology, the paramount contribution of advances in high-throughput single-cell analysis in this context, and the importance of including predictive machine learning algorithms in translational research. This may constitute an important roadmap for glycoimmunology, supporting careful adoption of models foreseeing clinical translation of fundamental glycobiology knowledge towards next generation immunotherapies.
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Marciel MP, Haldar B, Hwang J, Bhalerao N, Bellis SL. Role of tumor cell sialylation in pancreatic cancer progression. Adv Cancer Res 2022; 157:123-155. [PMID: 36725107 DOI: 10.1016/bs.acr.2022.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the deadliest malignancies and is currently the third leading cause of cancer death. The aggressiveness of PDAC stems from late diagnosis, early metastasis, and poor efficacy of current chemotherapies. Thus, there is an urgent need for effective biomarkers for early detection of PDAC and development of new therapeutic strategies. It has long been known that cellular glycosylation is dysregulated in pancreatic cancer cells, however, tumor-associated glycans and their cognate glycosylating enzymes have received insufficient attention as potential clinical targets. Aberrant glycosylation affects a broad range of pathways that underpin tumor initiation, metastatic progression, and resistance to cancer treatment. One of the prevalent alterations in the cancer glycome is an enrichment in a select group of sialylated glycans including sialylated, branched N-glycans, sialyl Lewis antigens, and sialylated forms of truncated O-glycans such as the sialyl Tn antigen. These modifications affect the activity of numerous cell surface receptors, which collectively impart malignant characteristics typified by enhanced cell proliferation, migration, invasion and apoptosis-resistance. Additionally, sialic acids on tumor cells engage inhibitory Siglec receptors on immune cells to dampen anti-tumor immunity, further promoting cancer progression. The goal of this review is to summarize the predominant changes in sialylation occurring in pancreatic cancer, the biological functions of sialylated glycoproteins in cancer pathogenesis, and the emerging strategies for targeting sialoglycans and Siglec receptors in cancer therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael P Marciel
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Barnita Haldar
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Jihye Hwang
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Nikita Bhalerao
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Susan L Bellis
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States.
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Quader S, Tanabe S, Cabral H. Abnormal Glycosylation in Cancer Cells and Cancer Stem Cells as a Therapeutic Target. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2022; 1393:141-156. [PMID: 36587306 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-12974-2_7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Tumor resistance and recurrence have been associated with the presence of cancer stem cells (CSCs) in tumors. The functions and survival of the CSCs have been associated with several intracellular and extracellular features. Particularly, the abnormal glycosylation of these signaling pathways and markers of CSCs have been correlated with maintaining survival, self-renewal and extravasation properties. Here, we highlight the importance of glycosylation in promoting the stemness character of CSCs and the current strategies for targeting abnormal glycosylation toward generating effective therapies against the CSC population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabina Quader
- Innovation Center of Nanomedicine (iCONM), Kawasaki Institute of Industrial Promotion, 3-25-14 Tonomachi, Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki, 210-0821, Japan
| | - Shihori Tanabe
- Division of Risk Assessment, Center for Biological Safety and Research, National Institute of Health Sciences, 3-25-26 Tonomachi, Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki, 210-9501, Japan
| | - Horacio Cabral
- Department of Bioengineering, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8656, Japan.
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Berghuis AY, Pijnenborg JFA, Boltje TJ, Pijnenborg JMA. Sialic acids in gynecological cancer development and progression: Impact on diagnosis and treatment. Int J Cancer 2021; 150:678-687. [PMID: 34741527 PMCID: PMC9299683 DOI: 10.1002/ijc.33866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2021] [Revised: 10/17/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Gynecological cancers are in the top 10 of most common cancers in women. Survival and outcome are strongly related to the stage at diagnosis. Therefore, early diagnosis is essential in reducing morbidity and mortality. The high mortality rate of gynecological cancers can mainly be attributed to ovarian cancer (OC). OC is commonly diagnosed at an advanced stage due to a lack of proper screening tools allowing early detection. Endometrial cancer (EC) on the contrary, is mostly diagnosed at an early stage and has, in general, better outcomes. The incidence of nonendometrioid EC has increased in the last decade, displaying a shared tumor biology with OC and consequently significantly worse outcome. New approaches allowing detection of gynecological cancers in an early stage are therefore desired. Recent studies on cancer biology have shown the relevance of altered glycosylation in the occurrence and progression of cancer. The aberrant expression of sialic acid, a specific carbohydrate terminating glycoproteins and glycolipids on the cell‐surface, is frequently correlated with malignancy. We aimed to determine the current understanding of sialic acid function in different gynecological cancers to identify the gaps in knowledge and its potential use for new diagnostic and therapeutic avenues. Therefore we performed a review on current literature focusing on studies where sialylation was linked to gynecological cancers. The identified studies showed elevated levels of sialic acid in serum, tissue and sialylated antigens in most patients with gynecological cancers, underlining its potential for diagnosis.
What's new?
Recent studies have shown the relevance of altered glycosylation in the occurrence and progression of cancer. In this review, the authors found elevated levels of sialic acid in serum and tissue and high levels of sialylated antigens in most patients with gynaecological cancers, underlining the potential of sialic acid for diagnosis. Elevated levels of sialylation were related with tumour growth, poor differentiation, inhibition of apoptosis, and chemoresistance. Taken together, the studies suggest that sialylation levels could be used to discriminate healthy and benign samples from cancer samples and even early and advanced stages in ovarian, cervical, and endometrial cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Y Berghuis
- Faculty of Science, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Johan F A Pijnenborg
- Cluster for Molecular Chemistry, Institute for Molecules and Materials, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Thomas J Boltje
- Cluster for Molecular Chemistry, Institute for Molecules and Materials, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Johanna M A Pijnenborg
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.,Radboud Institute of Health Science, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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Xu F, Zhao H, Li J, Jiang H. Mucin-type sialyl-Tn antigen is associated with PD-L1 expression and predicts poor clinical prognosis in breast cancer. Gland Surg 2021; 10:2159-2169. [PMID: 34422587 DOI: 10.21037/gs-21-83] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2021] [Accepted: 05/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Background A recent study showed that mucin-type sialylated O-linked glycans could induce the increased expression of PD-L1 via binding to Siglec receptors. However, the relationship between the expression of the mucin-type sialyl-Tn antigen (sTn) and PD-L1 remains unclear in breast cancer (BC). Therefore, we investigate the clinicopathological and prognostic effects of sTn expression and its relationship with PD-L1 expression in BC tissues. Methods We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 380 invasive BC patients between January 2011 and January 2014. The last follow-up time was January 31, 2019 with a median follow-up of 62 months. The expression of the sTn antigen and PD-L1 in 380 tumor specimens was assessed by immunohistochemistry. Correlations between sTn/PD-L1 expression and clinicopathological features and prognoses were analyzed. Results In BC tissues, the positive expression rate of PD-L1 (20.5%) was much lower than that of sTn (41.8%). Pearson's contingency analysis showed that sTn and PD-L1 expression in tumor tissues demonstrated a high correlation (P<0.001). High sTn expression was associated with negative ER expression (P<0.001), positive HER-2 status (P<0.001), advanced tumor stage (P<0.001), high density of CD8+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) (P=0.028), and positive lymph node metastasis (P=0.002). Moreover, patients with concomitant high expression of both markers had the highest risk of relapse (P<0.001) and mortality (P<0.001). The multivariate Cox regression model revealed that positive sTn expression (HRos: 1.941, 95% CI: 1.168, 3.223, Pos=0.028; HRpfs: 1.739, 95% CI: 1.063, 2.847, Ppfs=0.010) and positive PD-L1 expression (HRos: 1.912, 95% CI: 1.138, 3.212, Pos=0.017; HRpfs: 1.863, 95% CI: 1.116, 3.110, Ppfs=0.014) were independent indicators for poor overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS), respectively. Conclusions BC patients who expressed both sTn and PD-L1 had poorer survival. Therefore, combinational therapy with dual blockade might benefit BC patients with sTn(+)/PD-L1(+) expression, which requires further examination in future clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng Xu
- Department of Breast Surgery, Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Hongying Zhao
- Department of Pathology, Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Jie Li
- Department of Breast Surgery, Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Hongchuan Jiang
- Department of Breast Surgery, Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital, Beijing, China
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Groux-Degroote S, Foulquier F, Cavdarli S, Delannoy P. [Reticular and Golgi glycosylation: Advances and associated diseases]. Med Sci (Paris) 2021; 37:609-617. [PMID: 34180820 DOI: 10.1051/medsci/2021082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Glycosylation is one of the essential modifications of proteins and lipids. It is carried out mainly in the endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus, and requires a specific molecular machinery associating several hundreds of glycosyltransferases, glycosidases, transporters and regulating proteins. Modifications of glycosylation are found in numerous diseases, notably in cancers. All types of glycosylation can be affected and this leads to dysfunctions of cellular metabolism. In this review, we present the current knowledge on the regulation of glycosylation mechanisms and illustrate how the alteration of these regulatory mechanisms can lead to abnormal protein and lipid glycosylation, and take part in the development of cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie Groux-Degroote
- Univ. Lille, CNRS, UMR 8576 - UGSF - Unité de glycobiologie structurale et fonctionnelle, Avenue Mendeleïev, 59655 Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France
| | - François Foulquier
- Univ. Lille, CNRS, UMR 8576 - UGSF - Unité de glycobiologie structurale et fonctionnelle, Avenue Mendeleïev, 59655 Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France
| | - Sumeyye Cavdarli
- Univ. Lille, CNRS, UMR 8576 - UGSF - Unité de glycobiologie structurale et fonctionnelle, Avenue Mendeleïev, 59655 Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France
| | - Philippe Delannoy
- Univ. Lille, CNRS, UMR 8576 - UGSF - Unité de glycobiologie structurale et fonctionnelle, Avenue Mendeleïev, 59655 Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France
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Khan T, Cabral H. Abnormal Glycosylation of Cancer Stem Cells and Targeting Strategies. Front Oncol 2021; 11:649338. [PMID: 33889547 PMCID: PMC8056457 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.649338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2021] [Accepted: 03/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer stem cell (CSCs) are deemed as one of the main reasons of tumor relapse due to their resistance to standard therapies. Numerous intracellular signaling pathways along with extracellular features are crucial in regulating CSCs properties, such as heterogeneity, plasticity and differentiation. Aberrant glycosylation of these cellular signaling pathways and markers of CSCs have been directly correlated with maintaining survival, self-renewal and extravasation properties. In this review, we highlight the importance of glycosylation in promoting stemness character of CSCs, and present strategies for targeting abnormal glycosylation to eliminate the resistant CSC population.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Horacio Cabral
- Department of Bioengineering, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
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13
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Xu F, Gao Y, Diao X, Li J, Jiang H, Zhao H. Diagnostic value of sialyl-Tn immunocytochemistry in breast cancer presenting with pathological nipple discharge. Cancer Med 2021; 10:1783-1790. [PMID: 33605547 PMCID: PMC7940227 DOI: 10.1002/cam4.3793] [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: 10/29/2020] [Revised: 02/06/2021] [Accepted: 02/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Mucin‐associated sialyl‐Tn (sTn) antigen is overexpressed and related with adverse outcome in breast cancer (BC). The role of sTn in BC has not been well defined in pathological nipple discharge (PND) cytology. The authors examined sTn immunocytochemistry (ICC) in PND to determine whether it could be a biomarker of malignancy or aggressive disease. Methods PND was subjected to immunocytochemical staining for sTn antigen expression and thinprep cytology test (TCT) for enhancing the sensitivity and specificity. The examination data was compared with histological findings of subsequent biopsy specimens. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine which factors were most associated with malignant breast lesions. Results PND specimens were collected including 120 cases of intraductal papilloma, 24 cases of hyperplasia, 45 cases of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), and 48 cases of invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC). STn ICC differentiated BC from benign intraductal lesions with a low sensitivity of 41.9% and a high specificity of 95.8%, but increased in combination with TCT to 64.5% and 100%, respectively. A high degree of concordance was observed between the results of sTn expression in cell smears and histological specimens. Moreover, the sTn expression was strongly associated with HER2‐positive IDC (p = 0.039). Multivariate logistic analysis showed that positive sTn expression (OR: 14.241, 95%CI: 2.574, 78.794, p = 0.010) and accompanying mass (OR: 3.307, 95%CI: 1.073, 10.188, p = 0.037) were statistically significant independent risk factors for malignant PND. Conclusions Mucin‐associated sTn expression in PND cytology appears to be a reliable diagnostic marker for BC patients with the chief complaint of malignant nipple discharge and indicates a more aggressive behavior in IDC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng Xu
- Department of Breast Surgery, Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Yue Gao
- Department of General Surgery, Beijing Huairou Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoli Diao
- Department of Pathology, Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Jie Li
- Department of Breast Surgery, Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Hongchuan Jiang
- Department of Breast Surgery, Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Hongying Zhao
- Department of Pathology, Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital, Beijing, China
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14
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Sun J, Lu Q, Sanmamed MF, Wang J. Siglec-15 as an Emerging Target for Next-generation Cancer Immunotherapy. Clin Cancer Res 2021; 27:680-688. [PMID: 32958700 PMCID: PMC9942711 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-19-2925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2020] [Revised: 08/07/2020] [Accepted: 09/16/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Immunomodulatory agents blocking the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway have shown a new way to treat cancer. The explanation underlying the success of these agents may be the selective expression of PD-L1 with dominant immune-suppressive activities in the tumor microenvironment (TME), supporting a more favorable tumor response-to-toxicity ratio. However, despite the big success of these drugs, most patients with cancer show primary or acquired resistance, calling for the identification of new immune modulators in the TME. Using a genome-scale T-cell activity array in combination with bioinformatic analysis of human cancer databases, we identified Siglec-15 as a critical immune suppressor with broad upregulation on various cancer types and a potential target for cancer immunotherapy. Siglec-15 has unique molecular features compared with many other known checkpoint inhibitory ligands. It shows prominent expression on macrophages and cancer cells and a mutually exclusive expression with PD-L1, suggesting that it may be a critical immune evasion mechanism in PD-L1-negative patients. Interestingly, Siglec-15 has also been identified as a key regulator for osteoclast differentiation and may have potential implications in bone disorders not limited to osteoporosis. Here, we provide an overview of Siglec-15 biology, its role in cancer immune regulation, the preliminary and encouraging clinical data related to the first-in-class Siglec-15 targeting mAb, as well as many unsolved questions in this pathway. As a new player in the cancer immunotherapeutic arena, Siglec-15 may represent a novel class of immune inhibitors with tumor-associated expression and divergent mechanisms of action to PD-L1, with potential implications in anti-PD-1/PD-L1-resistant patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingwei Sun
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Qiao Lu
- Department of Pathology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York
- The Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, New York University Langone Health, New York, New York
| | - Miguel F Sanmamed
- Program of Immunology and Immunotherapy, CIMA, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Jun Wang
- Department of Pathology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York.
- The Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, New York University Langone Health, New York, New York
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15
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Houvast RD, Vankemmelbeke M, Durrant LG, Wuhrer M, Baart VM, Kuppen PJK, de Geus-Oei LF, Vahrmeijer AL, Sier CFM. Targeting Glycans and Heavily Glycosylated Proteins for Tumor Imaging. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12123870. [PMID: 33371487 PMCID: PMC7767531 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12123870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2020] [Revised: 12/15/2020] [Accepted: 12/16/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Distinguishing malignancy from healthy tissue is essential for oncologic surgery. Targeted imaging during an operation aids the surgeon to operate better. The present tracers for detecting cancer are directed against proteins that are overexpressed on the membrane of tumor cells. This review evaluates the use of tumor-associated sugar molecules as an alternative for proteins to image cancer tissue. These sugar molecules are present as glycans on glycosylated membrane proteins and glycolipids. Due to their location and large numbers per cell, these sugar molecules might be better targets for tumor imaging than proteins. Abstract Real-time tumor imaging techniques are increasingly used in oncological surgery, but still need to be supplemented with novel targeted tracers, providing specific tumor tissue detection based on intra-tumoral processes or protein expression. To maximize tumor/non-tumor contrast, targets should be highly and homogenously expressed on tumor tissue only, preferably from the earliest developmental stage onward. Unfortunately, most evaluated tumor-associated proteins appear not to meet all of these criteria. Thus, the quest for ideal targets continues. Aberrant glycosylation of proteins and lipids is a fundamental hallmark of almost all cancer types and contributes to tumor progression. Additionally, overexpression of glycoproteins that carry aberrant glycans, such as mucins and proteoglycans, is observed. Selected tumor-associated glyco-antigens are abundantly expressed and could, thus, be ideal candidates for targeted tumor imaging. Nevertheless, glycan-based tumor imaging is still in its infancy. In this review, we highlight the potential of glycans, and heavily glycosylated proteoglycans and mucins as targets for multimodal tumor imaging by discussing the preclinical and clinical accomplishments within this field. Additionally, we describe the major advantages and limitations of targeting glycans compared to cancer-associated proteins. Lastly, by providing a brief overview of the most attractive tumor-associated glycans and glycosylated proteins in association with their respective tumor types, we set out the way for implementing glycan-based imaging in a clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruben D. Houvast
- Department of Surgery, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands; (R.D.H.); (V.M.B.); (P.J.K.K.); (A.L.V.)
| | - Mireille Vankemmelbeke
- Scancell Limited, University of Nottingham Biodiscovery Institute, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK; (M.V.); (L.G.D.)
| | - Lindy G. Durrant
- Scancell Limited, University of Nottingham Biodiscovery Institute, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK; (M.V.); (L.G.D.)
- Division of Cancer and Stem Cells, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham Biodiscovery Institute, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK
| | - Manfred Wuhrer
- Center for Proteomics and Metabolomics, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands;
| | - Victor M. Baart
- Department of Surgery, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands; (R.D.H.); (V.M.B.); (P.J.K.K.); (A.L.V.)
| | - Peter J. K. Kuppen
- Department of Surgery, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands; (R.D.H.); (V.M.B.); (P.J.K.K.); (A.L.V.)
| | - Lioe-Fee de Geus-Oei
- Department of Radiology, Section of Nuclear Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands;
- Biomedical Photonic Imaging Group, University of Twente, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands
| | - Alexander L. Vahrmeijer
- Department of Surgery, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands; (R.D.H.); (V.M.B.); (P.J.K.K.); (A.L.V.)
| | - Cornelis F. M. Sier
- Department of Surgery, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands; (R.D.H.); (V.M.B.); (P.J.K.K.); (A.L.V.)
- Percuros BV, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +31-752662610
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16
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Dobie C, Skropeta D. Insights into the role of sialylation in cancer progression and metastasis. Br J Cancer 2020; 124:76-90. [PMID: 33144696 PMCID: PMC7782833 DOI: 10.1038/s41416-020-01126-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 130] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2020] [Revised: 09/11/2020] [Accepted: 10/08/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Upregulation of sialyltransferases—the enzymes responsible for the addition of sialic acid to growing glycoconjugate chains—and the resultant hypersialylation of up to 40–60% of tumour cell surfaces are established hallmarks of several cancers, including lung, breast, ovarian, pancreatic and prostate cancer. Hypersialylation promotes tumour metastasis by several routes, including enhancing immune evasion and tumour cell survival, and stimulating tumour invasion and migration. The critical role of enzymes that regulate sialic acid in tumour cell growth and metastasis points towards targeting sialylation as a potential new anti-metastatic cancer treatment strategy. Herein, we explore insights into the mechanisms by which hypersialylation plays a role in promoting metastasis, and explore the current state of sialyltransferase inhibitor development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Dobie
- School of Chemistry & Molecular Bioscience, Faculty of Science, Medicine & Health; and Molecular Horizons, University of Wollongong, NSW, 2522, Wollongong, Australia
| | - Danielle Skropeta
- School of Chemistry & Molecular Bioscience, Faculty of Science, Medicine & Health; and Molecular Horizons, University of Wollongong, NSW, 2522, Wollongong, Australia. .,Illawarra Health & Medical Research Institute, Wollongong, NSW, 2522, Australia.
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17
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Rodrigues Mantuano N, Natoli M, Zippelius A, Läubli H. Tumor-associated carbohydrates and immunomodulatory lectins as targets for cancer immunotherapy. J Immunother Cancer 2020; 8:jitc-2020-001222. [PMID: 33020245 PMCID: PMC7537339 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2020-001222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
During oncogenesis, tumor cells present specific carbohydrate chains that are new targets for cancer immunotherapy. Whereas these tumor-associated carbohydrates (TACA) can be targeted with antibodies and vaccination approaches, TACA including sialic acid-containing glycans are able to inhibit anticancer immune responses by engagement of immune receptors on leukocytes. A family of immune-modulating receptors are sialic acid-binding Siglec receptors that have been recently described to inhibit antitumor activity mediated by myeloid cells, natural killer cells and T cells. Other TACA-binding receptors including selectins have been linked to cancer progression. Recent studies have shown that glycan-lectin interactions can be targeted to improve cancer immunotherapy. For example, interactions between the immune checkpoint T cell immunoglobulin and mucin-domain containing-3 and the lectin galectin-9 are targeted in clinical trials. In addition, an antibody against the lectin Siglec-15 is being tested in an early clinical trial. In this review, we summarize the previous and current efforts to target TACA and to inhibit inhibitory immune receptors binding to TACA including the Siglec-sialoglycan axis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Marina Natoli
- Department of Biomedicine, Universitätsspital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Alfred Zippelius
- Department of Biomedicine, Universitätsspital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Heinz Läubli
- Department of Biomedicine, Universitätsspital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
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18
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Jian Y, Xu Z, Xu C, Zhang L, Sun X, Yang D, Wang S. The Roles of Glycans in Bladder Cancer. Front Oncol 2020; 10:957. [PMID: 32596162 PMCID: PMC7303958 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2020.00957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2020] [Accepted: 05/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Bladder cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors of the urogenital system with high morbidity and mortality worldwide. Early diagnosis and personalized treatment are the keys to successful bladder cancer treatment. Due to high postoperative recurrence rates and poor prognosis, it is urgent to find suitable therapeutic targets and biomarkers. Glycans are one of the four biological macromolecules in the cells of an organism, along with proteins, nucleic acids, and lipids. Glycans play important roles in nascent peptide chain folding, protein processing, and translation, cell-to-cell adhesion, receptor-ligand recognition, and binding and cell signaling. Glycans are mainly divided into N-glycans, O-glycans, proteoglycans, and glycosphingolipids. The focus of this review is the discussion of glycans related to bladder cancer. Additionally, this review also addresses the clinical value of glycans in the diagnosis and treatment of bladder cancer. Abnormal glycans are likely to be potential biomarkers for bladder cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuli Jian
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Institute of Glycobiology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Zhongyang Xu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Institute of Glycobiology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Chunyan Xu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Institute of Glycobiology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Lin Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Institute of Glycobiology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Xiaoxin Sun
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Institute of Glycobiology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Deyong Yang
- Department of Urology, First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Shujing Wang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Institute of Glycobiology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
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19
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Gupta R, Leon F, Rauth S, Batra SK, Ponnusamy MP. A Systematic Review on the Implications of O-linked Glycan Branching and Truncating Enzymes on Cancer Progression and Metastasis. Cells 2020; 9:E446. [PMID: 32075174 PMCID: PMC7072808 DOI: 10.3390/cells9020446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2020] [Revised: 02/10/2020] [Accepted: 02/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Glycosylation is the most commonly occurring post-translational modifications, and is believed to modify over 50% of all proteins. The process of glycan modification is directed by different glycosyltransferases, depending on the cell in which it is expressed. These small carbohydrate molecules consist of multiple glycan families that facilitate cell-cell interactions, protein interactions, and downstream signaling. An alteration of several types of O-glycan core structures have been implicated in multiple cancers, largely due to differential glycosyltransferase expression or activity. Consequently, aberrant O-linked glycosylation has been extensively demonstrated to affect biological function and protein integrity that directly result in cancer growth and progression of several diseases. Herein, we provide a comprehensive review of several initiating enzymes involved in the synthesis of O-linked glycosylation that significantly contribute to a number of different cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rohitesh Gupta
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68105, USA; (R.G.); (F.L.); (S.R.)
| | - Frank Leon
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68105, USA; (R.G.); (F.L.); (S.R.)
| | - Sanchita Rauth
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68105, USA; (R.G.); (F.L.); (S.R.)
| | - Surinder K. Batra
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68105, USA; (R.G.); (F.L.); (S.R.)
- Fred and Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and Allied Diseases, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 681980-5900, USA
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, UNMC, Omaha, NE 68198-5900, USA
| | - Moorthy P. Ponnusamy
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68105, USA; (R.G.); (F.L.); (S.R.)
- Fred and Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and Allied Diseases, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 681980-5900, USA
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20
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I-branched carbohydrates as emerging effectors of malignant progression. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2019; 116:13729-13737. [PMID: 31213534 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1900268116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Cell surface carbohydrates, termed "glycans," are ubiquitous posttranslational effectors that can tune cancer progression. Often aberrantly displayed or found at atypical levels on cancer cells, glycans can impact essentially all progressive steps, from malignant transformation to metastases formation. Glycans are structural entities that can directly bind promalignant glycan-binding proteins and help elicit optimal receptor-ligand activity of growth factor receptors, integrins, integrin ligands, lectins, and other type-1 transmembrane proteins. Because glycans play an integral role in a cancer cell's malignant activity and are frequently uniquely expressed, preclinical studies on the suitability of glycans as anticancer therapeutic targets and their promise as biomarkers of disease progression continue to intensify. While sialylation and fucosylation have predominated the focus of cancer-associated glycan modifications, the emergence of blood group I antigens (or I-branched glycans) as key cell surface moieties capable of modulating cancer virulence has reenergized investigations into the role of the glycome in malignant progression. I-branched glycans catalyzed principally by the I-branching enzyme GCNT2 are now indicated in several malignancies. In this Perspective, the putative role of GCNT2/I-branching in cancer progression is discussed, including exciting insights on how I-branches can potentially antagonize the cancer-promoting activity of β-galactose-binding galectins.
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21
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Dhar C, Sasmal A, Varki A. From "Serum Sickness" to "Xenosialitis": Past, Present, and Future Significance of the Non-human Sialic Acid Neu5Gc. Front Immunol 2019; 10:807. [PMID: 31057542 PMCID: PMC6481270 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.00807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2019] [Accepted: 03/26/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The description of "serum sickness" more than a century ago in humans transfused with animal sera eventually led to identification of a class of human antibodies directed against glycans terminating in the common mammalian sialic acid N-Glycolylneuraminic acid (Neu5Gc), hereafter called "Neu5Gc-glycans." The detection of such glycans in malignant and fetal human tissues initially raised the possibility that it was an oncofetal antigen. However, "serum sickness" antibodies were also noted in various human disease states. These findings spurred further research on Neu5Gc, and the discovery that it is not synthesized in the human body due to a human-lineage specific genetic mutation in the enzyme CMAH. However, with more sensitive techniques Neu5Gc-glycans were detected in smaller quantities on certain human cell types, particularly epithelia and endothelia. The likely explanation is metabolic incorporation of Neu5Gc from dietary sources, especially red meat of mammalian origin. This incorporated Neu5Gc on glycans appears to be the first example of a "xeno-autoantigen," against which varying levels of "xeno-autoantibodies" are present in all humans. The resulting chronic inflammation or "xenosialitis" may have important implications in human health and disease, especially in conditions known to be aggravated by consumption of red meat. In this review, we will cover the early history of the discovery of "serum sickness" antibodies, the subsequent recognition that they were partly directed against Neu5Gc-glycans, the discovery of the genetic defect eliminating Neu5Gc production in humans, and the later recognition that this was not an oncofetal antigen but the first example of a "xeno-autoantigen." Further, we will present comments about implications for disease risks associated with red meat consumption such as cancer and atherosclerosis. We will also mention the potential utility of these anti-Neu5Gc-glycan antibodies in cancer immunotherapy and provide some suggestions and perspectives for the future. Other reviews in this special issue cover many other aspects of this unusual pathological process, for which there appears to be no other described precedent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chirag Dhar
- Departments of Medicine and Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States.,Glycobiology Research and Training Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Aniruddha Sasmal
- Departments of Medicine and Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States.,Glycobiology Research and Training Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Ajit Varki
- Departments of Medicine and Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States.,Glycobiology Research and Training Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
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22
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Scott E, Munkley J. Glycans as Biomarkers in Prostate Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:E1389. [PMID: 30893936 PMCID: PMC6470778 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20061389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2019] [Revised: 03/07/2019] [Accepted: 03/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed malignancy in men, claiming over350,000 lives worldwide annually. Current diagnosis relies on prostate-specific antigen (PSA)testing, but this misses some aggressive tumours, and leads to the overtreatment of non-harmfuldisease. Hence, there is an urgent unmet clinical need to identify new diagnostic and prognosticbiomarkers. As prostate cancer is a heterogeneous and multifocal disease, it is likely that multiplebiomarkers will be needed to guide clinical decisions. Fluid-based biomarkers would be ideal, andattention is now turning to minimally invasive liquid biopsies, which enable the analysis oftumour components in patient blood or urine. Effective diagnostics using liquid biopsies willrequire a multifaceted approach, and a recent high-profile review discussed combining multipleanalytes, including changes to the tumour transcriptome, epigenome, proteome, and metabolome.However, the concentration on genomics-based paramaters for analysing liquid biopsies ispotentially missing a goldmine. Glycans have shown huge promise as disease biomarkers, anddata suggests that integrating biomarkers across multi-omic platforms (including changes to theglycome) can improve the stratification of patients with prostate cancer. A wide range ofalterations to glycans have been observed in prostate cancer, including changes to PSAglycosylation, increased sialylation and core fucosylation, increased O-GlcNacylation, theemergence of cryptic and branched N-glyans, and changes to galectins and proteoglycans. In thisreview, we discuss the huge potential to exploit glycans as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkersfor prostate cancer, and argue that the inclusion of glycans in a multi-analyte liquid biopsy test forprostate cancer will help maximise clinical utility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma Scott
- Institute of Genetic Medicine, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 3BZ, UK.
| | - Jennifer Munkley
- Institute of Genetic Medicine, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 3BZ, UK.
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23
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Al-Alem LF, Pandya UM, Baker AT, Bellio C, Zarrella BD, Clark J, DiGloria CM, Rueda BR. Ovarian cancer stem cells: What progress have we made? Int J Biochem Cell Biol 2018; 107:92-103. [PMID: 30572025 DOI: 10.1016/j.biocel.2018.12.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2018] [Revised: 12/14/2018] [Accepted: 12/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Ovarian cancer (OvCa) is the most lethal gynecological malignancy in the United States primarily due to lack of a reliable early diagnostic, high incidence of chemo-resistant recurrent disease as well as profuse tumor heterogeneity. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) continue to gain attention, as they are known to resist chemotherapy, self-renew and re-populate the bulk tumor with undifferentiated and differentiated cells. Moreover, CSCs appear to readily adapt to environmental, immunologic and pharmacologic cues. The plasticity and ability to inactivate or activate signaling pathways promoting their longevity has been, and continues to be, the challenge faced in developing successful CSC targeted therapies. Identifying and understanding unique ovarian CSC markers and the pathways they utilize could reveal new therapeutic opportunities that may offer alternative adjuvant treatment options. Herein, we will discuss the current state of ovarian CSC characterization, their contribution to disease resistance, recurrence and shed light on clinical trials that may target the CSC population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linah F Al-Alem
- Vincent Center for Reproductive Biology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Unnati M Pandya
- Vincent Center for Reproductive Biology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Andrew T Baker
- Vincent Center for Reproductive Biology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Chiara Bellio
- Vincent Center for Reproductive Biology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Bianca D Zarrella
- Vincent Center for Reproductive Biology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Celeste M DiGloria
- Vincent Center for Reproductive Biology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Bo R Rueda
- Vincent Center for Reproductive Biology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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Murad JP, Kozlowska AK, Lee HJ, Ramamurthy M, Chang WC, Yazaki P, Colcher D, Shively J, Cristea M, Forman SJ, Priceman SJ. Effective Targeting of TAG72 + Peritoneal Ovarian Tumors via Regional Delivery of CAR-Engineered T Cells. Front Immunol 2018; 9:2268. [PMID: 30510550 PMCID: PMC6254427 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.02268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2018] [Accepted: 09/12/2018] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Impressive clinical efficacy of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-engineered T cell therapy for hematological malignancies have prompted significant efforts in achieving similar responses in solid tumors. The lack of truly restricted and uniform expression of tumor-associated antigens, as well as limited T cell persistence and/or tumor trafficking pose major challenges for successful translation of CAR T cell therapy in solid tumors. Recent studies have demonstrated that aberrantly glycosylated cell surface proteins on tumor cells are amenable CAR targets. Tumor-associated glycoprotein 72 (TAG72) antigen is the sialyl-Tn found on multiple O-glycoproteins expressed at high levels on the surface of several cancer types, including ovarian cancer. Here, we developed a humanized TAG72-specific CAR containing a 4-1BB intracellular co-stimulatory signaling domain (TAG72-BBζ). TAG72-BBζ CAR T cells showed potent antigen-dependent cytotoxicity and cytokine production against multiple TAG72+ ovarian cancer cell lines and patient-derived ovarian cancer ascites. Using in vivo xenograft models of peritoneal ovarian tumors, regional intraperitoneal delivery of TAG72-BBζ CAR T cells significantly reduced tumor growth, extended overall survival of mice, and was further improved with repeat infusions of CAR T cells. However, reduced TAG72 expression was observed in early recurring tumors, which coincided with a lack of T cell persistence. Taken together, we demonstrate efficacy with TAG72-CAR T cells in ovarian cancer, warranting further investigations as a CAR T cell therapeutic strategy for this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- John P Murad
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, United States.,Irell and Manella Graduate School of Biological Sciences, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, United States
| | - Anna K Kozlowska
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, United States.,Chair of Medical Biotechnology, Poznan University Medical Sciences, Poznań, Poland
| | - Hee Jun Lee
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, United States
| | - Maya Ramamurthy
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, United States
| | - Wen-Chung Chang
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, United States
| | - Paul Yazaki
- Department of Molecular Imaging & Therapy, Diabetes Metabolism Research Institute of City of Hope, Duarte, CA, United States
| | - David Colcher
- Department of Molecular Imaging & Therapy, Diabetes Metabolism Research Institute of City of Hope, Duarte, CA, United States
| | - John Shively
- Department of Molecular Imaging & Therapy, Diabetes Metabolism Research Institute of City of Hope, Duarte, CA, United States
| | - Mihaela Cristea
- Department of Medical Oncology & Therapeutics Research, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, United States
| | - Stephen J Forman
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, United States.,Department of Immuno-Oncology, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, Duarte, CA, United States
| | - Saul J Priceman
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, United States.,Department of Immuno-Oncology, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, Duarte, CA, United States
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