Glycosylation Changes in Cancer: An Innovative Frontier at the Interface of Cancer and Glycobiology

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Editorial

28 November 2016

Editorial: Glycosylation Changes in Cancer: An Innovative Frontier at the Interface of Cancer and Glycobiology

Leonardo Freire-de-Lima

,

Jose Osvaldo Previato

and

Lucia Mendonça-Previato

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6 citations

Editors

3

Leonardo Freire-de-Lima

Federal University of Rio de Janeiro

Jose Osvaldo Previato

Federal University of Rio de Janeiro

Lucia Mendonça-Previato

Federal University of Rio de Janeiro

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The changes in glycosylation associated with oncogenic transformation were first described for glycosphingolipids by Hakomori’s group (Seattle, USA) almost four decades ago. Nowadays, it is well recognized that one of the hallmarks of cancer cells is the altered expression and/or activity of glycosyltransferases, yielding an “aberrant” glycophenotype when compared to their normal counterparts. These changes result in structural variations of glycans carried by glycoconjugates, altering their interaction with carbohydrate-binding molecules and modulating the role of the membrane glycan in signal transduction and cell adhesion required for cell motility. In addition, the aberrant glycosylation of glycoproteins and glycolipids in transformed cells offers an interesting diagnostic perspective in distinguishing what is benign and what is malignant. Some glycoconjugates carrying atypical glycophenotypes have been used as cancer biomarkers. For a long time, little was known about the role of glycans on the biology of transformed cells. However, the advent of new experimental models has helped to shed light how altered glycan structures can govern the molecular pathways associated with cancer development and/or progression. Over the last few years, many studies have generated valuable information that might be used for future diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. In this research topic, we aim to cover implications on glycobiological aspects of cancer cells by methods, hypotheses and theories, historical data, opinions, research articles, mini-reviews and reviews.

The changes in glycosylation associated with oncogenic transformation were first described for glycosphingolipids by Hakomori’s group (Seattle, USA) almost four decades ago. Nowadays, it is well recognized that one of the hallmarks of cancer cells is the altered expression and/or activity of glycosyltransferases, yielding an “aberrant” glycophenotype when compared to their normal counterparts. These changes result in structural variations of glycans carried by glycoconjugates, altering their interaction with carbohydrate-binding molecules and modulating the role of the membrane glycan in signal transduction and cell adhesion required for cell motility. In addition, the aberrant glycosylation of glycoproteins and glycolipids in transformed cells offers an interesting diagnostic perspective in distinguishing what is benign and what is malignant. Some glycoconjugates carrying atypical glycophenotypes have been used as cancer biomarkers. For a long time, little was known about the role of glycans on the biology of transformed cells. However, the advent of new experimental models has helped to shed light how altered glycan structures can govern the molecular pathways associated with cancer development and/or progression. Over the last few years, many studies have generated valuable information that might be used for future diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. In this research topic, we aim to cover implications on glycobiological aspects of cancer cells by methods, hypotheses and theories, historical data, opinions, research articles, mini-reviews and reviews.

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Editors

Leonardo Freire-de-Lima

Federal University of Rio de Janeiro

Jose Osvaldo Previato

Federal University of Rio de Janeiro

Lucia Mendonça-Previato

Federal University of Rio de Janeiro

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123,284 Total views

84,892 Article views

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3,690 Topic views

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Frontiers in Oncology

Molecular and Cellular Oncology

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Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology

Molecular and Cellular Oncology

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