Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Helena Crijns, Lowie Adyns, Eva Ganseman, Seppe Cambier, Eline Vandekerckhove, Noemie Poertner, Lotte Vanbrabant, Sofie Struyf, Tanja Gerlza, Andreas Kungl, Paul Proost
Summary: This study investigated the interactions between glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) and proteins, as well as the structural requirements for binding. Through peptide design and experiments, it was found that the affinity and specificity of peptides for GAGs can be tuned by adapting their amino acid sequence and the number of GAG-binding motifs.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Carla Martin, Helena Ordiales, Francisco Vazquez, Marta Pevida, David Rodriguez, Jesus Merayo, Fernando Vazquez, Beatriz Garcia, Luis M. Quiros
Summary: This study found that cell surface glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) are involved in the adhesion of acne-related bacteria to skin cells, with different bacteria affecting different cell types. Bacterial adherence also led to changes in gene expression in skin cells, affecting the structure of GAG chains.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
John R. Couchman
Summary: Cell surface proteoglycans, such as syndecans, play crucial roles in regulating cell behavior, including interactions with extracellular matrix components and mediating proliferation, adhesion, and migration. In tumors, changes in the levels and distribution of syndecan-1 can have implications for prognosis, with loss of membrane staining and abnormal cytoplasmic or nuclear staining often indicating poor outcomes. Targeting syndecan-1 with antibody-toxin conjugates may hold promise for clinical applications in both myeloma and some carcinomas.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ayumu Mubuchi, Shoo Katsumoto, Makoto Tsuboi, Hideaki Ishikawa, Yoshihiro Nomura, Kyohei Higashi, Shinji Miyata
Summary: Chondroitin sulfate and heparan sulfate are sulfated glycosaminoglycan chains with different levels of sulfation and disaccharide compositions. The sulfated glycosaminoglycans from Perna canaliculus show potential as biomaterials for studying the structure-function relationships.
BIOCHEMICAL AND BIOPHYSICAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Dmitry K. Sokolov, Oleg B. Shevelev, Anna S. Khotskina, Alexandra Y. Tsidulko, Anastasia V. Strokotova, Galina M. Kazanskaya, Alexander M. Volkov, Evgenii E. Kliver, Svetlana V. Aidagulova, Evgenii L. Zavjalov, Elvira V. Grigorieva
Summary: Glioblastoma (GB) is an aggressive cancer with a high chance of recurrence, and the effects of chemotherapy drugs on heparan sulfate (HS) in brain tissue are still unknown.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Imlirenla Pongener, Conor O'Shea, Hannah Wootton, Michael Watkinson, Gavin J. Miller
Summary: This review focuses on the chemical approaches and methodology improvements for the synthesis of heparin and heparan sulfate since 2015, including advances in accessing the pentasaccharide anticoagulant and targets for heparan sulfate synthesis. It also discusses key building block synthesis, oligosaccharide construction, chemical sulfation techniques, and technological improvements to traditional solution-phase synthesis approaches.
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Dingze Mang, Sona Rani Roy, Qizheng Zhang, Xunwu Hu, Ye Zhang
Summary: This study developed HS-instructed self-assembling peptides to inhibit cancer cell migration by hindering the binding of HSPG with HBEGF, leading to the suppression of FAK and ERK activation. This approach shows promise as a synthetic therapeutic strategy for targeted cancer migration inhibition.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Brigida Bochicchio, Giselle C. Yeo, Pearl Lee, Deniz Emul, Antonietta Pepe, Antonio Laezza, Nicola Ciarfaglia, Daniela Quaglino, Anthony S. Weiss
Summary: This study identifies novel cell-adhesive sites in the tropoelastin N-terminal region between domains 12 and 16, which interact with alpha V and alpha 5 beta 1 integrin receptors to facilitate cell attachment and spreading. The findings suggest that domains 12-16 of tropoelastin direct initial cell attachment through cell-surface heparan sulfate glycosaminoglycans, followed by integrin-promoted attachment and spreading, advancing our understanding of elastin matrix biology.
Review
Polymer Science
Qingchi Wang, Lianli Chi
Summary: This review investigates the structural alterations and roles of GAGs/PGs in various diseases, and discusses their potential in disease diagnosis, monitoring, prognosis, and drug development.
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Gabor Toth, Domonkos Pal, Simon Sugar, Ilona Kovalszky, Katalin Dezso, Gitta Schlosser, Laszlo Drahos, Lilla Turiak
Summary: This study investigated the content and sulfation pattern of chondroitin sulfate (CS) and heparan sulfate (HS) in human hepatocellular carcinoma and cirrhotic liver tissues, considering the etiology of the diseases. Major differences were observed in the total abundance and sulfation pattern of CS and HS chains, providing important insights into the molecular mechanisms of chronic liver diseases.
ANALYTICAL AND BIOANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Sarah Y. Ebstein, Ashique Rafique, Yi Zhou, Amanda Krasco, Welby Montalvo-Ortiz, Lola Yu, Luisaidy Custodio, Rene C. Adam, Nicolin Bloch, Ken Lee, Funmilola Adewale, Dominic Vergata, Antonio Luz, Sebastien Coquery, Benjamin Daniel, Erica Ullman, Matthew C. Franklin, Aynur Hermann, Tammy Huang, William Olson, Samuel Davis, Andrew J. Murphy, Matthew A. Sleeman, Joyce Wei, Dimitris Skokos
Summary: VSIG4 is a complement receptor expressed on tissue resident macrophages and is involved in immune function. This study identifies heparan sulfates as novel binding partners of VSIG4 and suggests a role for them in immune modulation. Heparan sulfates compete with known VSIG4 binding partners and may play a role in the complex regulation of VSIG4 in the immune system.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Suguru Tamura, Hajime Ishiguro, Tatsuya Suwabe, Takayuki Katagiri, Kaori Cho, Kyoko Fuse, Yasuhiko Shibasaki, Tadahisa Mikami, Takero Shindo, Hiroshi Kitagawa, Michihiro Igarashi, Hirohito Sone, Masayoshi Masuko, Takashi Ushiki
Summary: Reduction of chondroitin sulfate in donor blood cells may suppress the severity of acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) following hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Natalia Perez-Lopez, Carla Martin, Beatriz Garcia, Maria Pilar Solis-Hernandez, David Rodriguez, Ignacio Alcalde, Jesus Merayo, Ivan Fernandez-Vega, Luis M. Quiros
Summary: The saccharide chains of heparan sulfate play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease, with differential transcription of biosynthetic genes observed in different brain regions and stages of AD pathology. The study revealed more alterations in gene transcription in moderate AD patients compared to mild cases, with fewer changes in genes related to early stages of synthesis in severe patients and an overexpression of late-stage genes. These alterations correlated with progressive brain atrophy, particularly in the cerebellum, and were consistent with immunohistochemical detection of certain heparan sulfate epitopes.
JOURNAL OF NEUROPATHOLOGY AND EXPERIMENTAL NEUROLOGY
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Richard T. Piszczatowski, Emily Schwenger, Sriram Sundaravel, Catarina M. Stein, Yang Liu, Pamela Stanley, Amit Verma, Deyou Zheng, Ronald D. Seidel, Steven C. Almo, Robert A. Townley, Hannes E. Buelow, Ulrich Steidl
Summary: Heparan sulfate (HS) glycotyping plays an important role in hematopoietic lineage differentiation and can be used to identify and stratify different cell types. By utilizing a panel of anti-HS single-chain variable fragment antibodies (scFvs), functionally distinct glycotypes within heterogeneous cell populations can be identified and further purified.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE
(2022)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Anastasia V. Strokotova, Elvira V. Grigorieva
Summary: Glucocorticoids are commonly used to treat various diseases but can cause side effects. Recent studies suggest that the toxic effects of glucocorticoids on key extracellular components in the brain may be an underlying mechanism for these side effects.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Marko Anderluh, Francesco Berti, Anna Bzducha-Wrobel, Fabrizio Chiodo, Cinzia Colombo, Federica Compostella, Katarzyna Durlik, Xhenti Ferhati, Rikard Holmdahl, Dragana Jovanovic, Wieslaw Kaca, Luigi Lay, Milena Marinovic-Cincovic, Marco Marradi, Musa Ozil, Laura Polito, Jose Juan Reina, Celso A. Reis, Robert Sackstein, Alba Silipo, Urban Svajger, Ondrej Vanek, Fumiichiro Yamamoto, Barbara Richichi, Sandra J. van Vliet
Summary: Vaccination is a major achievement in preventing infectious diseases, but challenges remain for pathogens with highly variable antigens and in inducing T-cell immunity in cancer. The recent outbreak also highlights the importance of designing smart therapeutic vaccines.
Article
Cell Biology
Joana Nogueira-Rodrigues, Sergio C. Leite, Rita Pinto-Costa, Sara C. Sousa, Liliana L. Luz, Maria A. Sintra, Raquel Oliveira, Ana C. Monteiro, Goncalo G. Pinheiro, Marta Vitorino, Joana A. Silva, Sonia Simao, Vitor E. Fernandes, Jan Provaznik, Vladimir Benes, Celia D. Cruz, Boris Safronov, Ana Magalhaes, Celso A. Reis, Jorge Vieira, Cristina P. Vieira, Gustavo Tiscornia, Ines M. Araujo, Monica M. Sousa
Summary: The spiny mouse is capable of spontaneous and fast restoration of function after severe spinal cord injury (SCI) due to the formation of scarless regenerative tissue. Transcriptomic analysis revealed the rewiring of glycosylation biosynthetic pathways in the spiny mouse, leading to pro-regenerative proteoglycan signature at the SCI site. This study highlights the importance of glycosylation switch in axon regeneration after SCI.
DEVELOPMENTAL CELL
(2022)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ezequiel R. Coscueta, Ana Sofia Sousa, Celso A. Reis, Maria Manuela Pintado
Summary: The incidence of gastrointestinal pathologies, particularly cancer, has been increasing, resulting in significant morbidity, mortality, and economic burden on the healthcare system. Natural phytochemicals, such as phenylethyl isothiocyanate (PEITC) found in cruciferous vegetables like watercress, have shown therapeutic and preventive effects on these diseases. PEITC possesses antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, bactericidal, and anticarcinogenic properties. This review provides an overview of the role of PEITC in the prevention and treatment of oxidative/inflammatory-related gastrointestinal disorders and discusses the safe and recommended dosage of PEITC. Moreover, it proposes a framework for sustainable methodologies to obtain and stabilize PEITC for industrial use. Further scientific studies are needed to develop PEITC products for the nutraceutical, pharmaceutical, or food industries.
Review
Oncology
Francisca Diniz, Pedro Coelho, Henrique O. Duarte, Bruno Sarmento, Celso A. Reis, Joana Gomes
Summary: Alterations in glycosylation are commonly observed in cancer cells. Strategies targeting cancer-associated glycans, such as monoclonal antibodies, antibody-drug conjugates, and nanoparticles, have the potential to improve drug delivery to tumor cells and enhance therapeutic efficacy. Nanoparticles can also be used for drug delivery in cancer therapy, including encapsulating vaccines and targeting glycoproteins or glycan-binding proteins. These strategies have significant potential for personalized treatment approaches in the pharmaceutical and clinical sectors.
Review
Cell Biology
Flavia Pereira, Anabela Ferreira, Celso Albuquerque Reis, Maria Joao Sousa, Maria Jose Oliveira, Ana Preto
Summary: This article investigates the impact of KRAS mutations on the tumor microenvironment (TME), revealing its pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory effects. It offers new insights and potential therapeutic approaches for understanding and treating KRAS-associated cancers.
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Rita Matos, Emily Taillieu, Sofie De Bruyckere, Chloe De Witte, Alexandra Rema, Hugo Santos-Sousa, Jorge Nogueiro, Celso A. Reis, Fatima Carneiro, Freddy Haesebrouck, Irina Amorim, Fatima Gaertner
Summary: This study reveals the presence of Helicobacter spp. in 46.3% of gastric cancer and obese patients, with 43.8% having single H. pylori infection and 2.5% having mixed infections with H. pylori and H. felis associated with dogs or cats. The effectiveness of current Helicobacter eradication treatments needs further improvement.
JOURNAL OF PERSONALIZED MEDICINE
(2022)
Review
Cell Biology
Anabela Ferreira, Flavia Pereira, Celso Reis, Maria Jose Oliveira, Maria Joao Sousa, Ana Preto
Summary: KRAS mutations play a crucial role in promoting cancer cell proliferation, inducing autophagy, and suppressing apoptosis, leading to drug resistance and poor prognosis.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Esther Llop, Ana Arda, Elsa Zacco, Roisin O'Flaherty, Maria-Salud Garcia-Ayllon, Massimo Aureli, Moran Frenkel-Pinter, Celso A. Reis, Ole K. Greiner-Tollersrud, Inmaculada Cuchillo-Ibanez
Summary: This article presents the abstracts of the Workshop Neuroglycoproteins in health and disease, hosted by Cost Action Innovation with glycans: new frontiers from synthesis to new biological targets (INNOGLY) in Alicante, Spain in March 2022. The event brought together a group of European scientists who shared novel insights into changes in glycosylation in diseases of the central nervous system and cancer, as well as new techniques for studying protein glycosylation.
GLYCOCONJUGATE JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Catarina Marques, Juliana Pocas, Catarina Gomes, Isabel Faria-Ramos, Celso A. Reis, Romain R. Vives, Ana Magalhaes
Summary: Heparan sulfate (HS) proteoglycans play important roles in cancer cell behavior and tumor microenvironment properties. This study reveals the regulatory roles of two specific glycosyltransferases, EXTL2 and EXTL3, in the biosynthesis of HS and chondroitin sulfate (CS) and their impact on gastric cancer cells.
JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Francisca Diniz, Maria Azevedo, Flavia Sousa, Hugo Osorio, Diana Campos, Paula Sampaio, Joana Gomes, Bruno Sarmento, Celso A. Reis
Summary: Drug delivery using nanoparticles has the potential for cancer therapy, particularly for gastric cancer. This study developed surface-functionalized nanoparticles with specific antibodies, which effectively recognized cancer cells expressing the target antigen under flow conditions. These findings highlight the potential use of such nanoparticles for drug delivery in cancer.
MATERIALS TODAY BIO
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ana F. Costa, Emanuel Senra, Isabel Faria-Ramos, Andreia Teixeira, Joao Morais, Mariana Pacheco, Celso A. Reis, Catarina Gomes
Summary: Expression of SLeX is associated with malignant transformation of cancer cells and their invasive properties. In this study, the role of ST3GalIV in the biosynthesis of SLeX and malignant properties of GI cancer cells was investigated. The findings suggest that ST3GalIV is the main enzyme driving the biosynthesis of SLeX and affects cancer cell motility.
GLYCOCONJUGATE JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Juliana Pocas, Catarina Marques, Catarina Gomes, Andreia Hanada Otake, Filipe Pinto, Mariana Ferreira, Tiago Silva, Isabel Faria-Ramos, Rita Matos, Ana Raquel Ribeiro, Emanuel Senra, Bruno Cavadas, Silvia Batista, Joana Maia, Joana A. Macedo, Luis Lima, Luis Pedro Afonso, Jose Alexandre Ferreira, Lucio Lara Santos, Antonio Polonia, Hugo Osorio, Mattias Belting, Celso A. Reis, Bruno Costa-Silva, Ana Magalhaes
Summary: Gastric cancer is influenced by the expression of syndecan-4 (SDC4) which is associated with poor patient survival. SDC4 plays a crucial role in regulating the motility and invasion of gastric cancer cells. Additionally, SDC4 decorated with heparan sulfate is involved in the distribution, uptake, and functional effects of extracellular vesicles (EVs) derived from gastric cancer cells. SDC4 knockout disrupts the tropism of EVs for common gastric cancer metastatic sites. These findings provide insight into the molecular implications of SDC4 expression in gastric cancer cells and present potential therapeutic strategies targeting the glycan-EV axis to limit tumor progression.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Alvaro M. Martins, Tania M. Lopes, Francisca Diniz, Jose Pires, Hugo Osorio, Filipe Pinto, Daniela Freitas, Celso A. Reis
Summary: Alterations in glycosylation machinery in cancer cells lead to the synthesis of abnormal glycan structures in tumor cells. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are involved in cancer communication and progression, and certain tumor-associated glycans have been identified in cancer EVs. This study investigates the impact of 3D tumor architecture on the selective packaging of cellular glycans into EVs. The results show differential packaging of specific proteins and glycans in EVs produced by 2D and 3D cultured cells, suggesting distinct biological functions and correlation with clinical data.
Review
Oncology
Henrique O. Duarte, Celso A. Reis, Joana Gomes
Summary: Studying the site-specific glycome of ErbB receptors is of great importance for designing more efficient ErbB-directed therapeutic strategies, establishing new clinical biomarkers, and guiding therapeutic decisions.