Background
Protein glycosylation in normal and malignant cells
N- and O-glycosylation of proteins
Lectins (glycan-binding proteins)
Altered protein glycosylation in cancers
Altered lectin-glycan interactions in cancers
The impacts of altered protein glycosylation on NB
Altered N- and O-glycans in NB
The role of glycosyltransferases in NB
β1,3-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase 3
Enzymes | Glycosylation involved | Target proteins and associated signaling pathways | Clinical significance |
---|---|---|---|
β1,3-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase 3 (B3GNT3) |
O-glycosylation | B3GNT3 inhibits NB cell migration and invasion by suppression of FAK, Akt, and ERK activation. | Predicts good prognosis in NB [78]. |
β1,4-N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase 3 (B4GALNT3) |
N- and O-glycosylation | B4GALNT3 inhibits NB cell migration and invasion by modifying β1 integrin with LacdiNAc, thereby suppresses the activation of Akt and ERK signaling pathways. B4GALNT3 enhances the stemness, migration, and invasion by modifying primarily N-glycans with LacdiNAc on EGFR and downstream signaling in CRC cells. | Predicts good prognosis in NB [81]. Predicts poor prognosis in CRC [83]. |
β1,4-galactosyltransferase 3 (B4GALT3) |
N- and O-glycosylation | B4GALT3 increases NB cell migration and invasion by modifying lactosamine structures of β1 integrin, delaying the degradation of β1 integrin, and enhancing its downstream signaling. B4GALT3 suppresses CRC cell migration and invasion by inhibiting β1 integrin activation through altering the poly-N-acetyllactosamine expression on N-glycans of β1 integrin. | Predicts poor prognosis in NB [86]. Predicts good prognosis in CRC [87]. |
N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase 2 (GALNT2) |
O-glycosylation | GALNT2 regulates NB cell growth, migration, and invasion by modifying O-glycans on IGF-1R, thereby suppressing IGF-1-induced IGF-1R dimerization and downstream signaling. GALNT2 inhibites HCC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion by modifying O-glycans on EGFR, thereby suppressing EGF-induced endocytosis of EGFR and downstream signaling. GALNT2 enhances OSCC cell migration and invasion by modifying O-glycosylation and activity of EGFR. | Predicts good prognosis in NB [90]. Predicts good prognosis in HCC [91]. Predicts poor prognosis OSCC [92]. |
N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase V (GnT-V; MGAT5) |
N-glycosylation | GnT-V knockdown results in a decrease in the susceptibility to cell apoptosis induced by retinoic acid in NB cells accompanied by morphological change | Predicts good prognosis in NB [38]. |
β1,4-N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase 3
β1,4-galactosyltransferase 3
N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase 2
Glycosyltransferases may serve as biomarkers for NB
The roles of Gal-1 and CD44 in NB microenvironment
Disialoganglioside expression and therapeutic applications in NB
Conclusions
Glycan-based therapeutics in cancers
Perspectives on glycosylation-based therapies for NB
miRNAs | Glycogene targets | Comments |
---|---|---|
miR-30b/30d | GALNT1, GALNT7 | Both GALNT1 and GALNT7 are targets of miR-30b/d, which are associated with metastasis in melanoma [112]. |
miR-378 | GALNT7 | GALNT7 is a target of miR-378 and plays a critical role in osteoblast differentiation [111]. |
miR-122 | GALNT10, FUT8 | GALNT10 modulates O-glycosylation of EGFR in hepatitis B virus (HBV)-infected hepatoma cells. GALNT10 is a target of miR-122, whose gene transcription is activated by hepatocyte nuclear factor 4α (Hnf4α). Therefore, a regulatory pathway of Hnf4α/miR-122/GALNT10/EGFR may develop as therapeutic targets [113]. Ectopic expression of miR-122 can significantly decrease FUT8 levels, thus may play a role in the dysregulation of core fucosylation observed in liver tumors [114]. |
miR-27a | B4GALT3 | B4GALT3 up-regulated by miR-27a contributes to the tumorigenic activities by β1-integrin pathway and might provide potential biomarkers for cervical cancer [117]. |
miR-148b | C1GALT1 | Inhibition of miR-148b expression can reverse the lower levels of C1GALT1 typical of IgA nephropathy. Therefore, miR-148b levels may be manipulated to provide a therapeutic approach to the disease [110]. |
miR-199b-5p | FUT4 | The cluster of differentiation carbohydrate antigen CD15, also known as FUT4, is a marker of medulloblastoma tumor-propagating cells and an additional direct target of miR-199b-5p. Therefore, the finely tuned regulation of miR-199b-5p may have a role in therapeutic application in medulloblastoma [115]. |
miR-34a | FUT8 | Ectopic expression of miR-34a can significantly decrease FUT8 levels, thus may play a role in the dysregulation of core fucosylation observed in liver tumors [114]. |
miR-125b | ERManI | ERManI functions as a “gate keeper” in the Golgi complex to facilitate the retention and recycling of misfolded glycoproteins escaped from the ER. In hepatoma cells, however, ERManI regulates transformation phenotypes independent of ER-stress. ERManI knockdown by miR-125b inhibits proliferation and migration of hepatoma cells [116]. |