Abstract

Altered surface glycosylation is a key feature of cancers, including gynecologic malignancies. Hypersialylation, the overexpression of sialic acid, is known to promote tumor progression and to dampen antitumor responses by mechanisms that also involve sialic acid binding immunoglobulin-like lectins (Siglecs), inhibitory immune receptors. Here, we discuss the expression patterns of Siglecs and sialyltransferases (STs) in gynecologic cancers, including breast, ovarian, and uterine malignancies, based on evidence from The Cancer Genome Atlas. The balance between sialosides generated by specific STs within the tumor microenvironment and Siglecs on leukocytes may play a decisive role for antitumor immunity. An interdisciplinary effort is required to decipher the characteristics and biological impact of the altered tumor sialome in gynecologic cancers and to exploit this knowledge to the clinical benefit of patients.

Highlights

  • Altered surface glycosylation is a key feature of cancers, including gynecologic malignancies

  • Hypersialylation, the overexpression of sialic acid, is known to promote tumor progression and to dampen antitumor responses by mechanisms that involve sialic acid binding immunoglobulin-like lectins (Siglecs), inhibitory immune receptors

  • The balance between sialosides generated by specific STs within the tumor microenvironment and Siglecs on leukocytes may play a decisive role for antitumor immunity

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Summary

Frontiers in Oncology

Altered surface glycosylation is a key feature of cancers, including gynecologic malignancies. Hypersialylation, the overexpression of sialic acid, is known to promote tumor progression and to dampen antitumor responses by mechanisms that involve sialic acid binding immunoglobulin-like lectins (Siglecs), inhibitory immune receptors. We discuss the expression patterns of Siglecs and sialyltransferases (STs) in gynecologic cancers, including breast, ovarian, and uterine malignancies, based on evidence from. The elucidation of mechanisms that influence the host immune system, in reference to specific gynecological cancers, may lead to novel diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic strategies for these particular tumors. Glycosylation changes are common in malignancies [12, 13], and several carbohydrate tumor markers are diagnostically exploited as biomarkers, such as the CA 125 antigen that is elevated in serum of patients with ovarian cancer [14].

Siglecs and STs Expression in Gynecologic Malignancies
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