Sialoglycans and Siglecs Can Shape the Tumor Immune Microenvironment

Publikation: Bidrag til tidsskriftTidsskriftartikelForskningfagfællebedømt

  • Stephanie van de Wall
  • Kim Santegoets
  • Eline van Houtum
  • Christian Büll
  • Gosse Adema
Sialic acid sugar-carrying glycans, sialoglycans, are aberrantly expressed on many tumor cells and have emerged as potent regulatory molecules involved in creating a tumor-supportive microenvironment. Sialoglycans can be recognized by sialic acid-binding immunoglobulin-like lectins (Siglecs), a family of immunomodulatory receptors. Most mammalian Siglecs transmit inhibitory signals comparable with the immune checkpoint inhibitor programmed death protein 1 (PD-1), but some are activating. Recent studies have shown that tumor cells can exploit sialoglycan–Siglec interactions to modulate immune cell function, contributing to an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME). Interference with sialoglycan synthesis or sialoglycan–Siglec interactions might improve antitumor immunity. Many questions regarding specificity, signaling, and regulatory function of sialoglycan–Siglec interactions remain. We posit that sialoglycans and Siglecs present as potential glyco-immune ‘checkpoints’ for cancer immunotherapy.
OriginalsprogEngelsk
TidsskriftTrends in Immunology
Vol/bind41
Udgave nummer4
Sider (fra-til)274-285
ISSN1471-4906
DOI
StatusUdgivet - 2020
Eksternt udgivetJa

ID: 237092634