A glycobiology review: carbohydrates, lectins and implications in cancer therapeutics

Abstract

This review is intended for general readers who would like a basic foundation in carbohydrate structure and function, lectin biology, and the implications of glycobiology in human health and disease, particularly in cancer therapeutics. These topics are among the hundreds included in the field of glycobiology and are treated here because they form the cornerstone of glycobiology or the focus of many advances in this rapidly expanding field.

Figure 1

Schematic illustration of carbohydrate heterogeneity found on cell surface glycoproteins and glycolipids. Sialic acids (Sia) are usually found at the terminal residue of O-linked and N-linked glycans of glycoproteins and glycolipids. Glc, glucose; Gal, galactose; Man, mannose; Fuc, fucose; GalNAc, N-acetylgalactosamine; GlcNAc, N-acetylglucosamine. Illustration prepared by Haike Ghazarian using Corel Draw X4.

Figure 2

Schematic illustration of direct lectin targeting (A, left) and reverse lectin targeting (B, right). Illustration prepared by Haike Ghazarian using Corel Draw X4.

Figure 3

Schematic illustration of bacterial lectins binding to cell surface glycans of a host cell prior to infection (left) and specific carbohydrates or their analogs interfering with the bacterial lectin-host carbohydrate interactions (right). Illustration prepared by Haike Ghazarian using Corel Draw X4.