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Expression of cancer‐associated simple mucin‐type O‐glycosylated antigens in parasites
Author(s) -
Osinaga Eduardo
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
iubmb life
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.132
H-Index - 113
eISSN - 1521-6551
pISSN - 1521-6543
DOI - 10.1080/15216540601188553
Subject(s) - mucin , antigen , glycan , biology , glycoprotein , immunotherapy , parasite hosting , cancer , immunology , immune system , microbiology and biotechnology , biochemistry , genetics , world wide web , computer science
Simple mucin‐type O‐glycan structures, such as Tn, TF, sialyl‐Tn and Tk antigens, are among of the most specific human cancer‐associated structures. These antigens are involved in several types of receptor‐ligand interactions, and they are potential targets for immunotherapy. In the last few years several simple mucin‐type O‐glycan antigens were identified in different species belonging to the main two helminth parasite phyla, and sialyl‐Tn bearing glycoproteins were detected in Trypanosoma cruzi. These results are of interest to understand new aspects in parasite glycoimmunology and may help identify new biological characteristics of parasites as well of the host‐parasite relationship. Considering that different groups reported a negative correlation between certain parasite infections and cancer development, we could hypothesize that simple mucin‐type O‐glycosylated antigens obtained from parasites could be good potential targets for cancer immunotherapy.IUBMB Life, 59: 269‐273, 2007