The multiple alterations of Heparan sulphate in cancer

Abstract

Introduction Heparan sulphate is a complex polysaccharide that contains specific structural patterns generated through a series of interdependent enzymatic reactions that can involve various isoenzymes with differences in their specificities, responsible for the modification of the structure of heparan sulphate in physiological and pathological processes. The aim of this review is to discuss the multiple alterations of heparan sulphate in cancer. Discussion Tumour cells exhibit altered growth patterns and metabolism. This is supported by deregulated expression of multiple gene sets associated with tumour development and progression. Malignant cancers are characterized by their invasiveness and can even metastasize to distant locations in the body. Heparan sulphate proteoglycans are implicated in these processes and can influence the growth, invasion and metastatic properties of cancerous cells. Cells exercise exquisite control over heparan sul-phate composition and sequence, varying among cell types, development stages as a result of cell