Tumor cell N-glycans in metastasis

Abstract

Metastasis accounts for most of deaths caused by cancer. The increasing body of evidence suggests that changes in N-glycosylation of tumor cell proteins such as increased branching, increased sialylation, polysialylation, decreased fucosylation, enhanced formation of Lewis X and sialyl Lewis X antigens are among important factors determining metastatic potential of tumor cell. Most of the adhesion proteins, e.g., integrins, members of immunoglobulin superfamily, and cadherins are heavily N-glycosylated. The other proteins involved in adhesion, like galectins and type-C selectins, recognize N-glycans as a part of their specific ligands. In this review we focus on recent reports concerning the contribution of N-glycosylation of tumor cell adhesion molecules and some selected membrane proteins in the tumor invasion and metastasis.