GLYCANC · Matrix glycans as multifunctional pathogenesis factors and therapeutic targets in cancer

Matrix glycans as multifunctional pathogenesis factors and therapeutic targets in cancer

Cancer is a leading cause of mortality within the aging European population and implies high costs for the general public. Eradication of cancer proves to be difficult, as disease mechanisms are complex. Not only molecular changes within the tumor, but also in the extracellular environment surrounding the tumor are important for the disease. This environment includes blood vessels and immune cells, which are hijacked and reprogrammed by the tumor to facilitate its growth. Recent research demonstrated that sugars called glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) and glycoproteins called proteoglycans (PGs) influence tumor growth and metastasis. As the role of these sugars in cancer has only been recently discovered, PG and GAG-based drugs will differ from existing drugs and may help to overcome resistance to therapy. We hypothesize that these drugs will stop multiple processes of cancer development and will therefore be superior to existing therapeutics. PGs and GAGs are currently under-investigated as their analysis is technically challenging. However, GLYCANC forms a team of specialists within the glycobiology field well-qualified to address this important research question. The understanding of the way these sugars work, and how this knowledge can be used for drug development was a major objective of GLYCANC. Other objectives were the development of new analytical technologies called spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy (AFM) to understand why they help tumor cells to grow and metastasis. Moreover, we wanted to understand new ways by which PGs and GAGs are regulated in a different way in cancer and normal cells by a process called epigenetics. With exchanges of university- and industry-based researchers between Europe, South America and Asia, GLYCANC has provided excellent interdisciplinary training for young scientists which became specialists in an upcoming and important research field. GLYCANC promoted the exchange of technologies and scientific ideas between industry and universities, leading to a more efficient research and a better qualification of all participants. As documented in 25 scientific publications so far, GLYCANC has substantially enhanced our understanding how proteoglycans regulate all relevant steps of tumor progression, has resulted in the development of new analytical techniques, and has resulted in the development of new glycoscience-based therapeutic approaches. As new proteoglycan targeting drugs have been successfully evaluated by the GLYCANC consortium in preclinical studies, the development of more efficient treatments can now proceed more rapidly, with considerable benefits for affected patients and society.

Текст от CORDIS, на английски · Данни: CORDIS, © Европейски съюз