CD44 Glycosylation as a Therapeutic Target in Oncology

Chengcheng Liao; Qian Wang; Jiaxing An; Jie Chen; Xiaolan Li; Qian Long; Linlin Xiao; Xiaoyan Guan; Jianguo Liu

doi:10.3389/fonc.2022.883831

CD44 Glycosylation as a Therapeutic Target in Oncology

Front Oncol. 2022 Jul 21:12:883831. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2022.883831. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Chengcheng Liao^{1

2}, Qian Wang^{2

3}, Jiaxing An⁴, Jie Chen⁵, Xiaolan Li^{2

3}, Qian Long^{1

2}, Linlin Xiao^{1

2}, Xiaoyan Guan^{1

2}, Jianguo Liu^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Orthodontics II, Affiliated Stomatological Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China.
² Oral Disease Research Key Laboratory of Guizhou Tertiary Institution, School of Stomatology, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China.
³ Microbial Resources and Drug Development Key Laboratory of Guizhou Tertiary Institution, Life Sciences Institute, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China.
⁴ Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China.
⁵ Department of Urology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China.

Abstract

The interaction of non-kinase transmembrane glycoprotein CD44 with ligands including hyaluronic acid (HA) is closely related to the occurrence and development of tumors. Changes in CD44 glycosylation can regulate its binding to HA, Siglec-15, fibronectin, TM4SF5, PRG4, FGF2, collagen and podoplanin and activate or inhibit c-Src/STAT3/Twist1/Bmi1, PI3K/AKT/mTOR, ERK/NF-κB/NANOG and other signaling pathways, thereby having a profound impact on the tumor microenvironment and tumor cell fate. However, the glycosylation of CD44 is complex and largely unknown, and the current understanding of how CD44 glycosylation affects tumors is limited. These issues must be addressed before targeted CD44 glycosylation can be applied to treat human cancers.

Keywords: CD44; HCELL; fucosylation; glycosylation; hyaluronic acid; sialylation.

Publication types

Review