1
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Liu D, Zhu H, Li C. Galectins and galectin-mediated autophagy regulation: new insights into targeted cancer therapy. Biomark Res 2023; 11:22. [PMID: 36814341 PMCID: PMC9945697 DOI: 10.1186/s40364-023-00466-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Galectins are animal lectins with specific affinity for galactosides via the conserved carbohydrate recognition domains. Increasing studies recently have identified critical roles of galectin family members in tumor progression. Abnormal expression of galectins contributes to the proliferation, metastasis, epithelial-mesenchymal transformation (EMT), immunosuppression, radio-resistance and chemoresistance in various cancers, which has attracted cumulative clinical interest in galectin-based cancer treatment. Galectin family members have been reported to participate in autophagy regulation under physiological conditions and in non-tumoral diseases, and implication of galectins in multiple processes of carcinogenesis also involves regulation of autophagy, however, the relationship between galectins, autophagy and cancer remains largely unclear. In this review, we introduce the structure and function of galectins at the molecular level, summarize their engagements in autophagy and cancer progression, and also highlight the regulation of autophagy by galectins in cancer as well as the therapeutic potentials of galectin and autophagy-based strategies. Elaborating on the mechanism of galectin-regulated autophagy in cancers will accelerate the exploitation of galectins-autophagy targeted therapies in treatment for cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan Liu
- grid.33199.310000 0004 0368 7223Department of Medical Genetics, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Hongtao Zhu
- grid.412793.a0000 0004 1799 5032Department of Neurosurgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Chuanzhou Li
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
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2
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Targeting galectin-driven regulatory circuits in cancer and fibrosis. Nat Rev Drug Discov 2023; 22:295-316. [PMID: 36759557 DOI: 10.1038/s41573-023-00636-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 37.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 02/11/2023]
Abstract
Galectins are a family of endogenous glycan-binding proteins that have crucial roles in a broad range of physiological and pathological processes. As a group, these proteins use both extracellular and intracellular mechanisms as well as glycan-dependent and independent pathways to reprogramme the fate and function of numerous cell types. Given their multifunctional roles in both tissue fibrosis and cancer, galectins have been identified as potential therapeutic targets for these disorders. Here, we focus on the therapeutic relevance of galectins, particularly galectin 1 (GAL1), GAL3 and GAL9 to tumour progression and fibrotic diseases. We consider an array of galectin-targeted strategies, including small-molecule carbohydrate inhibitors, natural polysaccharides and their derivatives, peptides, peptidomimetics and biological agents (notably, neutralizing monoclonal antibodies and truncated galectins) and discuss their mechanisms of action, selectivity and therapeutic potential in preclinical models of fibrosis and cancer. We also review the results of clinical trials that aim to evaluate the efficacy of galectin inhibitors in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and cancer. The rapid pace of glycobiology research, combined with the acute need for drugs to alleviate fibrotic inflammation and overcome resistance to anticancer therapies, will accelerate the translation of anti-galectin therapeutics into clinical practice.
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3
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Laderach DJ, Compagno D. Inhibition of galectins in cancer: Biological challenges for their clinical application. Front Immunol 2023; 13:1104625. [PMID: 36703969 PMCID: PMC9872792 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1104625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Galectins play relevant roles in tumor development, progression and metastasis. Accordingly, galectins are certainly enticing targets for medical intervention in cancer. To date, however, clinical trials based on galectin inhibitors reported inconclusive results. This review summarizes the galectin inhibitors currently being evaluated and discusses some of the biological challenges that need to be addressed to improve these strategies for the benefit of cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego José Laderach
- Molecular and Functional Glyco-Oncology Laboratory, Instituto de Química Biológica de la Facutad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (IQUIBICEN-CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina,Departamento de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina,Departamento de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad Nacional de Luján, Luján, Argentina,*Correspondence: Diego José Laderach,
| | - Daniel Compagno
- Molecular and Functional Glyco-Oncology Laboratory, Instituto de Química Biológica de la Facutad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (IQUIBICEN-CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina,Departamento de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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4
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Mijailović NR, Vesic K, Arsenijevic D, Milojević-Rakić M, Borovcanin MM. Galectin-3 Involvement in Cognitive Processes for New Therapeutic Considerations. Front Cell Neurosci 2022; 16:923811. [PMID: 35875353 PMCID: PMC9296991 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2022.923811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cognitive impairment may be a consequence of the normal aging process, but it may also be the hallmark of various neurodegenerative and psychiatric diseases. Early identification of individuals at particular risk for cognitive decline is critical, as it is imperative to maintain a cognitive reserve in these neuropsychiatric entities. In recent years, galectin-3 (Gal-3), a member of the galectin family, has received considerable attention with respect to aspects of neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration. The mechanisms behind the putative relationship between Gal-3 and cognitive impairment are not yet clear. Intrigued by this versatile molecule and its unique modular architecture, the latest data on this relationship are presented here. This mini-review summarizes recent findings on the mechanisms by which Gal-3 affects cognitive functioning in both animal and human models. Particular emphasis is placed on the role of Gal-3 in modulating the inflammatory response as a fine-tuner of microglia morphology and phenotype. A review of recent literature on the utility of Gal-3 as a biomarker is provided, and approaches to strategically exploit Gal-3 activities with therapeutic intentions in neuropsychiatric diseases are outlined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nataša R. Mijailović
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, Kragujevac, Serbia
- *Correspondence: Nataša R. Mijailović,
| | - Katarina Vesic
- Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, Kragujevac, Serbia
| | - Dragana Arsenijevic
- Center for Molecular Medicine and Stem Cell Research, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, Kragujevac, Serbia
| | | | - Milica M. Borovcanin
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, Kragujevac, Serbia
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5
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Bum-Erdene K, Collins PM, Hugo MW, Tarighat SS, Fei F, Kishor C, Leffler H, Nilsson UJ, Groffen J, Grice ID, Heisterkamp N, Blanchard H. Novel Selective Galectin-3 Antagonists Are Cytotoxic to Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. J Med Chem 2022; 65:5975-5989. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c01296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Khuchtumur Bum-Erdene
- Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus, Queensland 4222, Australia
| | - Patrick M. Collins
- Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus, Queensland 4222, Australia
| | - Matthew W. Hugo
- Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus, Queensland 4222, Australia
| | - Somayeh S. Tarighat
- Section of Molecular Carcinogenesis, Division of Hematology/Oncology and Bone Marrow Transplant, The Saban Research Institute of Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90027, United States
| | - Fei Fei
- Section of Molecular Carcinogenesis, Division of Hematology/Oncology and Bone Marrow Transplant, The Saban Research Institute of Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90027, United States
| | - Chandan Kishor
- Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus, Queensland 4222, Australia
| | - Hakon Leffler
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Section MIG, Lund University, BMC-C1228b, Klinikgatan 28, 221 84 Lund, Sweden
| | - Ulf. J. Nilsson
- Centre for Analysis and Synthesis, Department of Chemistry, Lund University, P.O. Box 124, 221 00 Lund, Sweden
| | - John Groffen
- Section of Molecular Carcinogenesis, Division of Hematology/Oncology and Bone Marrow Transplant, The Saban Research Institute of Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90027, United States
| | - I. Darren Grice
- Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus, Queensland 4222, Australia
- School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus, Queensland 4222, Australia
| | - Nora Heisterkamp
- Section of Molecular Carcinogenesis, Division of Hematology/Oncology and Bone Marrow Transplant, The Saban Research Institute of Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90027, United States
| | - Helen Blanchard
- Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus, Queensland 4222, Australia
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6
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Sethi A, Sanam S, Alvala R, Alvala M. An updated patent review of galectin-1 and galectin-3 inhibitors and their potential therapeutic applications (2016-present). Expert Opin Ther Pat 2021; 31:709-721. [PMID: 33749494 DOI: 10.1080/13543776.2021.1903430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Galectins are ubiquitous in nature. They have established themselves as a protein family of high therapeutic potential and play a role in a wide variety of diseases like cancer, fibrosis, and Alzheimer's. Within the galectin family, galectin- 1 and galectin- 3 have been widely studied and their roles and functions have now been well established. AREAS COVERED In this review, we discuss the important advancements in the development of galectin-1 & 3 inhibitors. All patents filed detailing the divergent strategies to inhibit galectin-1 & 3 from 2016 to present have been covered and discussed. EXPERT OPINION Over the past couple of decades, distinct galectin inhibitors have been synthesized, reported and studied. Among all, the mono and disaccharide-based antagonists have been found to be considerably successful. However, the cumbersome synthetic route followed to develop this class of inhibitors, in addition to complexity involved in making selective modifications within these molecules has posed a significant challenge. Recently, there have been numerous reports on heterocyclic-based galectin inhibitors. If these are established as potent galectin inhibitors, their ease of synthesis and tunability could overcome the potential drawbacks of carbohydrate-based inhibitors and could thus be exploited to develop efficient and highly specific galectin inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaftaab Sethi
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research-Hyderabad, Balanagar, India
| | - Swetha Sanam
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research-Hyderabad, Balanagar, India
| | - Ravi Alvala
- G Pulla Reddy College of Pharmacy, Mehdipatnam, Hyderabad, India
| | - Mallika Alvala
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research-Hyderabad, Balanagar, India.,Assistant Professor, School of Pharmacy and Technology Management, NMIMS (Deemed to be University), Hyderabad, India
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7
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Hoffmann M, Hayes MR, Pietruszka J, Elling L. Synthesis of the Thomsen-Friedenreich-antigen (TF-antigen) and binding of Galectin-3 to TF-antigen presenting neo-glycoproteins. Glycoconj J 2020; 37:457-470. [PMID: 32367478 PMCID: PMC7329766 DOI: 10.1007/s10719-020-09926-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2020] [Accepted: 04/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The Thomsen-Friedenreich-antigen, Gal(β1-3)GalNAc(α1-O-Ser/Thr (TF-antigen), is presented on the surface of most human cancer cell types. Its interaction with galectin 1 and galectin 3 leads to tumor cell aggregation and promotes cancer metastasis and T-cell apoptosis in epithelial tissue. To further explore multivalent binding between the TF-antigen and galectin-3, the TF-antigen was enzymatically synthesized in high yields with GalNAc(α1-EG3-azide as the acceptor substrate by use of the glycosynthase BgaC/Glu233Gly. Subsequently, it was coupled to alkynyl-functionalized bovine serum albumin via a copper(I)-catalyzed alkyne-azide cycloaddition. This procedure yielded neo-glycoproteins with tunable glycan multivalency for binding studies. Glycan densities between 2 and 53 glycan residues per protein molecule were obtained by regulated alkynyl-modification of the lysine residues of BSA. The number of coupled glycans was quantified by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and a trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid assay. The binding efficiency of the neo-glycoproteins with human galectin-3 and the effect of multivalency was investigated and assessed using an enzyme-linked lectin assay. Immobilized neo-glycoproteins of all modification densities showed binding of Gal-3 with increasing glycan density. However, multivalent glycan presentation did not result in a higher binding affinity. In contrast, inhibition of Gal-3 binding to asialofetuin was effective. The relative inhibitory potency was increased by a factor of 142 for neo-glycoproteins displaying 10 glycans/protein in contrast to highly decorated inhibitors with only 2-fold increase. In summary, the functionality of BSA-based neo-glycoproteins presenting the TF-antigen as multivalent inhibitors for Gal-3 was demonstrated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marius Hoffmann
- Laboratory for Biomaterials, Institute for Biotechnology and Helmholtz-Institute for Biomedical Engineering, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstraße. 20, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Marc R. Hayes
- Institute for Bioorganic Chemistry, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf at Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52426 Jülich, Germany
| | - Jörg Pietruszka
- Institute for Bioorganic Chemistry, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf at Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52426 Jülich, Germany
- Forschungszentrum Jülich, IBG-1: Biotechnology, 52426 Jülich, Germany
| | - Lothar Elling
- Laboratory for Biomaterials, Institute for Biotechnology and Helmholtz-Institute for Biomedical Engineering, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstraße. 20, 52074 Aachen, Germany
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8
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Tavares MR, Bláhová M, Sedláková L, Elling L, Pelantová H, Konefał R, Etrych T, Křen V, Bojarová P, Chytil P. High-Affinity N-(2-Hydroxypropyl)methacrylamide Copolymers with Tailored N-Acetyllactosamine Presentation Discriminate between Galectins. Biomacromolecules 2020; 21:641-652. [PMID: 31904940 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.9b01370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
N-Acetyllactosamine (LacNAc; Galβ4GlcNAc) is a typical disaccharide ligand of galectins. The most abundant members of these human lectins, galectin-1 (Gal-1) and galectin-3 (Gal-3), participate in a number of pathologies including cancerogenesis and metastatic formation. In this study, we synthesized a series of fifteen N-(2-hydroxypropyl)methacrylamide (HPMA)-based glycopolymers with varying LacNAc amounts and presentations and evaluated the impact of their architecture on the binding affinity to Gal-1 and Gal-3. The controlled radical reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer copolymerization technique afforded linear polymer precursors with comparable molecular weight (Mn ≈ 22,000 g mol-1) and narrow dispersity (D̵ ≈ 1.1). The precursors were conjugated with the functionalized LacNAc disaccharide (4-22 mol % content in glycopolymer) prepared by enzymatic synthesis under catalysis by β-galactosidase from Bacillus circulans. The structure-affinity relationship study based on the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay revealed that the type of LacNAc presentation, individual or clustered on bi- or trivalent linkers, brings a clear discrimination (almost 300-fold) between Gal-1 and Gal-3, reaching avidity to Gal-1 in the nanomolar range. Whereas Gal-1 strongly preferred a dense presentation of individually distributed LacNAc epitopes, Gal-3 preferred a clustered LacNAc presentation. Such a strong galectin preference based just on the structure of a multivalent glycopolymer type is exceptional. The prepared nontoxic, nonimmunogenic, and biocompatible glycopolymers are prospective for therapeutic applications requiring selectivity for one particular galectin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina Rodrigues Tavares
- Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry , Czech Academy of Sciences , Heyrovského náměstí 2 , CZ-162 06 Prague 6 , Czech Republic
| | - Markéta Bláhová
- Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry , Czech Academy of Sciences , Heyrovského náměstí 2 , CZ-162 06 Prague 6 , Czech Republic
| | - Lieselotte Sedláková
- Institute of Microbiology , Czech Academy of Sciences , Vídeňská 1083 , CZ-142 20 Prague 4 , Czech Republic.,Department of Health Care Disciplines and Population Protection, Faculty of Biomedical Engineering , Czech Technical University in Prague , Sítná sq. 3105 , CZ-272 01 Kladno , Czech Republic
| | - Lothar Elling
- Institute of Biotechnology and Helmholtz Institute for Biomedical Engineering , RWTH Aachen , Pauwelstr. 20 , D-52079 Aachen , Germany
| | - Helena Pelantová
- Institute of Microbiology , Czech Academy of Sciences , Vídeňská 1083 , CZ-142 20 Prague 4 , Czech Republic
| | - Rafał Konefał
- Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry , Czech Academy of Sciences , Heyrovského náměstí 2 , CZ-162 06 Prague 6 , Czech Republic
| | - Tomáš Etrych
- Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry , Czech Academy of Sciences , Heyrovského náměstí 2 , CZ-162 06 Prague 6 , Czech Republic
| | - Vladimír Křen
- Institute of Microbiology , Czech Academy of Sciences , Vídeňská 1083 , CZ-142 20 Prague 4 , Czech Republic
| | - Pavla Bojarová
- Institute of Microbiology , Czech Academy of Sciences , Vídeňská 1083 , CZ-142 20 Prague 4 , Czech Republic.,Department of Health Care Disciplines and Population Protection, Faculty of Biomedical Engineering , Czech Technical University in Prague , Sítná sq. 3105 , CZ-272 01 Kladno , Czech Republic
| | - Petr Chytil
- Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry , Czech Academy of Sciences , Heyrovského náměstí 2 , CZ-162 06 Prague 6 , Czech Republic
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9
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Laaf D, Bojarová P, Elling L, Křen V. Galectin-Carbohydrate Interactions in Biomedicine and Biotechnology. Trends Biotechnol 2018; 37:402-415. [PMID: 30413271 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2018.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2018] [Revised: 09/25/2018] [Accepted: 10/02/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Cellular communication events are mediated by interactions between cell-surface sugars and lectins, which are carbohydrate-binding proteins. Galectins are β-galactosyl-binding lectins that bridge molecules by their sugar moieties, forming a signaling and adhesion network. Severe changes in glycosylation and galectin expression accompany major processes in oncogenesis, cardiovascular disorders, and other pathologies, making galectins attractive therapeutic targets. Here we discuss advanced strategies of chemo-enzymatic carbohydrate synthesis for creating lead glycomimetics and (neo-)glycoconjugates for galectin-1 and -3 targeting in biomedicine and biotechnology. We will describe the challenges and bottlenecks on the route into biomedical and biotechnological practice and present the first clinical candidates. The coming era will see an exciting translation of selective well-defined high-affinity galectin ligands from bench to bedside.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominic Laaf
- Laboratory for Biomaterials, Institute for Biotechnology and Helmholtz-Institute for Biomedical Engineering, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstraße 20, D-52074 Aachen, Germany; Equally contributing authors
| | - Pavla Bojarová
- Institute of Microbiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Vídeňská 1083, CZ-14220 Prague 4, Czech Republic; Equally contributing authors
| | - Lothar Elling
- Laboratory for Biomaterials, Institute for Biotechnology and Helmholtz-Institute for Biomedical Engineering, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstraße 20, D-52074 Aachen, Germany.
| | - Vladimír Křen
- Institute of Microbiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Vídeňská 1083, CZ-14220 Prague 4, Czech Republic.
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10
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Bojarová P, Tavares MR, Laaf D, Bumba L, Petrásková L, Konefał R, Bláhová M, Pelantová H, Elling L, Etrych T, Chytil P, Křen V. Biocompatible glyconanomaterials based on HPMA-copolymer for specific targeting of galectin-3. J Nanobiotechnology 2018; 16:73. [PMID: 30236114 PMCID: PMC6146777 DOI: 10.1186/s12951-018-0399-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2018] [Accepted: 09/11/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Galectin-3 (Gal-3) is a promising target in cancer therapy with a high therapeutic potential due to its abundant localization within the tumor tissue and its involvement in tumor development and proliferation. Potential clinical application of Gal-3-targeted inhibitors is often complicated by their insufficient selectivity or low biocompatibility. Nanomaterials based on N-(2-hydroxypropyl)methacrylamide (HPMA) nanocarrier are attractive for in vivo application due to their good water solubility and lack of toxicity and immunogenicity. Their conjugation with tailored carbohydrate ligands can yield specific glyconanomaterials applicable for targeting biomedicinally relevant lectins like Gal-3. Results In the present study we describe the synthesis and the structure-affinity relationship study of novel Gal-3-targeted glyconanomaterials, based on hydrophilic HPMA nanocarriers. HPMA nanocarriers decorated with varying amounts of Gal-3 specific epitope GalNAcβ1,4GlcNAc (LacdiNAc) were analyzed in a competitive ELISA-type assay and their binding kinetics was described by surface plasmon resonance. We showed the impact of various linker types and epitope distribution on the binding affinity to Gal-3. The synthesis of specific functionalized LacdiNAc epitopes was accomplished under the catalysis by mutant β-N-acetylhexosaminidases. The glycans were conjugated to statistic HPMA copolymer precursors through diverse linkers in a defined pattern and density using Cu(I)-catalyzed azide–alkyne cycloaddition. The resulting water-soluble and structurally flexible synthetic glyconanomaterials exhibited affinity to Gal-3 in low μM range. Conclusions The results of this study reveal the relation between the linker structure, glycan distribution and the affinity of the glycopolymer nanomaterial to Gal-3. They pave the way to specific biomedicinal glyconanomaterials that target Gal-3 as a therapeutic goal in cancerogenesis and other disorders. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12951-018-0399-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Bojarová
- Institute of Microbiology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Vídeňská 1083, 14220, Prague 4, Czech Republic.
| | - M R Tavares
- Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Heyrovský Sq. 2, 16206, Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - D Laaf
- Laboratory for Biomaterials, Institute for Biotechnology and Helmholtz-Institute for Biomedical Engineering, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstraße 20, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - L Bumba
- Institute of Microbiology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Vídeňská 1083, 14220, Prague 4, Czech Republic
| | - L Petrásková
- Institute of Microbiology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Vídeňská 1083, 14220, Prague 4, Czech Republic
| | - R Konefał
- Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Heyrovský Sq. 2, 16206, Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - M Bláhová
- Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Heyrovský Sq. 2, 16206, Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - H Pelantová
- Institute of Microbiology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Vídeňská 1083, 14220, Prague 4, Czech Republic
| | - L Elling
- Laboratory for Biomaterials, Institute for Biotechnology and Helmholtz-Institute for Biomedical Engineering, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstraße 20, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - T Etrych
- Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Heyrovský Sq. 2, 16206, Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - P Chytil
- Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Heyrovský Sq. 2, 16206, Prague 6, Czech Republic.
| | - V Křen
- Institute of Microbiology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Vídeňská 1083, 14220, Prague 4, Czech Republic
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11
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Vinals DF, Kitov PI, Tu Z, Zou C, Cairo CW, Lin HCH, Derda R. Selection of galectin-3 ligands derived from genetically encoded glycopeptide libraries. Pept Sci (Hoboken) 2018. [DOI: 10.1002/pep2.24097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Pavel I. Kitov
- Department of Chemistry; University of Alberta; Edmonton Alberta Canada
| | - Zhijay Tu
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica; Taipei Taiwan
| | - Chunxia Zou
- Department of Chemistry; University of Alberta; Edmonton Alberta Canada
| | | | | | - Ratmir Derda
- Department of Chemistry; University of Alberta; Edmonton Alberta Canada
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12
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Restuccia A, Fettis MM, Farhadi SA, Molinaro MD, Kane B, Hudalla GA. Evaluation of Self-Assembled Glycopeptide Nanofibers Modified with N,N′-Diacetyllactosamine for Selective Galectin-3 Recognition and Inhibition. ACS Biomater Sci Eng 2018. [DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.8b00611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Antonietta Restuccia
- J. Crayton Pruitt Family Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Florida, PO Box 116131, Biomedical Sciences Building JG56, 1275 Center Drive, Gainesville, Florida 32611, United States
| | - Margaret M. Fettis
- J. Crayton Pruitt Family Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Florida, PO Box 116131, Biomedical Sciences Building JG56, 1275 Center Drive, Gainesville, Florida 32611, United States
| | - Shaheen A. Farhadi
- J. Crayton Pruitt Family Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Florida, PO Box 116131, Biomedical Sciences Building JG56, 1275 Center Drive, Gainesville, Florida 32611, United States
| | - Matthew D. Molinaro
- J. Crayton Pruitt Family Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Florida, PO Box 116131, Biomedical Sciences Building JG56, 1275 Center Drive, Gainesville, Florida 32611, United States
| | - Bryant Kane
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Florida, 1200 Newell Drive, Gainesville, Florida 32611, United States
| | - Gregory A. Hudalla
- J. Crayton Pruitt Family Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Florida, PO Box 116131, Biomedical Sciences Building JG56, 1275 Center Drive, Gainesville, Florida 32611, United States
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13
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Bojarová P, Křen V. Sugared biomaterial binding lectins: achievements and perspectives. Biomater Sci 2018; 4:1142-60. [PMID: 27075026 DOI: 10.1039/c6bm00088f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Lectins, a distinct group of glycan-binding proteins, play a prominent role in the immune system ranging from pathogen recognition and tuning of inflammation to cell adhesion or cellular signalling. The possibilities of their detailed study expanded along with the rapid development of biomaterials in the last decade. The immense knowledge of all aspects of glycan-lectin interactions both in vitro and in vivo may be efficiently used in bioimaging, targeted drug delivery, diagnostic and analytic biological methods. Practically applicable examples comprise photoluminescence and optical biosensors, ingenious three-dimensional carbohydrate microarrays for high-throughput screening, matrices for magnetic resonance imaging, targeted hyperthermal treatment of cancer tissues, selective inhibitors of bacterial toxins and pathogen-recognising lectin receptors, and many others. This review aims to present an up-to-date systematic overview of glycan-decorated biomaterials promising for interactions with lectins, especially those applicable in biology, biotechnology or medicine. The lectins of interest include galectin-1, -3 and -7 participating in tumour progression, bacterial lectins from Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA-IL), E. coli (Fim-H) and Clostridium botulinum (HA33) or DC-SIGN, receptors of macrophages and dendritic cells. The spectrum of lectin-binding biomaterials covered herein ranges from glycosylated organic structures, calixarene and fullerene cores over glycopeptides and glycoproteins, functionalised carbohydrate scaffolds of cyclodextrin or chitin to self-assembling glycopolymer clusters, gels, micelles and liposomes. Glyconanoparticles, glycan arrays, and other biomaterials with a solid core are described in detail, including inorganic matrices like hydroxyapatite or stainless steel for bioimplants.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Bojarová
- Laboratory of Biotransformation, Institute of Microbiology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Vídeňská 1083, CZ 14220 Prague 4, Czech Republic.
| | - V Křen
- Laboratory of Biotransformation, Institute of Microbiology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Vídeňská 1083, CZ 14220 Prague 4, Czech Republic.
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Zhang H, Laaf D, Elling L, Pieters RJ. Thiodigalactoside-Bovine Serum Albumin Conjugates as High-Potency Inhibitors of Galectin-3: An Outstanding Example of Multivalent Presentation of Small Molecule Inhibitors. Bioconjug Chem 2018; 29:1266-1275. [PMID: 29474087 PMCID: PMC5909177 DOI: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.8b00047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
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Galectin inhibitors
are urgently needed to understand the mode
of action and druggability of different galectins, but potent and
selective agents still evade researchers. Small-sized inhibitors based
on thiodigalactoside (TDG) have shown their potential while modifications
at their C3 position indicated a strategy to improve selectivity and
potency. Considering the role of galectins as glycoprotein traffic
police, involved in multivalent bridging interactions, we aimed to
create multivalent versions of the potent TDG inhibitors. We herein
present for the first time the multivalent attachment of a TDG derivative
using bovine serum albumin (BSA) as the scaffold. An efficient synthetic
method is presented to obtain a novel type of neoglycosylated proteins
loaded with different numbers of TDG moieties. A polyethylene glycol
(PEG)-spacer is introduced between the TDG and the protein scaffold
maintaining appropriate accessibility for an adequate galectin interaction.
The novel conjugates were evaluated in galectin binding and inhibition
studies in vitro. The conjugate with a moderate density
of 19 conjugated TDGs was identified as one of the most potent multivalent
Gal-3 inhibitors so far, with a clear demonstration of the benefit
of a multivalent ligand presentation. The described method may facilitate
the development of specific galectin inhibitors and their application
in biomedical research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Zhang
- Department of Chemical Biology & Drug Discovery, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences , Utrecht University , Universiteitsweg 99 , 3584 CG Utrecht , The Netherlands
| | - Dominic Laaf
- Laboratory for Biomaterials, Institute for Biotechnology and Helmholtz-Institute for Biomedical Engineering , RWTH Aachen University , Pauwelsstrasse 20 , 52074 Aachen , Germany
| | - Lothar Elling
- Laboratory for Biomaterials, Institute for Biotechnology and Helmholtz-Institute for Biomedical Engineering , RWTH Aachen University , Pauwelsstrasse 20 , 52074 Aachen , Germany
| | - Roland J Pieters
- Department of Chemical Biology & Drug Discovery, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences , Utrecht University , Universiteitsweg 99 , 3584 CG Utrecht , The Netherlands
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Laaf D, Steffens H, Pelantová H, Bojarová P, Křen V, Elling L. Chemo-Enzymatic Synthesis of BranchedN-Acetyllactosamine Glycan Oligomers for Galectin-3 Inhibition. Adv Synth Catal 2017. [DOI: 10.1002/adsc.201700969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Dominic Laaf
- Laboratory for Biomaterials, Institute for Biotechnology and Helmholtz-Institute for Biomedical Engineering; RWTH Aachen University; Pauwelsstrasse 20 52074 Aachen Germany
| | - Hanna Steffens
- Laboratory for Biomaterials, Institute for Biotechnology and Helmholtz-Institute for Biomedical Engineering; RWTH Aachen University; Pauwelsstrasse 20 52074 Aachen Germany
| | - Helena Pelantová
- Institute of Microbiology; Czech Academy of Sciences; Vídeňská 1083 14220 Prague Czech Republic
| | - Pavla Bojarová
- Institute of Microbiology; Czech Academy of Sciences; Vídeňská 1083 14220 Prague Czech Republic
| | - Vladimír Křen
- Institute of Microbiology; Czech Academy of Sciences; Vídeňská 1083 14220 Prague Czech Republic
| | - Lothar Elling
- Laboratory for Biomaterials, Institute for Biotechnology and Helmholtz-Institute for Biomedical Engineering; RWTH Aachen University; Pauwelsstrasse 20 52074 Aachen Germany
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16
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Farhadi SA, Hudalla GA. Engineering galectin-glycan interactions for immunotherapy and immunomodulation. Exp Biol Med (Maywood) 2017; 241:1074-83. [PMID: 27229902 DOI: 10.1177/1535370216650055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Galectins, a 15-member family of soluble carbohydrate-binding proteins, are receiving increasing interest as therapeutic targets for immunotherapy and immunomodulation due to their role as extracellular signals that regulate innate and adaptive immune cell phenotype and function. However, different galectins can have redundant, synergistic, or antagonistic signaling activity in normal immunological responses, such as resolution of inflammation and induction of antigen-specific tolerance. In addition, certain galectins can be hijacked to promote progression of immunopathologies, such as tumor immune privilege, metastasis, and viral infection, while others can inhibit these processes. Thus, eliciting a desired immunological outcome will likely necessitate therapeutics that can precisely enhance or inhibit particular galectin-glycan interactions. Multivalency is an important determinant of the affinity and specificity of natural galectin-glycan interactions, and is emerging as a key design element for therapeutics that can effectively manipulate galectin bioactivity. This minireview surveys current molecular and biomaterial engineering approaches to create therapeutics that can stabilize galectin multivalency or recapitulate natural glycan multivalency (i.e. "the glycocluster effect"). In particular, we highlight examples of using natural and engineered multivalent galectins for immunosuppression and immune tolerance, with a particular emphasis on treating autoimmune diseases or avoiding transplant rejection. In addition, we present examples of multivalent inhibitors of galectin-glycan interactions to maintain or restore T-cell function, with a particular emphasis on promoting antitumor immunity. Finally, we discuss emerging opportunities to further engineer galectin-glycan interactions for immunotherapy and immunomodulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaheen A Farhadi
- J Crayton Pruitt Family Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Gregory A Hudalla
- J Crayton Pruitt Family Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
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Cagnoni AJ, Pérez Sáez JM, Rabinovich GA, Mariño KV. Turning-Off Signaling by Siglecs, Selectins, and Galectins: Chemical Inhibition of Glycan-Dependent Interactions in Cancer. Front Oncol 2016; 6:109. [PMID: 27242953 PMCID: PMC4865499 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2016.00109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2016] [Accepted: 04/18/2016] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Aberrant glycosylation, a common feature associated with malignancy, has been implicated in important events during cancer progression. Our understanding of the role of glycans in cancer has grown exponentially in the last few years, concurrent with important advances in glycomics and glycoproteomic technologies, paving the way for the validation of a number of glycan structures as potential glycobiomarkers. However, the molecular bases underlying cancer-associated glycan modifications are still far from understood. Glycans exhibit a natural heterogeneity, crucial for their diverse functional roles as specific carriers of biologically relevant information. This information is decoded by families of proteins named lectins, including sialic acid-binding immunoglobulin (Ig)-like lectins (siglecs), C-type lectin receptors (CLRs), and galectins. Siglecs are primarily expressed on the surface of immune cells and differentially control innate and adaptive immune responses. Among CLRs, selectins are a family of cell adhesion molecules that mediate interactions between cancer cells and platelets, leukocytes, and endothelial cells, thus facilitating tumor cell invasion and metastasis. Galectins, a family of soluble proteins that bind β-galactoside-containing glycans, have been implicated in diverse events associated with cancer biology such as apoptosis, homotypic cell aggregation, angiogenesis, cell migration, and tumor-immune escape. Consequently, individual members of these lectin families have become promising targets for the design of novel anticancer therapies. During the past decade, a number of inhibitors of lectin–glycan interactions have been developed including small-molecule inhibitors, multivalent saccharide ligands, and more recently peptides and peptidomimetics have offered alternatives for tackling tumor progression. In this article, we review the current status of the discovery and development of chemical lectin inhibitors and discuss novel strategies to limit cancer progression by targeting lectin–glycan interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro J Cagnoni
- Laboratorio de Glicómica Funcional y Molecular, Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina; Laboratorio de Inmunopatología, Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Juan M Pérez Sáez
- Laboratorio de Inmunopatología, Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET) , Buenos Aires , Argentina
| | - Gabriel A Rabinovich
- Laboratorio de Inmunopatología, Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina; Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Karina V Mariño
- Laboratorio de Glicómica Funcional y Molecular, Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET) , Buenos Aires , Argentina
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Blanchard H, Bum-Erdene K, Bohari MH, Yu X. Galectin-1 inhibitors and their potential therapeutic applications: a patent review. Expert Opin Ther Pat 2016; 26:537-54. [PMID: 26950805 DOI: 10.1517/13543776.2016.1163338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Galectins have affinity for β-galactosides. Human galectin-1 is ubiquitously expressed in the body and its expression level can be a marker in disease. Targeted inhibition of galectin-1 gives potential for treatment of inflammatory disorders and anti-cancer therapeutics. AREAS COVERED This review discusses progress in galectin-1 inhibitor discovery and development. Patent applications pertaining to galectin-1 inhibitors are categorised as monovalent- and multivalent-carbohydrate-based inhibitors, peptides- and peptidomimetics. Furthermore, the potential of galectin-1 protein as a therapeutic is discussed along with consideration of the unique challenges that galectin-1 presents, including its monomer-dimer equilibrium and oxidized and reduced forms, with regard to delivering an intact protein to a pathologically relevant site. EXPERT OPINION Significant evidence implicates galectin-1's involvement in cancer progression, inflammation, and host-pathogen interactions. Conserved sequence similarity of the carbohydrate-binding sites of different galectins makes design of specific antagonists (blocking agents/inhibitors of function) difficult. Key challenges pertaining to the therapeutic use of galectin-1 are its monomer-dimer equilibrium, its redox state, and delivery of intact galectin-1 to the desired site. Developing modified forms of galectin-1 has resulted in increased stability and functional potency. Gene and protein therapy approaches that deliver the protein toward the target are under exploration as is exploitation of different inhibitor scaffolds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helen Blanchard
- a Institute for Glycomics , Griffith University , Gold Coast Campus , Queensland , Australia
| | - Khuchtumur Bum-Erdene
- a Institute for Glycomics , Griffith University , Gold Coast Campus , Queensland , Australia
| | | | - Xing Yu
- a Institute for Glycomics , Griffith University , Gold Coast Campus , Queensland , Australia
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Batten SR, Kobe B, Guddat L. International Year of Crystallography. Aust J Chem 2014. [DOI: 10.1071/ch14557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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