Oligosaccharide chains are added to proteins destined for the plasma membrane as

Question

Oligosaccharide chains are added to proteins destined for the plasma membrane as they are translated in the endoplasmic reticulum. one of the sugars added to the core oligosaccharide is N-, also called sialic acid. Scientists discovered that tumor cells frequently over express sialic acid on their surface, and hypothesize that the over expression contributes to a tumor cell's ability to metastasize. The sialic acid residues are not usually recognized by the immune system. A. How does the presence of Sialic acid on the cell surface facilitate detachment? B. What strategies would you use to design therapeutic a gens to kill these types of tumor cells?

Explanation / Answer

A) How does the presence of Sialic acid on the cell surface facilitate detachment?

Sialic acid is a derivative of neuraminic acid, where the amino group of neuraminic acid is substituted by an acetyl or a glycolyl group. It has unique structural features such that the molecule has a negative charge because of a carboxyl group that allows various cellular functions, including cell-cell repulsion, that results in detachment of the cells, leading to a metastatic property.

B). What strategies would you use to design therapeutic agents to kill these types of tumor cells?

Regular monitoring of sailic acid levels in a cancer patient are required in order to check for the metastasis, by HPLC methods to detect picograms of sialic acid. Followed by checking sialic acid levels drugs can be designed to perform targeted delivery onto the sialic acid, thus using glycomimetic with the help of nano particles, on to the cancer cells inhibit the metastatic spread of the cancer cells .

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