In a recent paper published in the journal npj Precision Oncology, William Butler, a graduate student in the lab led by Chairman Jiaoti Huang, MD, PhD, described the results of his work that comprehensively outlines how sugar molecules (glycans) made by our cells are altered with the progression of prostate cancer. The work further identifies several novel biomarkers for different stages of disease as well as structures that may serve as potential therapeutic targets for patients who have exhausted commonly used therapies.
It is well-known that proteins play a crucial role in determining the biology of cancers, including prostate cancer. However, it is less well-known and under-studied that protein function can be further regulated by a process known as glycosylation, in which sugar molecules (glycans) are attached to proteins, resulting in changes to their function and the biological behavior of cancer cells.
Butler used an advanced imaging mass-spectrometric technology developed by the lab led by Richard R. Drake, PhD, at the Medical University of South Carolina to study a large number of prostate cancer cases, including early-stage, hormone-sensitive, hormonally-treated, and late-stage therapy-resistant prostate cancer, including the highly lethal small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma.
Studying protein glycosylation in prostate cancer poses a major challenge due to the limited availability of cancer tissue representing different stages of the disease, the complexity of the molecules involved, and the sophisticated technology required. Butler's work represents the first comprehensive mapping of the glycan landscape in prostate cancer progression.
Online-only and open access, npj Precision Oncology is an international, peer-reviewed journal committed to publishing cutting-edge scientific research in all aspects of precision oncology from basic science to translational applications to clinical medicine.