Tumor cells display a wide range of glycosylation alterations compared with their non‑transformed counterparts that finally increases the molecular
heterogeneity and functional diversity. What are the commonly experimental strategies used for determinate these changes in a global way?
Hi Paola, there are numerous ways that you can influence cancer cell glycosylation.
But you have to have a specific target in mind. Tunicanycin will inhibit N-linked glycosylation, Swainsonine, a competitive inhibitor of lysosomal α-mannosidase., sialidase, that will cleave sialic acids or lectins that target specific carbohydrate structures
(see Vector Labs for lectin kits)
Hi Paola
There is no easy/common way to investigate glycosylation.
If you only investigate global glycosylation you are likely to not get any difference whatsoever. The fact that there are many monosaccharides and they can exist in a vast number of combinations within one single glycan molecule makes them really challenging to investigate.
Mass spectrometry and microfluidic chips are the most common approaches, but are not for easy or cheap techniques.
I agree you have to have a specific target in mind. However inhibitors are not very specific and are likely to create other problems or unexpected results
Hi Paola, as Leonardo said MS is one of the most used techniques,
You can consider Lectin binding assays as well. There are batteries of tagged lectins available, with different ligand specificity.
Check it out: https://vectorlabs.com/products/lectins-and-glycobiology-reagents
Hope this can help you
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