Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto
Rua Alfredo Allen, 208 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
Phone: +351 226 074 900
Email: info@i3s.up.pt
Exciting news! In a significant stride towards understanding colorectal cancer (CRC) progression, a recent study by our research group investigated the intricate role of glycosylation in serrated pathway lesions (SPLs), a specific pathway associated with colorectal cancer development. Published in GE – Portuguese Journal of Gastroenterology, our findings shed light on how abnormal glycoprofiles may serve as potential biomarkers for assessing tumor progression risk.
Under the leadership of Ricardo Marcos-Pinto and Ângela Fernandes, with a first authorship from Henrique Fernandes-Mendes, an MD student from ICBAS and Porto University Centre Hospital/Hospital Santo António, our team conducted a retrospective cohort study utilizing data from 53 colonoscopies of 48 patients. The analysis centered on characterizing 63 SPLs based on their N-glycosylation profiles and expression of MGAT5, a key enzyme in glycan branching.
The results revealed associations between aberrant glycoprofiles and clinical variables. Notably, increased expression of β1,6-GlcNAc branched N-glycans in epithelial cells correlated with factors such as age, smoking, and polyp dimensions, suggesting a potential link between these glycans and tumor progression.
Identifying glycosylation abnormalities as potential indicators of CRC progression opens new avenues for more effective risk assessment and management strategies. Moving forward, our team aims to further explore the clinical implications of glycan-based biomarkers and their role in guiding therapeutic interventions for CRC patients.
