Document Type
Article
Original Publication Date
2019
Journal/Book/Conference Title
International Journal of Molecular Sciences
Volume
20
Issue
8:1963
First Page
1
Last Page
19
DOI of Original Publication
10.3390/ijms20081963
Date of Submission
October 2019
Abstract
Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) are a class of biomolecules expressed virtually on all mammalian cells and usually covalently attached to proteins, forming proteoglycans. They are present not only on the cell surface, but also in the intracellular milieu and extracellular matrix. GAGs interact with multiple ligands, both soluble and insoluble, and modulate an important role in various physiological and pathological processes including cancer, bacterial and viral infections, inflammation, Alzheimer’s disease, and many more. Considering their involvement in multiple diseases, their use in the development of drugs has been of significant interest in both academia and industry. Many GAG-based drugs are being developed with encouraging results in animal models and clinical trials, showcasing their potential for development as therapeutics. In this review, the role GAGs play in both the development and inhibition of cancer and inflammation is presented. Further, advancements in the development of GAGs and their mimetics as anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory agents are discussed.
Rights
© 2019 by the author. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Is Part Of
VCU Medicinal Chemistry Publications
Comments
Originally published at https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms20081963
Funded in part by the VCU Libraries Open Access Publishing Fund.