Gangliosides as immunomodulators

Gangliosides are glycosphingolipids expressed at the outer leaflet of the plasmatic membrane of cells from vertebrate organisms. These molecules exert diverse biological functions including modulation of the immune system responses. Aberrant expression of gangliosides has been demonstrated on malign...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inAdvances in experimental medicine and biology Vol. 601; p. 195
Main Authors Potapenko, Miroslava, Shurin, Galina V, de León, Joel
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States 2007
Subjects
Antibodies, Monoclonal
Antigen-Presenting Cells - immunology
Antigen-Presenting Cells - metabolism
Cell Line, Transformed - metabolism
Disease Progression
Gangliosides - metabolism
Humans
Immune System - metabolism
Immunologic Factors - immunology
Immunosuppressive Agents - chemistry
Immunotherapy - methods
Models, Biological
Models, Chemical
Neoplasms - immunology
Neoplasms - metabolism
Neoplasms - therapy
T-Lymphocytes - metabolism
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Summary:Gangliosides are glycosphingolipids expressed at the outer leaflet of the plasmatic membrane of cells from vertebrate organisms. These molecules exert diverse biological functions including modulation of the immune system responses. Aberrant expression of gangliosides has been demonstrated on malignant cells. Besides expression on tumor cell membranes, gangliosides are also shed in the tumor microenvironment and eventually circulate in patients blood. Gangliosides derived from tumors posses the capability to affect the immune system responses by altering the function of lymphocytes and antigen-presenting cells and promoting tumor growth. These molecules can be considered as tumor weapons directed to attack and destroy immunosurveillance mechanisms devoted to control cancer progression.
ISSN:0065-2598
DOI:10.1007/978-0-387-72005-0_20