Joseph J Barchi Jr
National Cancer Institute, USA
Title: Glycopeptide conjugates of a specific tumor-associated carbohydrate antigens as anticancer agen
Biography
Biography: Joseph J Barchi Jr
Abstract
A hallmark of tumorigenesis is the aberrant expression and presentation of cell surface glycans. This modified display of carbohydrate structures has a host of biological consequences, including modified cell adhesion, proliferation and metastasis. Some of these glycans are recognized as “foreign” to the immune system and hence are considered tumor-associated carbohydrate antigens (TACAs). One such antigen, the Thomsen Friedenreich (TF) disaccharide, is directly involved in the metastatic process and has been used as a hapten to for the development of cancer vaccines. Our lab has studied the therapeutic potential of the TF antigen in the context of TF antigen and TF-glycopeptide-coated nanoparticles as vaccine or anti-adhesive platforms. In addition, a glycopeptide with potent antiproliferative and antitumor properties from a bladder disease called interstitial cystitis, also contains the TF antigen, and we have studied its structure activity relationship as an adjunct to develop novel anticancer agents. This lecture will describe some of the results we have obtained on both of these fronts and outline plans for the development of TF antigen-based therapeutics.
