Development of Cell Surface Mucin Mimetic Glycopolymers

摘要

Present on the surface of every cell is a complex forest of glycoproteins called the glycocalyx. This three dimensional mesh mediates a wide variety of cellular processes, from host-pathogen interactions to cancer cell survival and proliferation. Despite its prevalence and importance of the glycocalyx, the technical toolbox to study this biological interface is relatively limited due to the lack of a genetic template to which discrete glycans can be traced. Additionally, the variable three dimensional presentation of glycans on the cell surface complicates their study, as the affinity of glycan binding proteins to individual monosaccharides is relatively weak- it is only when presented in a three dimensional environment that the affinity is enhanced to physiologically relevant levels. An emerging way to study the glycocalyx is through membrane remodeling with synthetic glycomaterials. In this method, lipidated synthetic mimetics of native glycoprotein structures are passively inserted into cellular membranes in order to isolate the role of specific glycan motifs and their ensembles.