ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses some inherited diseases due to alterations of glycoprotein biosynthesis and structural changes induced by malignant transformation in the glycans of both glycoproteins and glycolipids. Idiopathic inflammatory bowel diseases, including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, involve the dense layer of glycoproteins that coats the colon surface. The discovery of neosynthesis of glycoconjugates unique to tumor cells and leading to new glycoproteins or glycolipids characteristic of cancerous cells led to the definition of tumor-associated carbohydrate antigens (TACA). Many monoclonal antibodies against TACAs are successfully used for the immunodetection and monitoring of evolution or involution of an increasing number of cancers and are considered valuable diagnosis tools. The intensive research in the field of the biochemistry of tumor-associated carbohydrate antigens will contribute substantially to a better understanding of the role of glycoconjugates in tumorigenesis. The tremendous development of investigations in the domain of immunogenicity and antigenicity of TACAs looks very promising for passive and active immunotherapy of cancers.
