Glycome assessment in patients with respiratory diseases

Background

Currently, a new branch of medicine – glycomedicine – is starting to show the important role of carbohydrates and their interaction with macromolecules in the pathogenesis of many diseases. Their roles in respiratory system diseases development are not an exception.

Review aims

In this review we tried to determine current views on the roles of glycans, glycation products and their receptors in the pathogenesis of respiratory system diseases; opportunities of using these biological molecules for diagnostics, verification of risk and severity; feasible usage as therapeutic targets in respiratory disease treatment.

Conclusion

Glycoscience researches show that glycans play an important role in progression of respiratory system disease. Thus, levels of advanced glycation-end products (AGE) and their receptors (RAGE) are independent risk factors for respiratory system diseases. Moreover, elevated expression intensity of RAGE is usually associated with an increased tumor malignancy, severity of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and bronchial asthma.

Sialic acid-binding immunoglobulin-type lectins (Siglecs) can significantly influence severity of COVID-19 and common pulmonary diseases. Listed molecules can be used both for diagnostic and therapeutic goals, opening up new perspectives for pharmacological treatment. It is worthwhile to note that numerous molecular-biological aspects of glycans' and glycation products' effects on respiratory diseases development are unexplored despite tangible progress in glycoscience.