Cardiomyocyte cell-surface glycan receptors and co-receptors

Cardiomyocyte cell-surface glycan receptors and co-receptors comprise a diverse group of carbohydrate-based structures, including heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs), sialic acids, and galactose residues, that form the cardiac glycocalyx (Reitsma et al., 2007, Pflugers Arch). These molecules act as essential attachment points and co-receptors for growth factors and signaling molecules, playing a vital role in maintaining myocardial structural integrity and mechanotransduction (Sarrazin et al., 2011, Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol). In modern pharmacology, they are primarily targeted as docking sites for adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors; for example, AAV9 binds to terminal galactose, while AAV1 and AAV6 utilize sialic acid for cardiomyocyte entry (Shen et al., 2011, J Biol Chem; Wu et al., 2006, J Virol). Pathological conditions like heart failure and diabetic cardiomyopathy often involve the shedding or degradation of these glycans, which can be monitored using biomarkers such as Syndecan-1 (Nieuwdorp et al., 2008, Curr Opin Lipidol). Because these receptors are also present in other tissues, a major therapeutic challenge is achieving cardiac-specific transduction while avoiding off-target effects in the liver or skeletal muscle. Understanding the specific glycan signatures on cardiomyocytes is therefore crucial for the development of next-generation gene therapies and cardioprotective agents.

Other names

Cardiac glycocalyxCardiomyocyte glycomeHeparan sulfate proteoglycansSialic acid receptorsGalactose receptorsCardiac cell-surface glycans

Facilitation of viral vector attachment and internalization via specific carbohydrate recognition; modulation of growth factor signaling and maintenance of the myocardial microenvironment.