Host sialic acid-containing receptors (SA-receptors)

Host sialic acid-containing receptors are a diverse group of glycoconjugates, including glycoproteins and glycolipids, that feature terminal sialic acid residues on the cell surface. These receptors are essential for various biological processes, such as cell-cell recognition, adhesion, and the modulation of immune responses via the Siglec (sialic acid-binding immunoglobulin-type lectin) family of receptors (PMID: 24511121). In clinical medicine, they are primarily recognized as the gateway for numerous pathogens; for instance, influenza viruses utilize their hemagglutinin protein to bind specific α2,3 or α2,6 sialic acid linkages to initiate infection (PMID: 21241937). Therapeutic interventions targeting these receptors include the use of recombinant sialidases like DAS181, which enzymatically remove sialic acid from the respiratory epithelium to block viral entry (PMID: 21903817). Additionally, aberrant sialylation is a hallmark of cancer progression, contributing to immune evasion and metastasis, making these glycans targets for novel glyco-immune checkpoint inhibitors (PMID: 30115701). However, because sialic acids are ubiquitous in the human body, therapeutic targeting must be carefully controlled to avoid interfering with vital physiological signaling and homeostatic functions.

Other names

Sialic acid receptorsSialoglycansSialylated glycoconjugatesNeu5Ac-containing receptorsSialic acid-binding sitesTerminal sialic acid residues

Enzymatic cleavage of terminal sialic acid residues from host cell surfaces to prevent viral attachment and entry; competitive inhibition of viral neuraminidase to prevent the release of progeny virions from host sialic acid; blockade of sialic acid-binding immunoglobulin-type lectins (Siglecs) to modulate immune cell activity.