Sialic acid: an attractive biomarker with promising biomedical applications
Aida Doostkam, Leila Malekmakan, Alireza Hosseinpour, Sahar Janfeshan, Jamshid Roozbeh, Fatemeh Masjedi
Abstract
This broad, narrative review highlights the roles of sialic acids as acidic sugars found on cellular membranes. The role of sialic acids in cellular communication and development has been well established. Recently, attention has turned to the fundamental role of sialic acids in many diseases, including viral infections, cardiovascular diseases, neurological disorders, diabetic nephropathy, and malignancies. Sialic acid may be a target for developing new drugs to treat various cancers and inflammatory processes. We recommend the routine measurement of serum sialic acid as a sensitive inflammatory marker in various diseases.
Topics & Concepts
Sialic acidBiomarkerMedicineComputational biologyBiochemistryBiologyGlycosylation and Glycoproteins ResearchProteoglycans and glycosaminoglycans researchGalectins and Cancer Biology