Cellular adhesions and interactions are greatly dependent on the surface properties of cells. For example, it has been widely demonstrated that neoplastic cells differ from normal cells in the nature of the glycoconjugates and/or proteins localized on their surface, and in the type of reactions these chemical entities undergo. Glycoconjugates are major components of the cell surface (glycocalyx) and are potent modulators of diverse cellular functions including cell adhesion, cellular interactions, growth and differentiation. Controlling the cell glycosides signature is of paramount importance in normal and pathologic situations, and gangliosides, or, more generally, glycoconjugates, are well established surface antigens of tumors, including metastatic melanomas and mucine tuomors that are difficult to manage therapeutically. The isolation and full characterizations of such antigen enabled the design and synthesis of glyco-mimetics recently used with success in the development of therapeutic vaccines. In this context our group, relying on a powerful Diels-Alder reaction, synthesized and developed two glycoderivatives currently under evaluation as tumor antigen mimetics.
