Periodic Reporting for period 3 - GlycoSkin (Dissection of Glycan Function by Engineered Tissue Models)
Reporting period: 2021-03-01 to 2022-08-31
We have demonstrated distinct phenotypic changes in skin formation associated with global loss of the main types of glycoconjugates found in man, illustrating the potential for use of organotypic tissue models for dissection of specific functions of glycans. The findings include critical roles of glycosphingolipids for skin formation and barrier functions, N-glycans in specialized secretion processes and cell migration and wound healing, mucin-type O-glycans for cell-cell and cell-matrix adhesion, and specialized O-glycans for regulated terminal differentiation of human keratinocytes. By use of our isogenic cell expanded library of glycoengineered cells we have also initiated the dissection of the importance of the specific glycan structures for attachment, propagation, release, and spread of herpes virus and identified distinct roles for N- and O-linked glycans as well as glycosphingolipids and glycosaminoglycans for virus infection.