Deacetylated sialic acids modulates immune mediated cytotoxicity via the sialic acid-Siglec pathway.

Cancers utilize glycans to evade the immune system via the Sialic acid (Sia)-Siglec (Sialic-acid-binding immunoglobulin-like lectins) pathway. Specifically, atypical structural forms of sialic acid bind to inhibitory Siglec receptors on natural killer (NK) cells resulting in the suppression of immune cell mediated cytotoxicity. The mechanism of action that governs the Sia-Siglec pathway in cancers is not understood.