Studies toward New Anti-Cancer Strategies Based on ?-Mannosidase Inhibition

Abstract

Changes in the glycosylation pattern of cellular glycoproteins constitute a hallmark in human cancer and influence tumor progression, suggesting that inhibitors of selected glycosidases may control cancer progression. Following the studies on swainsonine, a natural inhibitor of Golgi ?-mannosidase II, which highlighted the inhibition of cellular mannosidases as a potential innovative approach for the treatment of cancer, several dihydroxylated pyrrolidines and analogues were developed as new potent inhibitors of ?-mannosidases II able to induce antiproliferative effects in human cancer cells.