Prof. Wang Wei's Glycomics Review Published in Nature Chemical Biology

Research Background

It is reported that glycans are one of the most common covalent protein modifications in eukaryotic cells, participating in immune regulation, inflammatory responses, metabolic homeostasis, and aging processes. Their structural dynamics are closely related to the development and progression of various diseases. Due to the structural complexity of glycans and the high analytical barriers, glycomics has long lagged behind other omics disciplines.

Research Findings

Recently, Professor Wang Wei from Shantou University Medical College, together with Professor Gordan Lauc (Chair of the Human Glycomics Initiative) and other international research teams, published a review paper in the top international journal Nature Chemical Biology. The paper systematically elucidates the core value of large-scale glycomics data in understanding glycan functions, discovering disease biomarkers, and advancing precision medicine translation.

The review systematically constructs a complete high-throughput glycomics workflow, covering the entire chain from sample preparation, deglycosylation, fluorescent labeling, solid-phase purification, instrument detection, to glycoinformatics analysis. Utilizing mainstream platforms including UHPLC-FLD, CGE-LIF, MALDI-TOF-MS, and LC-ESI-MS, the workflow enables automated, high-precision parallel analysis of large-scale samples.

The study presents typical serum N-glycome detection profiles, clearly distinguishing fine structural differences in glycan branching, galactosylation, fucosylation, and sialylation. Large-scale population cohort studies confirmed that glycans are key molecular switches regulating immunity and driving disease — sialylation modifications exert anti-inflammatory effects, while core fucosylation deficiency significantly enhances pro-inflammatory activity.

Significance

The review concludes that large-scale, high-quality, rigorously designed glycomics datasets are the core prerequisite for advancing glycomics from technical exploration to functional interpretation and from basic research to clinical application. Glycomics can dynamically integrate genetic, epigenetic, and environmental factors, showing immense potential in early disease warning, risk stratification, efficacy monitoring, and prognosis assessment — providing a new dimension for precision medicine.

The corresponding authors are Professor Gordan Lauc and Professor Wang Wei, with Maja Pucic-Bakovic as first author.

Source: WeChat Official Account of Medical College, Shantou University