GLYCOSCIENCE TECHNOLOGY OVERVIEW

THE ROLE OF CARBOHYDRATES IN NATURE
Carbohydrates are abundant in nature, serving critical functions in a variety of important processes in living cells and organisms. Their role can be varied: from structural elements that make up cell walls; to energy storehouses throughout the body; to recognition keys that let biomolecules and cells recognize each other. This particular trait -- also called "molecular targeting" -- is highly relevant to Pro-Pharmaceuticals' research. We are seeking ways to improve anti-cancer drugs currently in use by enhancing their ability to "target" -- find, enter and interact with -- tumor cells. Animal research to date with our DAVANAT formulation strongly suggests that carbohydrates may be harnessed to bring about such actions.

In living systems, carbohydrates (sugars) interact with many kinds of molecules -- proteins, lipids even an organism's genetic machinery, its DNA and RNA. Built into the foundation of life in this fashion, carbohydrate chains attach to organic molecules and dramatically change their physical, chemical and biological properties. Carbohydrate structures often act as signal or recognition markers in biological systems, helping cell-to-cell recognition, cell-to-cell adhesion and molecular targeting take place.

Nature appears to rely on carbohydrates as "recognition tools." They are chemically complex and structurally dense so combining even a sugars can produce an astronomical number of physical variations. These properties allows carbohydrates to form many kinds of link with other molecules.

In some cases, researchers discovered, carbohydrates' effect on other molecules can occur even without their being chemically attached to each other. Just the proximity of these sugars can change how molecule act in biological systems. The mere presence of certain "recognition-specific" carbohydrates can change how target cells respond to an accompanying molecule. For example, a certain "recognition-specific" carbohydrate would not have to be attached to a drug to change its mode of action, just as a "keyless remote control" for a car does not have to be inserted to the door to open a locked door. Certain carbohydrates are "recognition-specific elements" -- they figuratively open the door for other molecules to enter a cell if, and only if, they are the proper size and possess other relevant features.