GlycoRNAs are RNA molecules covalently attached to sugars (glycans), and have recently emerged as new players in cellular communication. These molecules comprise non-coding RNAs (including small nuclear RNAs, small nucleolar RNAs, transfer RNAs, ribosomal RNAs, and 7S RNAs) bound to sialic acids and other N-glycosylation modifications. The glycoconjugates are found on cellular surfaces and reportedly mediate cell signalling, immune recognition, and intracellular communication.
The discovery of this new class of glycoconjugates by Flynn et al. in 2021 has challenged our traditional view that glycosylation is a process exclusive to proteins and lipids. It has also added to the existing complexity of molecular interactions involved in cellular communication.
Interestingly, recent research sheds light on how glycoRNAs might regulate cellular communication in infected cells and tumour cells. It is well-known that glycosylation plays a crucial role in tumour progression, and at the same time, mediates immune response. The presence of glycoRNA adds layers of complexity, since it can influence how cancer cells behave and how our body responds to them. Reportedly, glycoRNAs also play a pivotal role in immune evasion, metastasis, and therapeutic resistance in cancer, making them novel therapeutic targets for treating autoimmune diseases and cancer. At the same time, given their association with tumour microenvironment, these glycoconjugates can serve as valuable biomarkers for diagnosis and monitoring.
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In terms of immune regulation, glycoRNAs operate through multiple mechanisms. They modulate translation via glycosylation of transfer RNAs, regulate the migration of immune cells to the site of infection, and inhibit the recognition of endogenous small RNAs by the innate immune system, thereby blocking autoimmune responses to infection. Normally, glycoRNAs ensure that cells dying via programmed cell death are cleared off by macrophages, without initiating an inflammatory response. This process helps maintain homeostasis within the body. Consequently, any disruption in this process or expression of glycoRNAs will trigger chronic inflammation or autoimmune diseases. Interestingly, glycoRNAs have been reported to bind to anti-double-stranded RNA antibodies, and this serves as evidence supporting their role in autoimmune responses. GlycoRNAs on cell surfaces are also crucial in the recruitment and functioning of neutrophils; lower levels of glycoRNA can thus impair neutrophil migration to the site of inflammation. This suggests the crucial role of glycoRNA in cellular communication within the immune system.
In addition to their roles in cancer progression and autoimmune diseases, glycoRNAs mediate host-pathogen interactions by influencing interactions between sialic acid-binding immunoglobulin-like lectins (SIGLECs) and cell surface components. These interactions are also expected to play key roles in immune recognition and response, and cancer evasion. Research suggests that glycoRNA-RNA-binding protein (RBP) complexes on the cell surface facilitate the cellular entry of viral pathogens, acting as adhesion molecules for the invaders. Recent studies published in Nature and Cell journals in 2025 provide information on how glycoRNA-RBP conjugates form intricate nanostructures on cell surfaces that assist in immune recognition and evasion. This not only challenges our traditional concepts of cell biology and viral invasion but also creates novel paradigms for interdisciplinary research at the crossroad of glycobiology and virology.
Thus, the discovery of glycoRNAs, coupled with our improved understanding of their roles in various biological processes, has challenged the traditional view of cellular biology and the mechanisms underlying diseases and immune responses. At the same time, the role of glycoRNAs and their intricate networks with RBPs in cellular crosstalk is being increasingly recognised.
