Glycodelin is a kind of
glycoprotein expressed in secretory endometrium, pregnancy deciduas, and amniotic fluid originally, which is vital for the maintenance of normal human reproductive activities. Recent researches have reported that
glycodelin is specifically expressed in various
malignancies, including female-specific
cancers such as
endometrial cancer,
ovarian cancer and
breast cancer, and non-gender specific
cancers including
lung cancer, and
colon cancer, and
glycodelin expression correlates with the diagnosis and prognosis of
cancer patients. This review focuses on the expression of
glycodelin in different
cancers and its role in
cancer development and progression.
Glycodelin possesses the abilities to regulate
cancer cell proliferation, differentiation, and invasion, promote
cancer angiogenesis, and modulate the differentiation and function of immune cells including T cells, dendritic cells, monocyte-macrophages, natural killer cells and B cells participating in
cancer development. The expression of
glycodelin can be regulated by stromal cells,
lysophosphatidic acid,
histone deacetylase inhibitors, and
relaxin. In summary,
glycodelin is a promising
biomarker for the diagnosis and prognosis of
cancer patients, and depending on its distinct immunoregulatory effects,
glycodelin can be a prospective target for
cancer immunotherapy.