%0 Journal Article %T Tumor-Associated Glycans and Immune Surveillance %A Behjatolah Monzavi-Karbassi %A Anastas Pashov %A Thomas Kieber-Emmons %J Vaccines %D 2013 %I MDPI AG %R 10.3390/vaccines1020174 %X Changes in cell surface glycosylation are a hallmark of the transition from normal to inflamed and neoplastic tissue. Tumor-associated carbohydrate antigens (TACAs) challenge our understanding of immune tolerance, while functioning as immune targets that bridge innate immune surveillance and adaptive antitumor immunity in clinical applications. T-cells, being a part of the adaptive immune response, are the most popular component of the immune system considered for targeting tumor cells. However, for TACAs, T-cells take a back seat to antibodies and natural killer cells as first-line innate defense mechanisms. Here, we briefly highlight the rationale associated with the relative importance of the immune surveillance machinery that might be applicable for developing therapeutics. %K monoclonal antibodies %K immunotherapy %K cancer %K mimics %K vaccine %K TACA %K glycans %K tumor %K carbohydrate %U http://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/1/2/174