[Human lectins and their correspondent glycans in cell biology and clinical medicine].
Lectins are phylogenetically ancient proteins that have specific recognition and binding functions for complex carbohydrates of glycoconjugates, i. e., of glycoproteins, proteoglycans/glycosaminoglycans and glycolipids. This class of proteins mediates important processes of adhesion and communication both inside and outside cells. A large variety of lectins are expressed in the human organism. This article reviews the current knowledge of human lectins with a focus on biochemistry and pathobiochemistry (principles of protein glycosylation and defects of glycosylation as a basis of disease) and cell biology (protein sorting, exocytosis and endocytosis, apoptosis, cell adhesion, cell differentiation, and malignant transformation). The clinical significance of lectin-glycoconjugate interactions is described by example of inflammatory diseases, defects of immune defense, autoimmunity, infectious diseases, and tumor invasion/metastasis. Moreover, therapeutic perspectives of novel drugs that interfere with lectin-carbohydrate interactions are discussed.
Köttgen
Eckart
E
Institut für Laboratoriumsmedizin und Pathobiochemie, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Berlin. eckart.koettgen@charite.de
Reutter
Werner
W
Tauber
Rudolf
R
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000378:metabolism; D050260:Carbohydrate Metabolism; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D002450:Cell Communication; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development; D004705:Endocytosis; D005089:Exocytosis; D005260:Female; D006001:Glycoconjugates / Q000378:metabolism*; D006017:Glycolipids / Q000378:metabolism; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000378:metabolism; D006025:Glycosaminoglycans / Q000378:metabolism; D006031:Glycosylation; D006801:Humans; D007154:Immune System Diseases / Q000378:metabolism*; D007239:Infections / Q000378:metabolism*; D007249:Inflammation / Q000378:metabolism*; D037102:Lectins / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011506:Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D011509:Proteoglycans / Q000378:metabolism; D019087:Selectins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015398:Signal Transduction
D006001:Glycoconjugates; D006017:Glycolipids; D006023:Glycoproteins; D006025:Glycosaminoglycans; D037102:Lectins; D011134:Polysaccharides; D011506:Proteins; D011509:Proteoglycans; D019087:Selectins