title: How C-type lectins detect pathogens.
abstract: Glycosylation of proteins has proven extremely important in a variety of cellular processes, including enzyme trafficking, tissue homing and immune functions. In the past decade, increasing interest in carbohydrate-mediated mechanisms has led to the identification of novel carbohydrate-recognizing receptors expressed on cells of the immune system. These non-enzymatic lectins contain one or more carbohydrate recognition domains (CRDs) that determine their specificity. In addition to their cell adhesion functions, lectins now also appear to play a major role in pathogen recognition. Depending on their structure and mode of action, lectins are subdivided in several groups. In this review, we focus on the calcium (Ca(2+))-dependent lectin group, known as C-type lectins, with the dendritic cell-specific ICAM-3 grabbing non-integrin (DC-SIGN) as a prototype type II C-type lectin organized in microdomains, and their role as pathogen recognition receptors in sensing microbes. Moreover, the cross-talk of C-type lectins with other receptors, such as Toll-like receptors, will be discussed, highlighting the emerging model that microbial recognition is based on a complex network of interacting receptors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Tumor Immunology, Nijmegen Centre for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cambi
authors.forename: Marjolein
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Koopman
authors.forename: Carl G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Figdor
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001419:Bacteria / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000378:metabolism; D003141:Communicable Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D005658:Fungi / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D006801:Humans; D037181:Lectins, C-Type / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000378:metabolism; D014780:Viruses / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D000099215:DC-Specific ICAM-3 Grabbing Nonintegrin
chemical_list: D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D037181:Lectins, C-Type; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D000099215:DC-Specific ICAM-3 Grabbing Nonintegrin