title: Determination of DC-SIGN and DC-SIGNR repeat region variations.
abstract: DC-SIGN and DC-SIGNR efficiently bind HIV-1 and other viral as well as nonviral pathogens and assist either cis or trans infection. Both are type II transmembrane proteins that consist of an N-terminal cytoplasmic domain, a repeat region consisting of seven 23-amino-acid tandem repeats, and a C-terminal C-type carbohydrate recognition domain that binds mannose-enriched carbohydrate modifications of host and pathogen proteins. The normal functions of DC-SIGN and DC-SIGNR include binding to ICAM-2 and ICAM-3. Binding of DC-SIGN to ICAM-2 on endothelial cells facilitates chemokine-induced dendritic cell extravasation; binding to ICAM-3 on T lymphocytes provides the initial step for establishing cell-mediated immunity. Based on the number of tandem repeats, DC-SIGNR is highly polymorphic in the repeat region, while variations in DC-SIGN repeat region are rare. A change in the number of DC-SIGN and DC-SIGNR repeats may influence their normal functions as well as their binding capacity to viral and nonviral pathogens. This chapter describes the methods for detection of DC-SIGN and DC-SIGNR repeat region variations by polymerase chain reaction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA.
authors.forename: Huanliang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Tuofu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zhu
mesh_terms: D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005838:Genotype; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000378:metabolism; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D037181:Lectins, C-Type / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D012091:Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid / Q000235:genetics*; 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; C433029:CLEC4M protein, human