title: The role of the mannose-binding lectin in innate immunity.
abstract: The innate immune system, which includes mannose-binding lectin (MBL), recognizes a broad range of molecular patterns on a broad range of infectious agents and is able to distinguish them from self. MBL is a liver-derived serum protein and is secreted into the serum, where it can activate an immune response before the induction of antigen-specific immunity. Circumstantial evidence in human populations suggests that low serum levels of MBL predispose to infection. To analyze the role of MBL in vivo, we created MBL-null mice and challenged these mice with infection under various conditions. Our results suggest that MBL plays an important role as a first-line host defense against certain infectious agents. In addition, it is likely that MBL is a key regulator of inflammation beyond expected roles in the infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA. Ktakahashi1@partners.org
authors.forename: Kazue
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: R Alan B
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Ezekowitz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000097:blood; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D003550:Cystic Fibrosis / Q000097:blood; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000235:genetics*; D037241:Mannose-Binding Lectins / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide
chemical_list: D037241:Mannose-Binding Lectins