糖基化与免疫

Glycosylation and immunity

蛋白质糖基化或聚糖影响免疫细胞和免疫分子的结构与功能,影响机体对抗原的应答反应。聚糖主要有三种免疫功能:首先,糖链对其所连接的糖蛋白起一定稳定作用,保护糖蛋白免受蛋白酶的降解、以及MHC:多肽复合体的装配及折叠等;其二,聚糖及其凝集素受体的相互作用在信号转导、抗原提呈、控制细胞发育与分化中起调控作用;第三,糖链的一些区域可作为抗原识别表位,调控固有免疫和适应性免疫应答。主要介绍了聚糖在抗原提呈和稳定、信号转导、免疫自稳、自身免疫、固有免疫和适应性免疫等中的功能,以及与免疫相关疾病,如炎症反应、自身免疫性疾病、肿瘤、器官移植排斥、感染性疾病和遗传性疾病的相关性。此外,针对聚糖和糖基转移酶的一些药物分子的治疗应用前景也将一并进行介绍。

Glycosylation or glycans not only influence the structures and functions of immune cells or immune molecules, but also control host immune responses to foreign antigens. The glycans have three major roles： firstly, the sugars confer stability on the proteins to which they are attached, protecting them from proteases and non- specific protein-protein interactions. Secondly, interactions between glycans and lectins play key roles in signal transduction, antigen presenting, control of cell development and differentiation. Thirdly, specific regions of the oligosaccharide chains provide recognition epitopes, which influence and modulate innate and adaptive immune responses. In this review, the roles of glycans and interactions between cell-, pathogen-surface glycans and lectins in immune system and immune-related diseases, such as inflammatory, autoimmune diseases, cancers, organ transplant rejection, infection diseases, and genetic diseases, are discussed. The potential theapeutic significance of the information is also mentioned.