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Protein-glycan interactions in the control of innate and adaptive immune responses

Nature Immunology volume 9, pages 593–601 (2008)Cite this article

Abstract

The importance of protein glycosylation in the migration of immune cells throughout the body has been extensively appreciated. However, our awareness of the impact of glycosylation on the regulation of innate and adaptive immune responses is relatively new. An increasing number of studies reveal the relevance of glycosylation to pathogen recognition, to the modulation of the innate immune system and to the control of immune cell homeostasis and inflammation. Similarly important is the effect of glycan-containing 'information' in the development of autoimmune diseases and cancer. In this review, we provide an overview of these new directions and their impact in the field of glycoimmunology.

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Figure 1: N- and O-linked glycosylation.
Figure 2: Glycan-binding proteins involved in pathogen interaction leading to antigen presentation and signaling in APC.
Figure 3: Lectin-glycan interactions in the control of immune cell homeostasis.
Figure 4: Glycan modifications during tumor development results in selective recognition by lectins and modulation of immune responses.

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Acknowledgements

We apologize to the many authors whose papers could not be cited owing to space limitations. We thank all members of the Y.v.K. and G.A.R. laboratories for help and discussion, especially J.J. Garcia-Vallejo, S. van Vliet, M.A. Toscano, J.M. Ilarregui and G. Bianco; and H.F. Rosenberg, I. van Die and T.B.H. Geijtenbeek for critical reading of the manuscript. Supported by grants from Dutch Scientific Organization (NWO/ZONMW), Multiple Sclerosis Research Foundation the Netherlands, Association of International Cancer Research, VU Medical Centre Institute of Cancer and Immunology (VICI) and Bridging Grant Consortium for Functional Glycomics (Y.v.K.) and by The Cancer Research Institute “Elaine R. Shepard” Award, Fundación Sales, Agencia Nacional de Promoción Científica y Tecnológica, University of Buenos Aires and Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas (G.A.R.).

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  1. Department of Molecular Cell Biology and Immunology, VU University Medical Centre, van de Boechorststraat 7, Amsterdam, 1081BT, The Netherlands

    Yvette van Kooyk

  2. Laboratory of Immunopathology, Institute of Biology and Experimental Medicine, National Council of Scientific and Technological Research, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, C1428ADN, Argentina

    Gabriel A Rabinovich

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  2. Gabriel A Rabinovich
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Correspondence to Yvette van Kooyk or Gabriel A Rabinovich.

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van Kooyk, Y., Rabinovich, G. Protein-glycan interactions in the control of innate and adaptive immune responses. Nat Immunol 9, 593–601 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1038/ni.f.203

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