Expanding the universe of cytokines and pattern recognition receptors: galectins and glycans in innate immunity

JUAN P. CERLIANI, SEAN R. STOWELL, IVÁN D. MASCANFRONI, CONNIE M. ARTHUR, RICHARD D. CUMMINGS AND GABRIEL A. RABINOVICH

JOURNAL OF CLINICAL IMMUNOLOGY

SPRINGER/PLENUM PUBLISHERS

Año: 2010

0271-9142

Effective immunity relies on the recognition of pathogens and tumors by innateimmune cells through diverse pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) that lead toinitiation of signalling processes and secretion of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines.Galectins, a family of endogenous lectins widely expressed in infected and neoplastictissues have emerged as part of the portfolio of soluble mediators and patternrecognition receptors responsible of eliciting and controlling innate immunity. Thesehighly-conserved glycan-binding proteins can control immune cell processes throughbinding to specific glycan structures on pathogens and tumors or by actingintracellularly via modulation of selective signalling pathways. Recent findingsdemonstrate that various galectin family members influence the fate and physiology ofdifferent innate immune cells including polymorphonuclear neutrophils, mast cells,macrophages and dendritic cells. Moreover, several pathogens may actually utilizegalectins as a mechanism of host invasion. In this review, we aim to highlight andintegrate recent discoveries that have led to our current understanding of the role ofgalectins in host-pathogen interactions and innate immunity. Challenges for the futurewill embrace the rational manipulation of galectin-glycan interactions to instruct andshape innate immunity during microbial infections, inflammation and cancer.