树突状细胞在抗感染免疫研究中的最新进展

树突状细胞(Dendritic cell,DC)是体内功能最强的抗原提呈细胞,也是介导机体固有免疫应答和适应性免疫应答的桥梁,其作用也越来越受到科研工作者的关注,而树突状细胞体外培养技术的发展成熟,为设计和发展DC依赖性疫苗提供了科学依据,也为感染性和肿瘤性疾病的预防和治疗展示了很好的应用前景。因此,对树突状细胞抗感染免疫方面研究的最新进展做一综述。     

树突状细胞在抗真菌感染免疫中的作用

近年来,随着广谱抗生素、抗肿瘤药物和免疫抑制剂等药物的广泛使用,免疫功能降低患者数量的增加,侵袭性真菌感染性疾病的发病率逐年升高。树突状细胞(Dendritic Cells,DCs)是已知功能最强的专职抗原提呈细胞,作为宿主固有免疫和适应性免疫的联系枢纽,DCs在病原微生物抗原的识别与呈递过程中发挥核心作用。研究证明,DCs可通过其细胞表面的多种受体有效识别病原真菌的抗原,并在诱导宿主免疫应答过程中发挥重要作用。本文将对树突状细胞分类及其在抗真菌感染免疫中的识别作用进行系统叙述。     

乙型脑炎病毒感染神经元细胞的固有免疫识别及其调控分子的研究进展

流行性乙型脑炎(epidemic encephalitis type B,简称乙脑)是由乙型脑炎病毒(encephalitis B virus,简称乙脑病毒)感染引起的中枢神经系统疾病。乙脑病毒感染具有明显的嗜神经性,它在神经元细胞中大量增殖并造成其损伤,以干扰素(interferons, IFNs)为核心的固有免疫应答在机体抵御乙脑病毒感染的过程中发挥重要作用。多项研究表明,乙脑病毒感染神经元细胞后,宿主细胞模式识别受体可识别病毒的结构成分,并经接头分子和转录因子等信号传递,介导IFN的产生。IFN随后激活下游干扰素信号通路,转录多种干扰素诱导基因(interferon stimulated genes, ISGs),启动宿主对病毒的固有免疫应答反应。现就乙脑病毒感染神经元细胞的固有免疫相关分子,如模式识别分子、关键接头分子、转录因子及IFN信号转导过程中相关的调控分子作一概述。     

糖蛋白过敏原N-糖链与过敏的相关性研究

糖蛋白是一种含有寡糖链的蛋白质,糖链与蛋白质之间以共价键相连。N-糖蛋白为常见过敏原之一,主要来源于食物、吸入物、昆虫毒素等,能够引起过敏反应。N-糖蛋白过敏原的N-糖链结构影响过敏原与IgE的结合,影响抗原提呈细胞（APC）对过敏原的识别和提呈。本文在介绍与过敏相关的N-糖蛋白、常见N-糖蛋白过敏原的N-糖链结构及与过敏相关的糖基化酶的基础上,进一步分析过敏原N-糖链影响过敏的机制,为临床预防与治疗过敏性疾病提供新的思路。     

综述与专论: 免疫突触形成的生物学特点及其光学成像研究

免疫突触(immunological synapse,IS)是抗原提呈细胞与T细胞免疫识别时,多种分子参与、分阶段不断变化的过程,涉及黏附分子、细胞因子、信号传导分子、细胞骨架蛋白等多分子的聚集或离散．其形成不仅促进T细胞和抗原提呈细胞的稳定接触,而且激活T细胞信号传导途径,促进T细胞的活化和增殖．对IS的研究可以从分子水平解释免疫激活、免疫耐受、病原微生物感染与免疫细胞相互作用的机制,为进一步揭示疾病发生的分子机制,寻求疾病防治的靶向分子提供新的思路．近年来,光学成像的发展为可视化研究IS形成与T细胞活化的关系提供了有力帮助,为研究生理病理状态下的免疫应答提供了有力工具．     

Toll 样蛋白

Toll样蛋白属Ⅰ型细胞因子受体跨膜糖蛋白。以细菌壁成分作为外源配基,起细菌内毒素(即脂多糖,LPS)共受体作用,介导LPS信号转导,活化髓系与非髓系细胞内NF—кB信号途径。刺激宿主先天与适应性免疫系统。参与调节宿主的免疫应答和炎症反应。     

天然免疫细胞在急性器官移植免疫排斥中的作用

器官移植免疫排斥反应是一多分子、多细胞参与的复杂免疫应答过程.传统研究主要集中于适应性免疫细胞如T,B细胞在急性移植排斥反应中的作用.近年来,随着对天然免疫细胞亚群、功能及其异质性认识的不断深入,人们发现,除天然免疫细胞在移植免疫应答中的抗原提呈功能及炎性反应以外,其可以发挥直接效应功能,参与移植物的排斥.天然免疫细胞亚群在移植免疫排斥与耐受中的不同作用近来受到重视.本文对天然免疫细胞在急性器官移植免疫排斥和免疫耐受诱导过程中的作用作一简要综述.     

病毒感染调控巨噬细胞极化分子机制的研究进展

固有免疫是机体抵御病原微生物入侵的第一道防线。巨噬细胞(macrophages, Mφ)在机体中分布广泛并具有十分活跃的生物学功能,在宿主抗病毒固有免疫应答过程中发挥重要作用。既往研究集中于Mφ的吞噬功能及抗原提呈作用,而近年来研究发现,不同活化模式的Mφ对病毒感染后机体的炎症反应具有双重调控作用,Mφ的极化状态与病毒感染性疾病的发生和转归关系密切。病毒感染急性期,Mφ向M1方向极化,M1型Mφ可促进炎症反应,辅助机体清除病原体,但其过度活化可引起细胞因子风暴,加重组织的免疫病理损伤;随着病毒感染相关疾病的进展,Mφ向M2方向极化,M2型Mφ可通过分泌多种抑炎因子发挥免疫调控作用,参与组织修复,亦与感染慢性化密切相关。不同种类的病毒感染机体后可以诱导Mφ向不同方向极化,但其具体调控机制目前尚不清楚。现就Mφ极化在病毒感染过程中的作用及其调控机制作一概述,为相关疾病的发病机制研究奠定理论基础,并为治疗策略的研发提供新的思路。     

病原菌操控宿主固有免疫细胞以求生存的机制研究进展

在急性感染和传统感染模式中,宿主利用固有免疫机制应对一系列病原体的入侵。然而,一些病原菌可以成功逃避、抑制或颠覆免疫检测、信号转导或有效杀伤。该文就病原菌如何操纵宿主细胞的防御功能,调节胞内杀伤、信号转导,破坏固有免疫系统受体间分子信号的交联作用,并最终使微生物在宿主体内适应性生长、持续感染等方面作一综述。     

基于树突状细胞的抗肿瘤疫苗研究进展

树突状细胞(dendritic cells, DCs)是一类多功能抗原提呈细胞,在固有免疫和适应性免疫应答的启动及调控中发挥着重要作用。目前,大量研究表明机体可通过多种方式调动和调节DC的功能,从而增强其抗肿瘤作用。其中,以肿瘤抗原、肿瘤细胞裂解物或全肿瘤细胞作为刺激物致敏DC得到的DC疫苗,在临床前研究中展示出了可观的抗肿瘤效应,部分DC疫苗已进入临床试验阶段。该文将重点对基于DC的肿瘤疫苗制备方法、临床前及临床研究进展进行综述。     

Functions of cell surface galectin-glycoprotein lattices

Programmed remodeling of cell surface glycans by the sequential action of specific glycosyltransferases can control biological processes by generating or masking ligands for endogenous lectins. Galectins, a family of animal lectins with affinity for beta-galactosides, can form multivalent complexes with cell surface glycoconjugates and deliver a variety of intracellular signals to modulate cell activation, differentiation, and survival. Recent efforts involving genetic or biochemical manipulation of O-glycosylation and N-glycosylation pathways, as well as blockade of the synthesis of endogenous galectins, have illuminated essential roles for galectin-glycoprotein lattices in the control of biological processes including receptor turnover and endocytosis, host-pathogen interactions, and immune cell activation and homeostasis.     

Bacterial glycans: key mediators of diverse host immune responses

Recent studies have shown that the synthesis of various polysaccharides by bacteria can induce immune responses that are beneficial to the bacterium, the host, or both. Here, we discuss the diverse interactions between bacterial glycans and the host immune system.     

Exploitation of glycosylation in enveloped virus pathobiology

Glycosylation is a ubiquitous post-translational modification responsible for a multitude of crucial biological roles. As obligate parasites, viruses exploit host-cell machinery to glycosylate their own proteins during replication. Viral envelope proteins from a variety of human pathogens including HIV-1, influenza virus, Lassa virus, SARS, Zika virus, dengue virus, and Ebola virus have evolved to be extensively glycosylated. These host-cell derived glycans facilitate diverse structural and functional roles during the viral life-cycle, ranging from immune evasion by glycan shielding to enhancement of immune cell infection. In this review, we highlight the imperative and auxiliary roles glycans play, and how specific oligosaccharide structures facilitate these functions during viral pathogenesis. We discuss the growing efforts to exploit viral glycobiology in the development of anti-viral vaccines and therapies.     

Polarization of host immune responses by helminth-expressed glycans

Helminth parasites bias host CD4(+) T helper (Th) cells toward Th2 responses, drive alternative activation of macrophages, and expand T regulatory cells. Helminth-expressed carbohydrates play critical roles in driving much of this immune cell biasing. Studies on helminth glycans have focused on Lewis X, LDN, LDN-DF, other fucosylated structures, chitin, tyvelose, and trehalose, which interact with host antigen presenting cells (APCs) minimally via C-type lectins and/or Toll-like receptors (TLR). Here, we review recent findings on helminth glycan activation of APCs via C-type lectin/TLRs and introduce the concept that glycosylated helminth molecules require endocytosis to function as immune modulators. Second, we describe unpublished data showing that in vivo glycoconjugates comprising multiple copies of glycans on carriers are directly immune modulatory. Lastly, we discuss the observation that CD14 negatively regulates alternative activation of APCs during helminth infection. We close with a discussion on the use of immune modulatory glycans as vaccine adjuvants and as antiinflammatory therapeutics.     

Chemistry-driven glycoscience

Carbohydrates are the most prominent features of the cell’s exterior—they are the cell’s “face” and serve as the cell’s identification card. The features of cell surface glycans (e.g. glycoproteins, glycolipids, polysaccharides) can be read by proteins, other cells, or organisms. In all of these contexts, glycan-binding proteins typically recognize (“read”) glycan identity. This recognition mediates important host-microbe interactions, as well as critical physiological functions, including fertilization, development, and immune system function. This article focuses on how proteins recognize glycans with an emphasis on three objectives: 1) to understand the molecular basis for carbohydrate recognition, 2) to implement that understanding to develop functional probes of protein-carbohydrate interactions, and 3) to apply those probes to elucidate and exploit the physiological consequences of protein–carbohydrate interactions. In this context, our group has focused on two key aspects of carbohydrate recognition: CH-π and multivalent interactions. We are applying the foundational knowledge gained from our studies for purposes ranging from illuminating host-microbe interactions to probing immune system function.     

Evolution of carbohydrate antigens--microbial forces shaping host glycomes?

Many glycans show remarkably discontinuous distribution across evolutionary lineages. These differences play major roles when organisms belonging to different lineages interact as host-pathogen or host-symbiont. Certain lineage-specific glycans have become important signals for multicellular host organisms, which use them as molecular signatures of their pathogens and symbionts through recognition by a toolkit of innate defense molecules. In turn, pathogens have evolved to exploit host lineage-specific glycans and are constantly shaping the glycomes of their hosts. These interactions take place in the face of numerous critical endogenous functions played by glycans within host organisms. Whether due to simple evolutionary divergence or adaptive changes under natural selection resulting from endogenous functional requirements, once different lineages elaborate on differential glycomes these mutual differences provide opportunities for host exploitation and/or pathogen defense between lineages. Such phylogenetic molecular recognition mechanisms will augment and likely contribute to the maintenance of lineage-specific differences in glycan repertoires.     

Nothing in glycobiology makes sense, except in the light of evolution

The remarkable structural diversity of glycans in nature, and their roles in cellular processes, host-pathogen interactions, biological diversity and speciation can be explained by evolutionary processes.     

Structural analysis of <Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>-/<Emphasis Type="Italic">O</Emphasis>-glycans assembled on proteins in yeasts

Protein glycosylation, the most universal and diverse post-translational modification, can affect protein secretion, stability, and immunogenicity. The structures of glycans attached to proteins are quite diverse among different organisms and even within yeast species. In yeast, protein glycosylation plays key roles in the quality control of secretory proteins, and particularly in maintaining cell wall integrity. Moreover, in pathogenic yeasts, glycans assembled on cell-surface glycoproteins can mediate their interactions with host cells. Thus, a comprehensive understanding of protein glycosylation in various yeast species and defining glycan structure characteristics can provide useful information for their biotechnological and clinical implications. Yeast-specific glycans are a target for glyco-engineering; implementing human-type glycosylation pathways in yeast can aid the production of recombinant glycoproteins with therapeutic potential. The virulenceassociated glycans of pathogenic yeasts could be exploited as novel targets for antifungal agents. Nowadays, several glycomics techniques facilitate the generation of species-and strain-specific glycome profiles and the delineation of modified glycan structures in mutant and engineered yeast cells. Here, we present the protocols employed in our laboratory to investigate the N-and O-glycan chains released from purified glycoproteins or cell wall mannoproteins in several yeast species.     

Glycans define the stemness of naïve and primed pluripotent stem cells

Cell surface glycans are tissue-specific and developmentally regulated. They function as essential modulators in cell-cell interactions, cell-extracellular matrix interactions, and ligand-receptor interactions, binding to various ligands, including Wnt, fibroblast growth factors, and bone morphogenetic proteins. Embryonic stem (ES) cells, originally derived from the inner cell mass of blastocysts, have the essential characteristics of pluripotency and self-renewal. Recently, it has been proposed that mouse and human conventional ES cells are present in different developmental stages, namely pre-implantation blastocyst and post-implantation blastocyst stages, also called the naïve state and the primed state, respectively. They therefore require different extrinsic signals for the maintenance of self-renewal and pluripotency, and also appear to require different surface glycans. Understanding of molecular mechanisms involving glycans in self-renewal and pluripotency of ES cells is increasingly important for potential clinical applications, as well as for basic research. This review focuses on the roles of glycans in the two different states of pluripotent stem cells, namely the naïve state and the primed state, and the transition between these two states.     

Structural approaches to the study of oligosaccharides in glycoprotein quality control

High-mannose-type oligosaccharides have been shown to play important roles in protein quality control. Several intracellular proteins, such as lectins, chaperones and glycan-processing enzymes, are involved in this process. These include calnexin/calreticulin, UDP-glucose:glycoprotein glucosyltransferase (UGGT), cargo receptors (such as VIP36 and ERGIC-53), mannosidase-like proteins (e.g. EDEM and Htm1p) and ubiquitin ligase (Fbs). They are thought to recognize high-mannose-type glycans with subtly different structures, although the precise specificities are yet to be clarified. In order to gain a clear understanding of these protein-carbohydrate interactions, comprehensive synthesis of high-mannose-type glycans was conducted. In addition, two approaches to the synthesis of artificial glycoproteins with homogeneous oligosaccharides were investigated. Furthermore, a novel substrate of UGGT was discovered.