Glycosaminoglycans in infectious disease |
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Authors: | Jonathan S. Dordick Robert J. Linhardt |
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Affiliation: | 1. Department of Biology, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, , Troy, New York, 12180‐3590 U.S.A.;2. Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, , Troy, New York, 12180‐3590 U.S.A.;3. Department of Biomedical Engineering, Center for Biotechnology & Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, , Troy, New York, 12180–3590, U.S.A.;4. Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, , Troy, New York, 12180‐3590 U.S.A. |
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Abstract: | Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) are complex carbohydrates that are ubiquitously present on the cell surface and in the extracellular matrix. Interactions between GAGs and pathogens represent the first line of contact between pathogen and host cell and are crucial to a pathogen's invasive potential. Their complexity and structural diversity allow GAGs to control a wide array of biological interactions influencing many physiological and pathological processes, including adhesion, cell‐to‐cell communication, biochemical cascades, and the immune response. In recent years, increasing evidence indicates an extraordinary role for GAGs in the pathogenesis of viruses, bacteria and parasites. Herein, we examine the interface between GAGs and different pathogens, and address the divergent biological functions of GAGs in infectious disease. We consider approaches to use this understanding to design novel therapeutic strategies addressing new challenges in the treatment of infectious diseases. |
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Keywords: | glycosamimoglycans infectious disease virus bacteria parasites protein‐carbohydrate interactions |
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