Lectins and Their Ligands in Shaping Immune Responses

200.5K

views

121

authors

19

articles

Lectins and Their Ligands in Shaping Immune Responses

200.5K

views

121

authors

19

articles

Editorial

09 October 2019

Editorial: Lectins and Their Ligands in Shaping Immune Responses

Bernd Lepenies

and

Roland Lang

8,990 views

26 citations

Editors

2

University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover

University Hospital Erlangen

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Lectins are glycan-binding proteins that are involved in numerous biological processes including cell development, cell–cell interactions, or signal transduction. In innate immunity, lectins mainly act as pattern recognition receptors and bind to glycan structures (but also non-glycan ligands) on pathogens and self-antigens. The main classes of lectin receptors in innate immunity include the galectins, C-type lectins, and siglecs. Due to the manifold functions of these different classes of lectins in anti-microbial defense as well as immune homeostasis, lectin targeting is a promising strategy to shape immune responses selectively in the context of infections, autoimmunity, cancer, or vaccinations.

The aim of this Research Topic is to explore ligand recognition by lectin receptors, induced signaling pathways by lectin engagement and lectin-mediated effector functions. It also aims to address how lectin targeting can be exploited to stimulate or modulate immune responses. This involves, but is not limited to, the identification of pathogen- or self-antigen-derived lectin ligands, investigation of lectin functions during infections and inflammation, and the design of adjuvants or immunomodulators that target lectins in innate immunity.

We invite researchers to submit Review, Opinion, or Original Research articles focusing on the role of lectins in ligand recognition and innate immunity in humans and in experimental models. We hope that the results of these efforts will provide further insights into how lectins shape immune responses and how lectin targeting may be exploited to stimulate or modulate immune responses selectively.

Lectins are glycan-binding proteins that are involved in numerous biological processes including cell development, cell–cell interactions, or signal transduction. In innate immunity, lectins mainly act as pattern recognition receptors and bind to glycan structures (but also non-glycan ligands) on pathogens and self-antigens. The main classes of lectin receptors in innate immunity include the galectins, C-type lectins, and siglecs. Due to the manifold functions of these different classes of lectins in anti-microbial defense as well as immune homeostasis, lectin targeting is a promising strategy to shape immune responses selectively in the context of infections, autoimmunity, cancer, or vaccinations.

The aim of this Research Topic is to explore ligand recognition by lectin receptors, induced signaling pathways by lectin engagement and lectin-mediated effector functions. It also aims to address how lectin targeting can be exploited to stimulate or modulate immune responses. This involves, but is not limited to, the identification of pathogen- or self-antigen-derived lectin ligands, investigation of lectin functions during infections and inflammation, and the design of adjuvants or immunomodulators that target lectins in innate immunity.

We invite researchers to submit Review, Opinion, or Original Research articles focusing on the role of lectins in ligand recognition and innate immunity in humans and in experimental models. We hope that the results of these efforts will provide further insights into how lectins shape immune responses and how lectin targeting may be exploited to stimulate or modulate immune responses selectively.

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Editors

University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover

University Hospital Erlangen

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151,613 Article views

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Frontiers in Immunology

Molecular Innate Immunity

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