Recognition of acetylated oligosaccharides by human L-ficolin

Immunol Lett. 2008 Jun 30;118(2):152-6. doi: 10.1016/j.imlet.2008.03.014. Epub 2008 Apr 28.

Abstract

The complement system is a protein cascade capable of neutralizing invading pathogens. One of its activation pathways is the lectin pathway which is dependent on the binding of MBL or the ficolins. The specificity of L-ficolin binding has been investigated previously and it was observed that binding is dependent on acetyl groups. If this was the only requirement this would enable L-ficolin to bind to most mammalian glycosylations since they contain acetylated monosaccharides. To investigate this further L-ficolin was subjected to glycan-array analysis in which L-ficolin binding to 279 different glycans was investigated. Few of these bound L-ficolin above background level but clear structural requirements were discovered.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acetylation
  • Ficolins
  • Humans
  • Lectins / metabolism*
  • Oligosaccharides / chemistry*
  • Oligosaccharides / metabolism*
  • Protein Binding
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary

Substances

  • Lectins
  • Oligosaccharides