Loukas A, Maizels R M
Molecular Parasitology Unit, Queensland Institute of Medical Research, 300 Herston Road, Brisbane 4029, Queensland, Australia.
Parasitol Today. 2000 Aug;16(8):333-9. doi: 10.1016/s0169-4758(00)01704-x.
C-type lectins (C-TLs) are a family of carbohydrate-binding proteins intimately involved in diverse processes including vertebrate immune cell signalling and trafficking, activation of innate immunity in both vertebrates and invertebrates, and venom-induced haemostasis. Helminth C-TLs sharing sequence and structural similarity with mammalian immune cell lectins have recently been identified from nematode parasites, suggesting clear roles for these proteins at the host-parasite interface, notably in immune evasion. Here, Alex Loukas and Rick Maizels review the status of helminth lectin research and suggest ways in which parasitic worms might utilize C-TLs during their life history.
C型凝集素（C-TLs）是一类碳水化合物结合蛋白家族，密切参与多种过程，包括脊椎动物免疫细胞信号传导和运输、脊椎动物和无脊椎动物先天免疫的激活以及毒液诱导的止血。最近已从线虫寄生虫中鉴定出与哺乳动物免疫细胞凝集素具有序列和结构相似性的蠕虫C型凝集素，这表明这些蛋白在宿主-寄生虫界面具有明确作用，尤其是在免疫逃避方面。在此，亚历克斯·卢卡斯和里克·迈泽尔斯回顾了蠕虫凝集素研究的现状，并提出了寄生蠕虫在其生活史中可能利用C型凝集素的方式。
