Beschin A, Bilej M, Magez S, Lucas R, De Baetselier P
Department of Immunology, Parasitology and Ultrastructure, Flemish Interuniversity Institute for Biotechnology, Free University Brussels (VUB), Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium.
Prog Mol Subcell Biol. 2004;34:145-63. doi: 10.1007/978-3-642-18670-7_6.
It is generally accepted that the action of cytokines results from their binding to specific receptors. However, many cytokines possess lectin-like activity that may be essential for the expression of their full biological activities. This review focuses on the physiological relevance of the lectin-like activity of cytokines during the innate immune response in mammals, using TNF as an illustrative example. Moreover, we will show that TNF displays functional analogies with a defense molecule from the earthworm Eisenia foetida termed CCF. These analogies are not reflected by primary sequence homology between CCF and TNF but are particularly based on a similar lectin-like activity/domain. Hence, from a phylogenetic point of view, the lectin-like activity/domain of CCF and TNF may represent an essential recognition mechanism that has been functionally conserved during the innate immune response of invertebrates and vertebrates as a result of convergent evolution.
一般认为，细胞因子的作用源于它们与特定受体的结合。然而，许多细胞因子具有凝集素样活性，这可能对其充分发挥生物学活性至关重要。本综述以肿瘤坏死因子（TNF）为例，重点探讨细胞因子的凝集素样活性在哺乳动物固有免疫反应中的生理相关性。此外，我们将表明TNF与来自蚯蚓 Eisenia foetida 的一种防御分子CCF具有功能相似性。这些相似性并非由CCF和TNF之间的一级序列同源性所反映，而是特别基于相似的凝集素样活性/结构域。因此，从系统发育的角度来看，CCF和TNF的凝集素样活性/结构域可能代表了一种重要的识别机制，由于趋同进化，在无脊椎动物和脊椎动物的固有免疫反应过程中在功能上得以保留。
